Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic drug that some people abuse. Veterinarians often use ketamine as an anesthetic while doctors might prescribe it in small doses to treat treatment-resistant depression.[1] It is most common for ketamine to be misused in club and rave settings, as it causes effects like changes in sensory perception, hallucinations, and euphoria.
If you or a loved one abuse ketamine, you might be wondering how long it stays in your system. Ketamine has a half-life of 2 to 3 hours, which means it can take your body up to 15 hours to eliminate it.[2] However, drug tests can detect metabolites of ketamine in your system for a longer period.
If you are worried about passing a drug test, the only way to be sure is to refrain from ketamine use. Unfortunately, this can be difficult if you are struggling with a ketamine addiction, but drug rehab programs can provide the tools and support you need to achieve long-term sobriety.
In this article, you will learn:
- How long the effects of ketamine last
- How long ketamine stays in your body
- How long ketamine can be detected on drug tests
- What factors affect how long ketamine remains in your system
How Long Do the Effects of Ketamine Last?
Ketamine comes as a liquid or a powder. In liquid form, ketamine is often added to drinks. People who abuse ketamine might add it to a cigarette or joint to smoke it or snort the powder instead. Either way, ketamine abuse can lead to a variety of dangerous effects, including overdoses if you abuse too much at once.
The side effects of ketamine include:[3]
- A rush of euphoria and feelings of pleasure
- Relaxation or drowsiness
- Detachment from yourself and your surroundings
- Changes in sensory perception
- Hallucinations
- Altered perceptions of space and time
- Pain relief or inability to feel pain
- Mind-altering effects similar to being drunk on alcohol
The effects of ketamine take 10 to 15 minutes to kick in. Depending on how much ketamine you use and how pure it is, the effects can last between 30 minutes to one hour. Because the ketamine high is short-lived, it is common for users to binge on it.
How Long Does Ketamine Stay in Your System?
To understand how long ketamine stays in your body, you need to know what a half-life is. A drug’s half-life explains how long it takes your body to eliminate half of the substance. It can take up to 4 to 5 half-lives for a drug to be completely removed from your system.
The half-life of ketamine is between 2 to 3 hours.[2] In other words, your system can flush it out within 15 hours of your last dose. However, ketamine drug tests can detect it for a longer period because it leaves behind metabolites in certain areas of your body.
The amount of time that ketamine is detectable depends on what type of drug test is being used.
Urine
Urine testing is the most common form of drug test for a couple of reasons. For example, it is minimally invasive and relatively cheap to analyze. These tests can detect ketamine in urine for up to 14 days after your last dose.
Blood
Blood tests are not used as frequently as urine analysis because they provide a shorter window of detection. They are used in hospital settings when blood has already been collected to be used for additional testing. They can detect ketamine in your bloodstream for about 24 to 48 hours after you last used it.
Saliva
Saliva tests are most frequently used among law enforcement officers because they are easy to use in the field. If you are caught driving under the influence, a saliva test might be used to determine what type of substance you are on. Saliva tests can find ketamine in your system for 24 hours after your last dose.
Hair
Hair tests are used sparingly for a couple of reasons. First, they are expensive to send to the lab for analysis. The other reason is that they tend to discriminate based on hair color, making the results unreliable.[4] Despite this, some high-clearance jobs might still use them for pre-employment procedures.
If you are taking a hair test, they can find any substance in your system (including ketamine) for up to 90 days after you last consumed it.
What Factors Affect How Long Ketamine Stays in Your Body?
While most people eliminate ketamine from their system by 15 hours after their last dose, certain factors can play a role in how long it remains in your body. It is important to note that there is no way to force your body to eliminate ketamine faster. The only way to pass a drug test is to refrain from using ketamine.
The factors that affect how long ketamine stays in your system include:
- Biological sex
- Body mass index (BMI) and weight
- Rate or speed of metabolism
- Frequency and dose of ketamine use
- Hydration and nutrition levels
- Overall health
- Kidney and liver function
Find Help for Ketamine Abuse and Addiction
If you are struggling with ketamine addiction, it’s time to seek professional help. Addiction treatment centers will offer you the tools and support you need to achieve long-lasting recovery. New Jersey Interventions is here to connect you with a top-rated ketamine rehab center in your area. Contact us today for more information on how we can get you connected with a ketamine addiction treatment center.
References:
- The Lancet: Ketamine for the treatment of major depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Ketamine Label
- The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): Ketamine
- American Civil Liberties Union: Hair Tests: Unreliable and Discriminatory
Medically Reviewed: July 17, 2024
All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.