“Detox drinks” have been marketed without evidence to consumers to help them pass opioid drug tests by claiming to eliminate the byproducts of these drugs from urine and the body.[1]
Experts at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) say few studies have been performed on detoxification products. Only a fraction of the available studies showed any beneficial effects on outcomes like weight loss–and even those studies were small and filled with study design problems.[2] As a result, there’s no compelling, research-based reason to believe detox drinks work.
Researchers do know that some detox drinks can cause harm. In published case reports, people have experienced dangerous effects like seizures and psychosis because of their detox drinks.[3],[4]
Drug detox drinks are sold as juice, tea, smoothies and other beverages. Sellers claim they help boost the body’s natural ability to clear toxins so you can live a healthier life. Some companies claim their products could help you clear drugs and pass a urine screening.
There is no official consensus about what these drinks contain. Researchers identified these ingredients in a detox tea product that placed a man in the hospital:[1]
It’s difficult to determine if even one of these ingredients is safe. It’s even harder to understand how they might combine.
And if one ingredient is proven unsafe, manufacturers could respond by changing their ingredients, triggering more studies. Researchers say law enforcement officials play “cat and mouse” with manufacturers, as they claim their products work and then just change the ingredients when under pressure.[1]
Since most detox drinks contain water, they can help you remain hydrated. Your body needs fluid to produce urine. Since opioids leave your body in urine, hydration is important.[5]
But there’s no evidence that adding fruit, vegetables or herbs to your body in one large dose will make your organs more effective in filtering toxins.
Currently, no reliable rapid detoxing method exists.
Detox drinks work in a few different ways in order to help people pass a drug test. One of the main mechanisms is known as in vivo adulteration, which involves ingesting something designed to change the urine’s chemical makeup and avoid the detection of opioids or other drugs. [4]
Excretion and dilution are two examples of in vivo adulteration. This can include drinking an excessive amount of water or using diuretics. Detox drinks and products on the market that fall under this category include: [4]
These detox products contain creatine and B vitamins, which can help avoid detection of drug misuse. However, they claim that they “flush” the body of drugs and other toxins. [4]
Don’t rely on detox drinks to help you pass a drug test. There is no documented evidence that detox drinks or products work. [9] In some cases, they can cause harm.
Making sweeping claims about detox drinks is difficult, as almost anything could be bundled into a shiny package and sold as the latest solution to your drug-testing concerns. Since detox teas, drinks and some supplements aren’t tightly regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, it’s hard to read labels to understand how these products work and if they’re safe.[6]
But researchers know that adding things like water, niacin, diuretics like hydrochlorothiazide or herbs can’t make your organs work faster or flush drugs from your body faster.[6], [9] Instead, your body needs time to process each dose of drugs you take.
Opioids linger in your body until your organs can process them. This is an estimate of how long different opioids stay in the body, although these timelines vary by individual based on several factors.
Drug NameHow Long Is It Detectable in Urine?Codeine1–2 daysFentanyl1 dayHeroin2–7 daysHydrocodone2–4 daysMethadone7 daysMorphine2–3 daysOxycodone1–4 days
The dangers of detox drinks can vary based on what’s inside each sip you take. You may not know how you’ll feel until long after you’ve emptied your glass.
Researchers know herbal products can cause side effects such as the following:[7]
Sipping tea or pounding foul-tasting energy drinks can’t make your organs work faster. But you can take steps to help cleanse contaminants like opioids out of your system.
These are all good alternatives to detox drinks:
We’ve compiled some of the most common questions about how detox drinks work.
What are detox drinks? The term is vague, but typically detox drinks refer to beverages people consume if they hope to push toxins like opioids out of their bodies faster than they’d move overwise.
Do detox drinks work? There’s no evidence suggesting that all — or even some — detox drinks can clear all opioids out of your body and help you deliver a clean urine test.
Should you use detox drinks before a drug test? No. As testing laboratories point out, drinking a large amount of anything could dilute your test and make it inconclusive. You’d be forced to repeat the test.[7] And no ingredient list has been studied and proven effective in clearing drugs from your system.
Are there side effects from detox drinks? Yes. The health risks you face can vary depending on the drink you choose. But health problems, including seizures, have been documented in people using these products.[3]
Peter Manza, PhD received his BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Rochester and his PhD in Integrative Neuroscience at Stony Brook University. He is currently working as a research scientist in Washington, DC. His research focuses on the role of the brain dopamine system in substance use disorders and in aging. He also studies brain function in obesity and eating disorders.
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