Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical found in cigarettes and other tobacco products. It quickly enters the blood stream and reaches the brain, where it creates a feeling of pleasure.
In the liver, most of it is metabolized into cotinine and other chemicals. These compounds are then removed through the kidneys in urine.
Blood
The half-life of nicotine in the blood is two hours, and it can take up to a week for cotinine to clear the system. Lab technicians can detect cotinine in urine, saliva and blood.
A person’s body breaks down nicotine and its metabolites at different rates, which affects how long they remain in the system. In general, a healthy diet and plenty of water can speed up the process. Drinking more water will also help you urinate more often, which can flush the system.
A person’s weight and the type of tobacco products they use can affect how quickly the body eliminates nicotine. A person with more body fat may store the drug in fatty tissue and have higher levels of metabolites in their system. Certain medications can also impact how fast the body clears nicotine. For example, antifungals and some hypertension drugs slow the metabolism, while antibiotics and phenobarbital accelerate it. Other factors that can influence the rate at which the body removes nicotine include age, hydration level and exercise.
Urine
When blood passes through the kidneys, it’s filtered out and the waste (including nicotine) is excreted in urine. Nicotine may remain in the urine for 1-3 days, and cotinine for 7 to 10 days.
Fortunately, over-the-counter cotinine tests have high sensitivity and can accurately detect nicotine use within the previous 72 hours. The urine test can also be used to determine secondhand exposure.
The speed at which your body clears nicotine and cotinine depends on liver function, age, diet, medications, and genetics. The best ways to help the body clear these chemicals include drinking plenty of water and eating foods rich in antioxidants, which increase metabolism and detoxify the liver. Exercise also helps. The body releases the waste products of smoking and vaping through sweat, which is easily detected in urine. The good news is that even heavy smokers can clear their bodies of nicotine and cotinine in just four days without smoking or vaping.
Saliva
The body can clear nicotine quickly from the blood, saliva and urine if you stop smoking. Nicotine levels in the blood are typically gone within a day. Cotinine, the byproduct of nicotine that is found in urine and saliva, stays for about four days if you smoke regularly.
It takes longer for cotinine to leave your body because it is broken down into more metabolites before it is excreted. Each person metabolizes cotinine differently and the rate at which your body does so depends on your genetic makeup, how much you smoke and other factors.
You can help speed up the process by drinking more water and getting plenty of exercise. These will help increase the flow of blood to your liver and stimulate the release of waste products through sweat. Taking vitamins and supplements, such as grapefruit juice and those that contain antioxidants, may also assist your body in clearing out nicotine more quickly.
Hair
Nicotine is a dangerous chemical that can cause a range of health problems. It affects areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate, and appetite. It can also impact memory and other bodily functions.
Fortunately, once you stop smoking, nicotine leaves your body in just four days. It’s important to drink plenty of water and exercise to speed up the process. This will help you lose the excess water that nicotine carries with it, so your body can excrete it more easily.
If you’re concerned about your employment, your insurance company might test you for nicotine or its breakdown products in your blood, saliva, urine, hair, and nails. These tests aren’t common, but they do exist. These types of tests typically focus on cotinine and other breaking down chemicals of nicotine. The factors that can impact these results include liver function, age, diet and medications, sex, and other conditions that influence the clearance of these compounds.
