How Long GHB Stays in the Body
While gamma-hydroxybutyrate, also known as GHB, can occur naturally in the human body, it can also be used as a substance of misuse due to its relaxing abilities. Despite a history of uses in the United States, GHB and related chemicals were moved to Schedule I on the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), meaning they have no medical use and cause intense intoxication that is dangerous. There are still some prescription versions of GHB that are listed as Schedule III, but the doses are extremely low, and these medications are not prescribed widely.
Those who misuse GHB may find that the substance can remain in the body’s systems for varying amounts of time. Understanding how GHB affects the body, how long ghb lasts in the body, and how to find treatment for GHB misuse and addiction can be important for achieving recovery.
Side Effects of GHB
Some of the side effect of GHB may include:
- Muscle relaxation or an inability to move
- Loss of coordination
- Disorientation
- Sleepiness and lethargy
- Confusion
- Depressed breathing
- Lower heartbeat
- Trouble with learning or memory
- Extreme sedation
Because GHB is predominantly found as a date rape drug, there are several drug tests that can measure whether a person has this chemical in their system. At high doses, blackouts or unconsciousness can last up to 24 hours after the drug has been taken. For doctors, this means that some drug tests may be more important than others.
GHB Half Life and Testing for the Substance
Effects of GHB use can begin within 15-30 minutes, although a person who consumes it by accident may not be able to differentiate the first effects from becoming drunk. Sedation and other effects typically last between three and six hours.
About 95 percent of this drug is metabolized by the liver, and GHB has a half life of about 30-60 minutes. This means that 50 percent of GHB is eliminated from the body within one hour; on average, 1.83-5.5 hours are needed, depending on dose, to eliminate the drug from the body completely.Studies have shown that mixing GHB with alcohol increases how quickly the drug’s effects begin, which can be dangerous for a person who is accidentally dosed; however, alcohol also increases how quickly the drug is metabolized out of the body, so within 30 minutes to 1.5 hours, GHB may be completely eliminated from the body if it is mixed with alcohol.
One’s weight, body fat, and sex can affect how fast GHB is metabolized. Additionally, eating before taking the drug can slow down the drug’s absorption through the stomach lining. Taking GHB with food or just after eating decreases the absorption rate about 37 percent. Existing liver problems can also change how the drug is metabolized because most of it is processed in that organ. Kidney function problems may also affect how metabolites are excreted.
The remaining 5 percent of GHB metabolites move through the kidneys and bladder.
How Long Does GHB Stay in Your System?
How long GHB stays in your system can vary greatly depending on the dosage and how frequently it is taken.
Since the GHB half life is short, it may be difficult for average drug tests to detect GHB, especially urine tests; however, other drug tests can be more accurate.
- Saliva: This type of drug test is typically less reliable than urine or blood tests because the presence of most drugs in the saliva is very short-lived. GHB is most detectable in saliva within 10 minutes after it is ingested, although it can remain detectable for six hours after the drug is consumed. A new test using saliva to noninvasively detect the presence of GHB, in the event that a person is hospitalized for poisoning, can rapidly determine the presence of the drug’s metabolites.
- Urine: While GHB is rapidly metabolized through the body, urine drug tests can detect the substance up to 12 hours after it has been ingested. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), GHB will be most detectable in urine tests after four hours. A recent medical study, published by the American Chemical Society, conducted urine and blood tests every 30 minutes and found that GHB was most detectable up to two hours after it was consumed. During that time, it was also still distinguishable from other intoxicating or prescription substances.Urine tests for GHB are only valid within 12 hours after the person has ingested the intoxicant and should not remain in a drug testing lab. The laboratory for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at Quantico reports that urine samples left contained in a refrigerator in the lab spontaneously produce GHB after six months due to small amounts of this chemical’s natural presence in the human body.
- Blood: Blood tests are among the most effective drug tests when trying to determine if a person has taken GHB. This substance can be detected in blood tests up to 72 hours, or three days, after the drug has been consumed. Concentrations of GHB in the blood peak around 30 minutes after it is ingested, but metabolites remain circulating for much longer after the peak.
- Hair: Although hair tests are an effective way to detect many intoxicating drugs, like marijuana or meth, there is no reliable hair test to detect GHB.
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Treatment for GHB Abuse or Poisoning
GHB is a very dangerous drug. Although it is not widely abused for recreational reasons, it can be given to victims of rape or sexual assault prior to the incident. Some people do abuse GHB to get high, however. Understanding how rapidly the effects of GHB begin, and then wear off, can help medical professionals appropriately test potential victims and manage withdrawal symptoms if a person abuses GHB and needs help ending their addiction.
Those accidentally poisoned by GHB should be hospitalized as soon as possible. A person who abuses GHB specifically to get high may also end up hospitalized due to overdose, and this provides an opportunity for medical professionals to briefly intervene and help the person get evidence-based addiction treatment. Medical supervision for detox followed by treatment in a rehabilitation program are the foundation of addiction treatment for many substances, including GHB.
You don’t have to do it alone; help is just a call away. Call us at and we can help you find the right rehab program for you or your loved one. Whether you choose to attend our Mississippi addiction treatment program at Oxford Treatment Center or at one of American Addiction Centers’ other rehab facilities across the United States, we will be there with you at every step of the way.