How Long Does It Take to Flush Nicotine From the Body?

Nicotine is one of the most addicting legal substances in the world. Millions of people struggle with smoking every day, and millions more will become addicted by the end of the year. One of the most important ways to kick the habit is to flush the drug out of your body. Knowing how long it takes and how to speed up the process will help you quit smoking fast.

How Does Nicotine Get In The Body?

Nicotine gets in the body through the inhalation of cigarette smoke. Second-hand smoke contains only trace amounts of nicotine, if any. Once the smoke reaches the lungs, it is absorbed into the blood stream (as is oxygen) and distributed throughout the body. The body knows that nicotine is a toxic substance, and it will be metabolized by your kidneys. Nicotine is water soluble and will be flushed through your liver to be sent out through your urine. The amount of nicotine in each cigarette is approximately 1 to 2 mg.

How Long Does It Stay In the Body?

The major amount of the nicotine in each cigarette will be flushed out quickly through your urine. This quick flushing rate often leads to heavy smoking, as smokers keep going for their next hit. However, as the nicotine is pumped through your blood stream, it will end up sticking throughout your body. It should take 6 to 8 hours to get one full cigarette out of your body. However, if you are a heavy smoker, you will have much more nicotine in your body. Through years of smoking, nicotine will end up in your fat cells and throughout the rest of your body. Once you quit smoking, the majority of the nicotine in your body should be metabolized and out of your body in 48 to 72 hours 1. However, because nicotine sticks to your fat cells and other parts of your body, it can take longer to flush out entirely. Cotinine is a by-product of the burning of nicotine, and it can stay in your body up to 30 days.

How Do I Get It Out Faster?

Nicotine is like any substance that enters your body. It has to be metabolized. Therefore, any activity that increases your metabolism will help get nicotine and cotinine out of your body quicker. Starting an exercise routine would be a great way to speed up your metabolism to get the nicotine out. Exercising increases your heart rate, which increases your metabolism and the speed with which you burn calories. After years of smoking, it will be important to start a good exercise routine any ways. Also make sure to drink lots of water. As mentioned earlier, nicotine is water soluble, so drinking water will help flush out any lingering traces. Any vitamin C will help as well, as vitamin C speeds up your metabolism. Nicotine also tends to destroy vitamin C in your body, so replacing it will be important after you quit smoking.