This article was medically reviewed by Sarah Gehrke, RN, MS and by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD. Sarah Gehrke is a Registered Nurse and Licensed Massage Therapist in Texas. Sarah has over 10 years of experience teaching and practicing phlebotomy and intravenous (IV) therapy using physical, psychological, and emotional support. She received her Massage Therapist License from the Amarillo Massage Therapy Institute in 2008 and a M.S. in Nursing from the University of Phoenix in 2013.
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Contrary to popular belief, nicotine doesn't actually stay in your system for very long. Since it only has a half-life of about 2 hours, you can expect your body to be completely clear of nicotine within a few days after you smoke your last cigarette.[1] This gets tricky, though, because the longer you smoke and the more you smoke, the more nicotine gets built up in your system. But not to worry—we've got tips to help you clear it out of your body fast. Read on to learn the best ways to flush nicotine out of your system quickly through food, drink, and physical activity.
Things You Should Know
- Drink plenty of water to help flush nicotine and its byproducts out of your system more quickly.
- Eat leafy greens and fruits such as blackberries and cranberries to help your body metabolize nicotine more quickly.
- Engage in cardiovascular activity to flush nicotine out through your sweat.
- Quit smoking completely to remove all nicotine from your system for good.
Steps
Flushing Out Nicotine with Food and Drink
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1Drink lots of water to help flush toxins from your body. Nicotine is expelled through urine. Drinking water causes you to urinate more, which removes nicotine from your body more quickly. So drink up to increase your chances of passing a urine test administered by your employer.[2]
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2Supplement water with other healthy beverages. Hot tea can help accelerate your body's metabolism of nicotine to get rid of it faster. Fruit juices also help hydrate you and have nutrients that can increase the rate at which your body metabolizes nicotine.[5]
- When trying to clear nicotine out of your body, avoid alcohol, soda, and coffee, which are diuretics that actually dehydrate you.
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3Eat foods that are rich in antioxidants. Whole foods that are rich in antioxidants help flush toxins from your body more quickly through urine and sweat. In addition to exercising and drinking plenty of water, add the following foods to your diet:[6]
- Leafy vegetables, such as kale or spinach
- Nuts, including peanuts, walnuts, and pecans
- Fruits such as blackberries, cranberries, and strawberries
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4Eat foods that stimulate the liver to produce bile. Nicotine is metabolized primarily through the liver, so stimulating the production of liver enzymes will help your body metabolize nicotine more quickly. To get rid of nicotine more quickly, eat foods that prompt bile production, including:[7]
- Garlic
- Onions
- Egg yolks
- Vegetables such as radishes, leeks, asparagus, celery, and carrots
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5Take a vitamin C supplement to accelerate your metabolism. When your metabolism is accelerated, your body will process and eliminate nicotine even faster. Foods that are naturally high in vitamin C include oranges, strawberries, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, papaya, and kiwi.[8]
- Vitamin C supplements also achieve the same effect and are easily available from your local grocery store.
Sweating Out Nicotine
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1Get your blood pumping with some cardio exercise. Cardio can be tough if you've been a regular smoker, but jogging and other cardio workouts raise your heart rate and cause you to sweat. Since nicotine leaves your body through sweat, this can help you get rid of the nicotine in your system faster. Make sure you jog long enough to work up a sweat—usually at least 15-20 minutes. If jogging isn't your thing, walking works just as well! Just as long as you get that blood pumping.[9]
- If it's cold outside, head to a gym and run on a treadmill.
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2Visit a sauna to remove nicotine through sweat. Studies show nicotine passes from your body through sweat.[10] In the hot, steamy environment of a sauna, you're sure to work up a sweat, which will help you remove more nicotine from your body than you otherwise would have.
- If you don't have a sauna at your disposal, go for other hot environments that will make you sweat. For example, you might lay out in the sun for a couple of hours (just make sure to wear sunscreen).
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3Stop smoking to permanently remove nicotine from your body. To remove all of the nicotine from your body and keep it gone for good, quit using any tobacco products. This includes not just smoking but also nicotine replacement products, such as patches, gum, inhalers, or lozenges. Quitting smoking isn't an easy thing to do, but you've got this! Just stay focused on your goal and keep busy to help reduce the temptation to smoke.[11]
- Quitting smoking improves your lung functioning and reduces your risk of throat, mouth, esophagus, and bladder cancer by 50%.
References
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953858/
- ↑ https://www.lompocvmc.com/blogs/2021/september/how-long-does-it-take-the-lungs-to-heal-after-qu/?locale=en
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
- ↑ https://www.lung.org/policy-advocacy/tobacco/slati/appendix-f
- ↑ https://www.lompocvmc.com/blogs/2021/september/how-long-does-it-take-the-lungs-to-heal-after-qu/?locale=en
- ↑ https://www.lompocvmc.com/blogs/2021/september/how-long-does-it-take-the-lungs-to-heal-after-qu/?locale=en
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2953858/
- ↑ https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-HealthProfessional/
- ↑ https://www.lompocvmc.com/blogs/2021/september/how-long-does-it-take-the-lungs-to-heal-after-qu/?locale=en
About This Article
To remove nicotine from your system, try to drink plenty of fluids and eat foods that help your body metabolize it. Drink at least 15 cups of water a day if you’re a man and 11 cups if you’re a woman, which will help you urinate the nicotine out of your system quickly. You can also drink other fluids, like green tea or fruit juice, to boost your hydration. Eat foods high in antioxidants, such as spinach, strawberries, and nuts, since they help metabolize the nicotine so it can leave your body through sweat or urine. Another way to speed up your metabolism is to eat foods that encourage your liver to produce bile, like carrots, leaks, and egg yolks. Along with these dietary steps, try going for a jog or run, since physical activity will cause you to sweat and expel more nicotine. For tips from our Medical co-author on how to get rid of nicotine with vitamin supplements, read on!
