How Long Does Ritalin (Methylphenidate) Stay in Your System?
Ritalin is the brand name for a prescription stimulant drug known as methylphenidate. Methylphenidate was licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, an insomnia disorder that can be triggered during the day. 1 As a Schedule II controlled substance, Ritalin can potentially cause addiction and abuse. [2]
Ritalin comes in short-acting as well as long-acting forms. It is a long-acting Ritalin (Ritalin LA) that stays in your System longer than the short-acting Ritalin (Ritalin and SR). The length of time Ritalin is detected on the drug test is dependent on the kind of Ritalin that you take, the duration and the severity of your Ritalin usage, as well as other variables.
Based on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), around 150,000 people above 12 were abused by Ritalin in 2016. [3]
If you’ve been Buying Ritalin Online and are struggling to control the amount and frequency you consume it, you could suffer from addiction and need professional assistance. Contact our experienced Admissions Counselors from Moving Mountains Recovery today to learn more about the Ritalin addiction treatment alternatives.
How Long Do the Effects of Ritalin Last?
Ritalin is a Central Nervous system (CNS) stimulant that raises levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in the body. This increases heart rate, body temperature, energy levels, and blood pressure. The effects begin within a few minutes of taking it. They last for 4-6 hours with immediate-release versions and 10-14 hours for the extended-release versions. The effects can last longer if it is misused and taken at higher doses than recommended.
Ritalin is processed within the liver. When the effects fade, Ritalin can still be present in your body for a few days.
What is the Half-Life of Ritalin?
To understand how long a substance remains within your body, you must look at the drug’s half-life. Half-life refers to the duration for half one dose of an ingredient to go out of your body. The substance can take four to five half-lives to leave you altogether. Specific trace metabolites detected by tests for drugs could remain in your body long after the importance, in this case, methylphenidate, leaves the body.
Ritalin’s half-life is brief in comparison to other central nerve system depressants. The half-life of methylphenidate varies from 1-4 hours, and the average is 3.5 hours. This means that it remains within the body for 4 to 20 hours, an average duration of twelve hours, and is detectable through drug tests due to the metabolites it creates for a more extended period. [4]
Factors that affect how long Ritalin (Methylphenidate) stays in your System
Despite Ritalin’s half-life, the duration it remains within the body differs between one individual and the next because of a variety of variables, such as:
Weight and age: Older People tend to remove drugs slower than younger individuals. Body mass and weight can also influence this; those with higher body mass are likely to get rid of methylphenidate faster.
Metabolism: Personal variations in liver function and metabolism could affect the length of time Ritalin remains in your body.
Doses: The larger quantities remain in the body for longer than smaller doses or one dose.
Duration and frequency of usage: The more frequently you use Ritalin, in addition to the length of time that you’ve been taking it regularly, the longer it’ll be to get rid of your System.
Mixing Ritalin with alcohol when taking methylphenidate causes the drug to disappear slower. This is because the liver’s focus is on processing alcohol first before any other activity, which allows the methylphenidate to stay within the body.
Drinking enough water and eating an appropriate diet can increase the metabolic rate that the medication produces.
How Long Does Ritalin Show Up on a Drug Test?
As opposed to other substances, such as marijuana, which accumulate in cells within the body and stay within the body for a lengthy duration, Ritalin is water-soluble and can leave the body quickly. Three kinds of drug screeners could be used to test for Ritalin, and each has a distinct screening window. As with other central nervous system stimulants, blood tests aren’t often employed to determine Ritalin.
Urine Tests
Urine tests (also called traditional 5-panel drug test) is the most commonly tested type of test for drugs since they are simple to administer, precise, and cost-effective. Ritalin is detectable in urine up to three days after the expiration of the dose.
Saliva Tests
Saliva tests can also reveal Ritalin for up to three days after taking the dose.
Hair Tests
Tests for hair follicles have an extended detection time and can Buy Ritalin Online and other medicines for up to 90 days following the previous dose.
What Happens if You Take Too Much Ritalin?
Intoxication from Ritalin will cause harmful levels of methylphenidate to build up within your body, possibly creating a fatal overdose. The symptoms of Ritalin overdose include:
Agitation
Shaking
Confusion
Hallucinations
Dilated pupils
Fast, pounding heartbeat
Fever
Headache
Muscles are twitching
Sweating
Flushed skin
Vomiting
Seizures
The loss of consciousness
If you or a loved one may be suffering from an overdose, seek medical attention immediately by calling 911. It is impossible to take Ritalin out of your System quicker. The drug will have to go through its course. However, hospitals can offer monitors, fluids, and medication based on symptoms that could help prevent death.
Find Help for Ritalin Abuse and Addiction Today
If you’re worried about failing the drug test because you’re unable to quit taking Ritalin, You could be experiencing addiction. Treatment for Ritalin addiction may differ based on the situation; however, it typically involves detox, rehabilitation, and aftercare assistance.
We are Moving Mountains Recovery; our staff of admissions counselors can evaluate your needs, inform you of the treatment options available, and check your insurance coverage to locate the assistance best suited to your needs. Start now when you give us a call. Our admissions team is available all hours of the day to assist.
