If you’ve taken the drug xanax, you might be wondering how long does xanax stay in your blood. Xanax is a medication used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.

This drug is also known as alprazolam. It belongs to a group of drugs called benzodiazepines, which are often referred to as “benzos” for short. Users take xanax for its anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects and its ability to shorten the time it takes to fall asleep.

As with any drug, you should know how long does xanax stay in your blood before taking it so that you can avoid testing positive on a future drug test.

How long does Xanax stay in your blood?

The average half-life of alprazolam is 11 hours, which means that it takes about 11 hours for one-half of the drug to be eliminated from your bloodstream. Because your body metabolizes (breaks down) Xanax at a much slower rate than other drugs, its elimination time is much longer.

The duration of action of Xanax depends on multiple factors, including the dosage taken, frequency of dosage and the individual’s metabolism of the drug.

The amount of time that the medication remains in your bloodstream depends on when you last took the drug. If you took it a while ago, the levels of the drug in your bloodstream are likely to still be quite high.

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The amount of xanax in your blood can be determined by a blood test. However, it is not possible to determine exactly when the drug was taken based on its blood level.

For this reason, it is difficult for doctors to determine whether a person’s blood level of the drug was acquired as prescribed or if it was the result of misuse. This is why how long does xanax stay in your blood is such an important issue.

What affects how long Xanax stays in your blood?

There are a few factors that may impact how long xanax stays in your blood.

These include:

  • The dosage of xanax: The higher the dosage, the longer the drug stays in your blood.
  • Frequency of dosage: The more often you take xanax, the longer it stays in your blood.
  • Individual metabolism: The rate at which your body metabolizes xanax varies from person to person.
  • Age: Because metabolism tends to slow with age, xanax stays in your blood for a shorter period of time in older individuals.
  • Gender: Men metabolize xanax at a faster rate than women.
  • Weight: The heavier you are, the longer xanax will stay in your blood.
  • Health: People with certain health conditions metabolize xanax at a slower rate.

How long does Xanax stay in your urine?

When you take xanax, some of it is metabolized by your liver and excreted in your urine. The amount of time it is detectable in your urine depends on many factors, including the dosage taken, frequency of dosage and individual metabolism.

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In general, xanax metabolites remain in your urine for a much shorter period of time than they remain in your blood. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that, on average, it stays detectable in urine for up to one week after ingestion.

The rate at which it leaves your system depends on a number of factors, including your body mass. This is why how long does xanax stay in your urine is an important issue.

How long does Xanax stay in your hair?

Depending on the laboratory that conducted the test and the analysis method used, xanax may be detected in hair for up to 90 days after ingestion. The FDA does not recommend that laboratories use hair for drug testing.

The long detection window for xanax and the short detection window for other drugs make hair analysis a less reliable form of testing.

Additionally, because hair grows at a rate of about one-half inch per month, it is not an accurate measure of recent drug use.

This is why how long does xanax stay in your hair is an important issue.

How Long Does Xanox Stay In Your Urine?


Like blood, xanax is metabolized by the liver and excreted in urine. The amount of time it stays in your urine largely depends on dosage, frequency of dosage and individual metabolism.

In general, xanax metabolites remain in your urine for a much shorter period of time than they do in your blood. The FDA reports that, on average, it stays detectable in urine for up to one week after ingestion.

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A urinalysis is the most common method of drug testing and is typically used to detect the presence of illegal drugs in urine. It is also used to detect the presence of legal drugs in urine in certain circumstances, such as when an employer is conducting a drug test on an employee. Urine testing is used to determine the amount of xanax in your system.

The level of the drug in your urine can help a doctor determine whether you are taking the drug according to your doctor’s instructions. It can also help a doctor determine whether you’ve abused the drug.

Final Words

The duration of action of alprazolam depends on multiple factors, including the dosage taken, frequency of dosage and the individual’s metabolism of the drug.

The amount of time that the medication remains in your bloodstream depends on when you last took the drug. If you took it a while ago, the levels of the drug in your bloodstream are likely to still be quite high.

The amount of xanax in your blood can be determined by a blood test. However, it is not possible to determine exactly when the drug was taken based on its blood level.

For this reason, it is difficult for doctors to determine whether a person’s blood level of the drug was acquired as prescribed or if it was the result of misuse.

This is why how long does xanax stay in your blood is an important issue.


David Warren
Author

David Warren is a pharmaceutical specialist that dispenses prescription medication on a daily basis. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy from the University of Tennessee in 1991. With over 50 publications on medication-related and pharmacy topics, David has been able to share his experiences and knowledge with others. David with lots of experience and knowledge in medications that are utilized to treat a wide range of medical conditions. Before David dispenses a medication to a patient, he will go over the side effects, dosage recommendation and contraindications.