A drug screen urine test is a test that is conducted usually before employment and some kind of concentration-intense activity to check for the use of drugs. These tests usually look out for the use of narcotics in the blood, though sporting bodies usually check for the levels of anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids and narcotics can be detected from urine using a variety of testing methods; though curiously, the number of mechanisms available to fool equipment in these tests is also quite varied. It is interesting to note that there are specific over the counter packaged substances that are available to foil drug screen urine tests.
The urine drug screen test is either mandated by an employer or required before embarking on some activity that requires an extreme amount of concentration like driving or flying. It is also warranted by some sporting bodies to ensure that athletes have not taken anabolic steroids or testosterone before some kind of sporting activity. These are usually responsible for either increasing muscle mass or giving an extra boost of energy to the athlete.
Drug screening in urine tests is done by simply taking a urine sample in a container that is then sealed to prevent tampering. The sample is then sent to a lab where it would be separated further into other samples. The methods that are then used include gas chromatography, immunoassays, and mass spectrometry.
There is absolutely no preparation that is required though it is a good idea to buy a home testing unit to see the results for yourself. It is very important that you inform the sampling agency of the drugs that you are taking. Benzodiazepines are one of the drugs that are routinely tested for and incidentally one of the drugs that are sometimes used for other types of diseases. Methamphetamines are also checked for and if you happen to be taking these for something as innocuous as chronic fatigue disorder, you could end up ruining your chances of employment.
It is therefore advisable to probably lay off some of these drugs before you go in for a test. However, these tend to stay in the blood for almost three days in its broken down form. Note that any kind of drug screening is for the broken down metabolites and not for the main drug. Drinking water is one of the methods that are used to foil positive results.