What is THCA?
One of the non-psychoactive compounds found in the raw Cannabis plants is tetrahydrocannabinolic acid, or THCA. It is the precursor to THC, the well-known cannabinoid responsible for the “high” associated with the use of marijuana. Through a process called decarboxylation, cannabis is heated when it is smoked, vaped, or cooked; this turns the THCA into THC.
While THCA itself doesn’t exert psychoactive effects, it is still detectable in drug tests. That is why it is important to know the extent of time it dwells in the body.
Factors Affecting THCA Detection Times
Several variables are at work in determining how long THCA will remain in your system:
- Frequency of use: Chronic users of cannabis will have longer detection windows than infrequent users.
- Dosage: Higher doses of THCA will take a longer time to get flushed out of your body.
- Metabolism: Everyone’s metabolism is different. Things like age, weight, and health in general tend to personalize how fast you’re able to process and clear THCA.
- Method of consumption: When you smoke cannabis, your body absorbs it, then clears it out faster than with edibles that pass through a longer route along the digestive system.
- Body fat percentage: THC and its metabolites accumulate in fat cells. Thus the greater a person’s body fat, the longer detectable levels of THCA may persist.
THCA Detection Windows by Test Type
Variable lengths of time during which THCA would remain detectable depend on the kind of drug test applied. These include:
Urine Tests
A urine test would be the most common method to detect cannabis use. The following is a general breakdown of how long a urine test may detect cannabis, depending on the frequency of use:
- Single use: 5-8 days
- Moderate use (4 times per month): 11-18 days
- Heavy use (daily): 30-60 days
- Chronic heavy use (several times per day): 60-120 days
Blood Tests
The blood tests have only a tiny window of detection compared to urine. In most cases, THCA can only be traced in the blood for some hours or, at most, a few days after use.
Saliva Tests
Saliva tests detect THCA for about 24-72 hours after last use. This type of test method is less common compared to either urine or blood testing.
Hair Tests
Hair follicle tests have the longest detection window, yet they are less common. THCA showed in hair up to 90 days after the last use.
How to Accelerate THCA Elimination
There is no sure way to accelerate this process of eliminating THCA from the body; however, there are a few strategies that may help:
- Stay hydrated: Water will help ensure flushing out as many toxins as possible from the body and provide for increased, timely urination.
- Exercise: The physical activities could serve in the burning of fat cells where THC metabolites are stored.
- Well-Balanced Diet: A healthy diet will ensure proper metabolism and overall good health.
- Abstinence from Cannabis Use: The best way to clear THCA out of your system is quitting cannabis products consumption entirely .
Conclusion
Knowing how long THCA can last in your system is important information to anyone who may be undergoing drug tests, whether employment-legal or personal. Setting aside the widely varying detection windows from individual to individual and type of test applied, staying clear of cannabis use definitely will be the surest way to avoid a positive result.
Remember, everyone’s body chemistry is different; hence there is no one-size-fits-all answer in terms of ascertaining THCA elimination. If you are concerned about a drug test that is going to be taken, the best thing would be to be cautious and allow yourself enough time to clear off all detectable traces of cannabis from your system.