Molly: How Long Does It Stay In Your System? - Medical News Today

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Medical News TodaySubscribeHow long does Molly stay in your system?

Medically reviewed by Kelsey Nank, PA-C — Written by Jayne Leonard — Updated on May 12, 2025

How long?
Drug tests
Effects
Metabolization
Drug interactions
Molly detox
Summary

Molly, or Ecstasy, is another name for the drug MDMA. It typically stays in a person’s system for several days. The exact length of time depends on several factors, including the person’s metabolism and how much MDMA they have taken.

Different drug tests have different detection periods. Some tests can detect Molly for only a day or two after a person has taken the drug. Others can detect the drug after several months.

Read on to learn more about drug testing, how Molly works, and how long it takes for the body to metabolize it.

You’ll notice the language used to share stats and other data points is pretty binary, fluctuating between the use of “male” and “female” or “men” and “women.” While we typically avoid language like this, specificity is key when reporting on research participants and clinical findings.

How long does Molly stay in a person’s system?

A disco ball set against a dark background, light reflecting off of its surface in a kaleidoscopic manner — EyeWolf/Getty Images

According to an older 2000 study, Molly quickly enters the bloodstream, and its effects typically last for around 3 hours. However, traces of the drug can remain in the body for several days.

It is difficult to determine exactly how long Molly will stay in a person’s system. It depends on many factors, including:

the amount they took
the time of their last dose
their overall health
the rate of their metabolism
whether or not they are taking any medications
when they last ate a meal
the purity of the drug

According to research from 2009, molly is typically detectable for 24 to 72 hours, but it can remain in small traces for up to 5 days or more.

Drug tests

There are several ways to test for the presence of Molly. Some drug tests, including their detection windows, are as follows:

Blood tests

A person typically feels the effects of Molly after about 45 minutes of ingestion. A 2011 study reported that the drug remains detectable in blood tests for approximately 1 to 2 days.

Saliva tests

The above 2011 study also reported that saliva tests may detect a single recreational dose (70 to 150 milligrams) of MDMA for 1 to 2 days. Additionally, it may first be detectable within minutes of ingestion.

Urine tests

According to a 2009 study, Molly is detectable in urine as early as 25 minutes after ingesting high doses, and it typically remains detectable for about 2 to 4 days.

However, some samples can still show the presence of Molly’s metabolites on days 5 and 6 after ingestion.

Hair tests

Research from 2014 shows that traces of Molly can remain in hair fibers for up to 3 months after a person last takes the drug.

Hair testing has a detection window of approximately 1 month per 0.5 inches of hair. Therefore, it is possible to detect an approximate time of ingestion based on the segment of hair that tests positive for the drug.

Effects

Once a person ingests Molly, the intestines absorb the chemicals and filter them into the bloodstream. A person who takes Molly in tablet or capsule form may begin to feel the effects after around 45 minutes.

The effects of recreational doses of MDMA often peak within 15 to 30 minutes of initial effects, which occur within 1 to 2 hours of ingestion. The initial effects last for an average of 3 hours, but some effects may last up to 6 hours after ingestion.

Molly affects the brain by increasing the activity of three brain chemicals: serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. A surge in these chemicals causes effects, such as:

an increased heart rate
increased blood pressure
a boost in energy levels
an elevated mood
nausea
chills
sweating
blurred vision
muscle cramps
teeth clenching

These effects may last for roughly 3 hours, according to a 2000 study. In the days and weeks following moderate Molly intake, other symptoms and side effects can emerge. These include:

mood changes, including aggression and irritability
anxiety and depression
sleep problems
loss of appetite
issues with memory and attention span
loss of libido

Metabolizing Molly

When a person takes Molly orally, the drug makes its way into the stomach before moving to the intestines. From here, it passes into the bloodstream. At this point, the person begins to feel the effects of Molly.

The liver then breaks down the drug into chemical compounds called metabolites. MDMA and its metabolites pass to the kidneys, which will filter the drug out of the bloodstream.

The chemicals then move to the bladder, and they eventually leave the body in the urine. The body will also excrete some metabolites through feces and sweat.

The half-life of Molly is around 8 hours. A drug’s half-life is the time it takes for the amount of the drug in a person’s system to reduce by half.

What affects metabolization?

Factors that affect the rate of metabolization include the amount of Molly a person ingests and when they took their last dose. Other factors that affect the rate of metabolization include:

age
weight
metabolism
liver health
kidney health

Combining Molly with other drugs may also affect how the body processes it.

Drug interactions

Taking Molly alongside other drugs can change how the body processes and lead to side effects.

Possible drug interactions include:

Alcohol: Drinking alcohol while taking Molly can cause dehydration, increasing a person’s risk of hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is when there are dangerously low levels of sodium in the blood.
Cocaine or speed: Taking Molly with other stimulants can put pressure on the cardiovascular system and lead to dopamine depletion. The latter increases a person’s risk of anxiety and may reduce their brain function.
Antidepressants: Sedative medications can lead to heightened feelings of intoxication, clumsiness, and drowsiness.

There is a risk that recreational drugs contain other substances, including:

dextromethorphan
cocaine
heroin
ketamine
methamphetamine
phencyclidine
fentanyl

»Learn more:What to know about drug interactions

Molly detox

It is not possible to speed up the detox process for Molly. The body will clear it from the system at its own pace based on the liver’s ability to break down the drug.

Some people believe that drinking water can remove Molly from the system more quickly. However, this is not the case. In fact, drinking too much water could lead to hyponatremia, or water toxicity.

Similarly, vigorous exercise will not boost the body’s ability to metabolize Molly. Exercise may increase thirst, which could prompt people to drink more water.

Hyponatremia is more common in women than men, according to a 2016 study.

»Learn more:What happens if you drink too much water?

Summary

Molly, or MDMA, can remain in the system for several days. Hair testing, however, can detect drug use several months after a person takes their last dose. Chronic use of Molly can cause it to remain in the system longer.

The liver metabolizes the drug, and the kidneys excrete most of it through urine. The body will also remove some of the drug from the system through sweat and feces.

It is not possible to speed up the metabolization process of Molly, and some methods that claim to do so can be dangerous.

Alcohol / Addiction / Illegal Drugs

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesMedical News Today 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.

Abraham TT, et al. (2009). Urinary MDMA, MDA, HMMA, and HMA excretion following controlled MDMA administration to humans.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3159864/
Baggott MJ, et al. (2016). MDMA impairs response to water intake in healthy volunteers.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4923534/
Barnes AJ, et al. (2011). MDMA and metabolite disposition in expectorated oral fluid following controlled oral MDMA administration.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178664/
Gryczynski J, et al. (2014). Hair drug testing results and self-reported drug use among primary care patients with moderate-risk illicit drug use.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4080811/
Liechti ME, et al. (2000). Acute psychological effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, “ecstasy”) are attenuated by the serotonin uptake inhibitor citalopram.https://www.nature.com/articles/1395472
MDMA (Ecstasy). (2025).https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/mdma/
MDMA (Ecstasy/Molly). (2024).https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/mdma-ecstasy-molly
Papaseit E, et al. (2016). Human pharmacology of mephedrone in comparison with MDMA.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5026738/

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Medically reviewed by Kelsey Nank, PA-C — Written by Jayne Leonard — Updated on May 12, 2025

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