Niacin Drug Test

As long as drug tests exist, people will strive to find ways to beat them. There have been a number of so-called remedies for passing, from drinking pickle juice to consuming loads of aspirin. One solution people swore on was the niacin drug test.

Niacin, also known as Vitamin B3, is a naturally occurring part of the Vitamin B complex. This water soluble vitamin is mandatory for a healthy body, as it helps the skin, nerves, and digestive system work properly. Used in the body's chemical processes, niacin breaks down fat and cholesterol.

Because niacin metabolizes fat, people thought that it might be able to help them pass a drug test by flushing the body of THC, the identifying chemical compound found in marijuana. Since THC is stored in the body's fat cells, anything that would help speed up the metabolism was thought to 'erase' it from the body. People simply thought that niacin 'cleared the blood,' setting them on the path to passing.

Word spread about the niacin drug test and people began taking large doses, thinking it would clear out their THC levels. Unfortunately, large doses of niacin (over 2 grams) can cause liver damage, skin flushing, ulcers and rashes. Some users reported itching.

Even normal doses can cause a sunburned appearance, but a deficiency in niacin puts you at risk for the disease pellagra, with its irritated skin, digestive troubles, and possible mental impairment. Found in dairy products, rabbit, poultry, lean meats, nuts, peanut yeast, and enriched grains such as cereal and bread, niacin is necessary for converting food into energy.

There is no known way to 'pass' your drug test, although there are plenty of Internet sites, companies and literature that say otherwise. Exert caution when considering a product that will 'cleanse' your system of drugs. Any substance or drug residue can only be excreted by your body's natural metabolism, and different classifications of drug take different amounts of time. For example, 'club drugs' such as ecstasy are cleared from the body relatively quickly, within a three to five days, while marijuana can linger in your system for three to four weeks.

Drug Testing in NZ