How Long Does Molly (MDMA) Stay In Your System? - Healthline

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HealthlineSubscribeHow Long Does Molly (MDMA) Stay in Your System?

Medically reviewed by Alex Nguyen, PharmD, RPh, CPh — Written by Carly Vandergriendt — Updated on July 11, 2025

Detection time by drug test
Factors affecting metabolization
How to metabolize faster
When effects start
When effects stop
The bottom line

Molly can be detected in some bodily fluids for up to three days. It may stay in your system longer depending on the dose. The drug may still be found in scalp hair after three months.

MDMA, also known as “molly” or “ecstasy,” is an illegal, synthetic drug that has similar effects to stimulants like methamphetamine.

When molly is ingested, it’s quickly absorbed into the bloodstream and can take effect in as little as 15 minutes. The drug is usually detectable in bodily fluids for one to three days after ingestion. However, it may be detected for up to five days or more in some circumstances. Like other drugs, it’s detectable in hair for several months.

Detection times are based on the time you last took the drug. Taking multiple doses over a period of several hours can lengthen the detection window.

Seeking help for addiction may seem daunting or even scary, but several organizations can provide support. If you believe that you or someone close to you is showing signs of addiction, you can contact the following organizations for immediate help and advice:

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 800-662-4357 (TTY: 800-487-4889)
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

How long is molly detectable via drug testing?

Molly is detectable in your body for anywhere from around two days to several months after ingestion, depending on the type of drug test used.

This is because different drug testing methods have different detection windows. These are based on how the drug is absorbed and broken down in the body.

Urine testing

Molly is detectable in urine up to three days after ingestion. MDMA that enters the bloodstream is carried to the liver, where it’s broken down and excreted.

Note that most typical urine tests won’t detect MDMA. On the other hand, some medications can cause false positives for MDMA in urine tests.

Blood testing

Molly can typically be detected in blood for around one to two days after ingestion, though in rare cases it may be detected for slightly longer. It’s absorbed quickly into the bloodstream and reaches peak levels two hours after it’s taken. Over time, the drug is transported to the liver, where it’s broken down.

Saliva testing

Molly is detectable in saliva for one to two days after ingestion. Since it’s typically taken by mouth, it appears quickly in the saliva. Its concentration peaks after two hours before beginning to decrease at four hours.

Hair testing

Molly is detectable in scalp hair for several months after ingestion. Once in the bloodstream, small amounts of the drug reach the network of tiny blood vessels that feed the hair follicles.

Hair grows at a rate of around 1 centimeter (cm) per month, and the segment of hair that tests positive usually corresponds to the time of ingestion.

What factors affect how long molly stays in your system?

Molly is absorbed, broken down, and eliminated faster or slower depending on several factors. These include the overall amount ingested and whether it’s taken in single or multiple doses.

Other factors relate to the drug’s chemical composition. Molly, also called ecstasy or MDMA, is frequently laced with other illegal drugs or chemical compounds even when it’s sold as “pure.”

When ecstasy pills or capsules are combined with other substances, it can affect how long it stays in your system and how long an illegal drug may be detected on a drug screening test.

Finally, a variety of individual factors can affect drug metabolism. These include:

age
metabolism
kidney function
liver function
genes

Is there anything you can do to metabolize it faster?

There’s nothing you can do to metabolize molly faster. Once it enters your system, your liver needs time to break it down.

Drinking water doesn’t flush molly from your system or neutralize its effects.

Exercising after taking molly can lead to dehydration, which can increase liquid consumption. Molly also affects your heart’s ability to pump blood, which poses risks during exercise.

How long does it take to feel the effects?

People may start to feel the effects of molly around 15 minutes after taking it. It takes about three hours to feel the drug’s peak effects.

Sought-after short-term effects

Some of molly’s sought-after short-term (acute) effects include:

euphoria
openness to others
extraversion and sociability
increased sensory perception
increased energy
sexual arousal
wakefulness

Negative short-term effects

Other short-term effects are negative. Some of these may appear alongside the drug high, including:

muscle cramps
increased heart rate
increased blood pressure
jaw clenching and teeth grinding
nausea
blurry vision
sweating
chills

Taking a high dose of molly can cause an increase in body temperature. This can sometimes lead to kidney failure, heart failure, or death.

Other negative effects can appear during the week after ingesting molly. They may include:

loss of appetite
blurry vision
insomnia
anxiety
agitation
depression
lack of focus
recklessness

How long does it take for the effects of molly to wear off?

It takes about three to six hours for a molly high to wear off. Some people take another dose as the effects of the initial dose fade, prolonging the drug high.

Molly’s negative effects tend to appear later and last longer. Mood disruptions such as irritability, anxiety, and depression can last for up to a week after your last dose.

Using molly on a regular basis may lead to effects including depression, heart disease, and reduced cognitive function. However, we still don’t know much about the long-term impact.

The bottom line

Molly usually stays in your system for up to three days, but it can last for months in some cases.

It’s typically detectable in bodily fluids approximately one to three days after it’s taken. Detection times for hair can span several months.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Commonly used drugs charts. (2020).https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/commonly-used-drugs-charts#mdma
Figurasin R, et al. (2022). 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine toxicity.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538482/
Honore PM, et al. (2020). CytoSorb removes MDMA in vitro, but is it an effective therapy in vivo?https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7391451/
Krotulski AJ, et al. (2018). The detection of novel stimulants in oral fluid from users reporting ecstasy, molly and mdma ingestion.https://academic.oup.com/jat/article/42/8/544/5145131?login=true
McNeil SE, et al. (2022). Drug testing.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459334/
MDMA (ecstasy/molly) DrugFacts. (2020).https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasymolly
Poyatos L, et al. (2021). A comparison of acute pharmacological effects of methylone and MDMA administration in humans and oral fluid concentrations as biomarkers of exposure.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/8/788/htm

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Medically reviewed by Alex Nguyen, PharmD, RPh, CPh — Written by Carly Vandergriendt — Updated on July 11, 2025

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