WHAT DOES DELTA 8 THC DO TO OUR SYSTEM?

While there is still a rather considerable buzz around delta-8, we are all starting to calm down. Reactions like, “Huh, there is another cannabinoid I have not tried?” are becoming a little less common now, and a number of people are starting to ask some serious questions about delta 8. One of the most common ones is about the duration of delta-8’s presence in your system.

And no, you cannot assume delta-8 works the way delta-9 does just because they are chemically similar. Delta-8 is also a psychoactive compound. So, although it is several times milder than delta-9, you can still get high on it.

Knowing how high you can get and how long delta-8 stays in your system can help you determine the proper way to use products depending on your lifestyle.

Let us kick things off with some actual answers.

How Long Does Delta 8 THC Stay In Your System?

This is probably the question that led you to this article, and we are going to give as clear an answer as possible.

Delta-8 is a cannabinoid. Because cannabinoids bind to fat, it takes much longer for them to be processed. Upon entering the body, delta-8 is broken down, winds its way through the bloodstream, and is stored in fat and organs. After some time, the liver starts turning it into metabolites so it can leave the system, and those metabolites are what drug tests look out for. 

One study claims that 80% to 90% of THC will be excreted within five days. However, you can get away with a clean report if you know what kind of test you will be having. As a result, you can stay away from delta-8 products long enough for your body to metabolize the compound entirely.

There are four types of tests with different discovery periods. Oral or saliva tests will only turn up positive if you have ingested delta-8 within the preceding two days. The same goes for blood tests because your body is constantly detoxifying itself. If your urine is the by-product being tested, however, delta-8 THC can be detected for up to 48 days, and hair samples can betray you for around 90 days after consumption.

Although the periods we have given above are accurate, the human body is an unpredictable system. So, we are pretty sure you are going to be undetectable if you stay away from delta-8 for the noted period before taking the test. 

But, the type of drug test only tells you how long you have to abstain before you can freely take a drug test. So, here are some factors that can determine how long delta-8 stays in your system.

Factors That Affect How Long Delta 8 Stays in Your System

1. Potency & Dosage

• The more potent the product and the higher the dose, the longer it will stay in your body and the stronger your high will be. This is why it is essential to check exactly how many milligrams of delta-8 THC are in your product and take it according to the recommended dosage.

2. Body Chemistry

• Human beings have complex bodies, so what works for some may not necessarily work for others. While potency and dosage are important, if two individuals’ height, weight, and body fat have a huge difference, the effects and metabolism of delta-8 will vary.
• Our genetics also play a significant role. For example, the liver uses specific enzymes to metabolize cannabinoids, and some people naturally have more of these enzymes than others.

3. Age

• Aging is a fact of life, and so is the slowed metabolism that comes with it. Most older people cannot metabolize compounds as fast as they were younger, so it often takes longer for delta-8 metabolites to get flushed out.
• However, this is not an absolute certainty. Some older people who have kept in shape still maintain a fast metabolism.

4. Frequency of Use

• As we said above, cannabinoids like delta-8 are stored in fat before being metabolized and flushed out slowly. But, this process takes quite a bit of time, even for those who have never used cannabinoids before.
• This means if you use delta-8 frequently, your body will begin to stock up on it, hoarding it in your fat cells and slowly metabolizing it. The more you consume and the shorter the periods between doses, the larger the accumulation.
• When you stop using delta-8, the accumulated cannabinoids will start flowing into the bloodstream to be metabolized by the liver and will eventually be flushed out. Because these are not newly consumed cannabinoids, this will increase the time you need to be completely cannabinoid-free.
• Although blood and urine tests do not require long periods of abstinence before cannabinoids are flushed out, it depends heavily on your frequency of use. For example, if you are using delta-8 every day for just one month, you should expect to wait at least two weeks (or more) before it is undetectable in urine or blood. 

5. Method of Consumption

• The method of consumption also plays a pivotal role in how long delta-8 stays in your system. There are many ways to use delta-8. However, the majority is divided into products that are either inhaled or physically eaten.
• Inhaled products are metabolized much faster than edibles because they are taken almost directly into the bloodstream, stored, and then turned into metabolites. Edibles have to go through a much slower process of digestion, which takes several hours.

6. Other Substances

• Unfortunately, we cannot survive on only delta-8, which means your delta-8 will probably have to fight for the right to get metabolized. 
• Lots of supplements and medications need the same type of enzymes that metabolize delta-8 to take effect. Sadly, there is only so much to go around, so if you are taking supplements or medications that require the participation of the liver, your delta-8 is going to get flushed out later, not sooner.

Effects of Delta-8

1. Since we are talking about how long delta-8 stays in your system, we will need to touch on the effects of delta-8. The apparent effects of delta-8 THC will die out way before the cannabinoid metabolites leave your body.
2. Delta-8 does have psychoactive properties, but it is a much milder high that does not leave you feeling smashed. Instead, users have described it as a cerebral high that leaves them feeling happy but in control of their bodies and aware of their surroundings. 
3. While these effects can change from individual to individual, you should not expect any extreme effects that you might get with delta-9. Delta-8 is generally more relaxing, as it can cause a mild but constant high.

Duration Of The Effects

• The most significant factor in determining how long the effects last is the method of consumption. There are several ways to consume delta-8, but, for this article, we will focus on the most common methods.

1. Inhaled Products – Vapes, Carts, Pre-Rolls

• If you are smoking a delta-8 cart, you can expect a fast reaction. It usually only takes under ten minutes for the first effects to kick in, and you can expect to feel them for around five to six hours. After that, the results can differ from person to person, but the feeling peaks between 30 minutes and three hours.

2. Tinctures and Oils

• Delta-8 tinctures are not commonly seen products, but we are covering all of the bases here. Tinctures and oils are infused extracts taken by putting a few drops under the tongue (sublingually).
• Your body absorbs the extract almost immediately. You can add more if needed, but take it easy to start with. You should feel the effects between 15 and 30 minutes after ingestion, and they last up to three hours. The high might be better because tinctures and oils are usually much more concentrated than other methods.

3.  Edibles – Capsules, Infused Flower (in Food), and Gummies

• Edibles have to go through a much longer process before you start feeling anything. Your body needs to break down a substance once it is consumed, and delta-8 gummies is no exception. It might take several hours for the delta-8 to begin to take effect.
• You should expect to start feeling the difference around two hours in. But, the effects of edibles last a long time, up to eight hours, and peak after between the first and second hour. 
• If you are constantly ingesting delta-8, you might find the periods of intoxication become shorter and shorter as your body grows used to it, and you might need larger doses to achieve the same effect. 

Can I Pass The Drug Test?

1. Yes, delta-8 THC can make you fail a drug test. There is no way to sugarcoat it.
2. If the product contains less than 0.3% THC and comes from hemp, delta-8 is federally legal. However, most methods of testing cannot distinguish between delta-9 THC metabolites and delta-8 THC metabolites. They simply detect THC, no matter which variant is present in the sample. 
3. However, other factors bear some weight in the final results. We have listed them above as factors that affect how long delta-8 stays in your system. These factors can help get the delta-8 out of your system faster. But, there are even better ways to clear this compound out in time for your drug test. 

Flush Delta-8 Out Of Your System

1. Stop Taking Delta-8 Products

• This is another obvious point, but it is the most important. In preparation for your drug test, you will need to stop consuming delta-8 products. Your body needs time to flush out the remaining metabolites so you are completely clean, and this is especially important if you are a frequent delta-8 user.

2. Stay Calm

• If your drug test is coming up soon and you are feeling a little panicked, stay calm. Getting anxious might make you want to consume more delta-8, which would not help anyway. So, first thing first, take a deep breath, calm down, and make a plan to get rid of those pesky metabolites.

3. Drink Lots of Water

• Drinking a lot of water can help dilute toxins in the body. It will also cause you to urinate frequently, which will help you to flush out the metabolites through your urine. Aim to drink about a gallon a day at least.

4. Eat Nutritious Meals

• Eating healthy meals rich in fiber and proteins will also help get rid of any toxins through defecation. So, you should eat more fruits, sulfur-rich foods, and foods with prebiotics. Also, reduce your salt intake so you do not retain water. Remember, detoxification through excretion is the goal.

5. Get Some Sleep

• When we say “get some sleep,” we mean get adequate amounts of sleep — eight hours is a pretty good recommendation. Your body already has a natural detoxification system in place, but not getting enough sleep can throw it out of whack.
• There is also the added benefit of your metabolism picking up the pace so you can get a clean result.

6. Exercise

• There are so many benefits of exercise that we could not list them all even if we wrote another article on it. However, the most valuable benefit of exercise for getting delta-8 metabolites out of your system is its penchant for reducing inflammation.
• Reducing inflammation can help all of your body’s systems function better, which means you will be able to improve your metabolism and boost your detoxification system.

7. Try Some CBD

• This is a little-known method that can prove helpful when you need to come down fast. CBD is also a cannabinoid, but it can counteract the psychoactive properties of delta-8 THC. This can help you relax before you use other methods to detox your system.

Conclusion: Merge Delta 8 With Your Habits

How long delta-8 stays in your system depends on a number of different variables. You might need to check your habits and lifestyle against these variables to estimate how long it will take for the THC to leave your system.

It takes some research and time to align these two areas, but once you have connected the variables, you can change your lifestyle to accommodate regular drug tests.

However, if you use good-quality delta-8 products and follow our tips for flushing delta-8 out, you should be able to take any drug test, except a hair follicle test, within the next two weeks. Best of luck!