How long does LSD last in your body?
Lysergic acid diethylamide is a psychedelic drug (a hallucinogen). Lysergic acid diethylamide is categorized under instant mood changing and formidable chemicals. LSD is manufactured and produced from lysergic acid found in the ergot fungus that grows on grains and rye. Albert Hoffman synthesized lysergic acid diethylamide. He created respiratory and circulatory stimulants by experimenting with several chemical substances and accidentally made lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Lysergic acid diethylamide has the same chemical structure as serotonin in the brain. The effect of LSD includes dilated pupils, increased blood pressure, insomnia, loss of appetite, and heart palpitations. Behavioral changes like synesthesia (for example, seeing sound, hearing colors), changes in feelings and sensation, going from one emotion to another rapidly.
LSD is life-threatening for pregnant women, and it is even worse for babies. In the United States, LSD is produced in crystal form crystals are distributed after converted into liquid. This liquid is odorless, bitter in taste, and colorless. How long does LSD last? LSD lasts seven to twelve hours after intake. This time interval also depends upon the frequency of consumption. When LSD is consumed, it takes twenty minutes to two hours to feel its effect on the body. As soon as the impact is felt, its product reaches its peak after thirty-five minutes. After-effects are also felt when the trip of LSD is over. It takes 24 hours for your body to return to its original state. How long does LSD stay in your system depends upon the health condition and individual's body capacity, such as tolerance, age, weight, dosage, liver health, stomach pH, and metabolic rate.
The trace of LSD in hair follicles can be detected for three months and in urine for five days. Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) changes the state of mind. LSD affects brain receptors by binding to them. This action influences or changes the brain's response to neurotransmitters and serotonin that controls perceptions, emotions. By binding to the specific brain receptor, LSD affects the nerve pathway, producing visual hallucinations and time and sound perceptions. LSD effects on the central nervous system are still unknown by the experts. LSD doesn't kill brain cells, but it affects brain functions. Hallucination caused by LSD is the aggressive action of serotonin. Almost all receptors are found on the cerebral cortex. LSD affects the nervous system by reducing the release of serotonin into the postsynaptic neurons. A study done using MRI shows that with LSD, the blood flow increases in the occipital area, the peculiarly visual cortex. This mechanism can be the reason for hallucination experienced after consuming LSD. LSD involves some risks that happen after hallucinations: "challenging experience" and "bad trip" that leads to confusion, acute anxiety, and dysphoria, uncontrollable and unpredictable behavior of an individual. Other possible symptoms include the aggravation of psychic disorders or prolonged cyclic reactions related to the consumer's memories.
The clinical trials of LSD for treatment resulted positive. Prescribing LSD in small amounts to reduce psychological symptoms, shown short-term changes in the behavioral disorder patients. Likewise, other studies conclude the significant role of LSD in the treatment of alcoholism. A journal published in January 2008 shows that approximately 3.1 million people in the United States aged between 12 to 25 intake LSD.
Few drug-addicted patients were examined to check those LSD effect illusions—the patient experiencing different visual phenomena. Few patients experienced optical illusions like threatened death images, dyskinetopsia, and vibrations after the excess use of LSD. One patient was involved in numerous substance abuse, and took LSD for more than six years, complained about palinopsia and visual hallucinations even after stopping drug abuse for years. The neurological examination resulted in the presence of abnormal visual acuity and toxic encephalopathy. Another illusion that LSD causes flash-back phenomena (experiencing powerful, happy, exciting, or sad emotions). LSD has a persistent effect that causes delusions for several months after consumption. These illusions rarely happen after a long time, and if they appear after a long time, it can be because of medication, alcohol, or anesthesia.
Few rare cases of pregnancy have shown a positive effect of LSD. Findings of LSD side effects during pregnancy, did a long time ago, suggest that it can give rise to congenital disabilities. Those documents have shown eye problems such as retinal dysplasia and cataract in babies, and there were other mothers also gave birth to babies without any congenital disabilities. LSD consumption during pregnancy causes LSD to accumulate in the placenta. This is the finding from another study on rodents that shows LSD interrupts the fetal blood flow; results also suggest that it increases the chances of miscarriage. Pregnant women should not use LSD because it threatens both the fetus and mother's health.
The conclusion says LSD is not a physically addictive drug. Still, long-term usage will make people tolerant, and they will continue to take more and more medications to get some experience. It becomes dangerous for the consumer because the consequences will be unpredictable, they develop more tolerance for LSD. It can make people intake more LSD. The use of LSD is done for the treatment of alcohol addiction. More study is still needed to ensure the positive and negative effects of LSD. It will help strengthen knowledge about LSD and help get more information about the better use of LSD.