Activated charcoal (AC)

What is activated charcoal?

Activated charcoal and poison absorption

Activated charcoal uses

Activated charcoal warnings

References

What is activated charcoal?

Activated charcoal (AC) has been used as a traditional home remedy for centuries. You can buy it at pharmacies and some health food stores.

Food grade activated charcoal is made by heating coconut shells in the absence of air. The charcoal shells are then crushed to a size that provides for optimum absorption. This vegetable form of active carbon is safe for human consumption.

Activated charcoal is one of the most potent absorptive agents known. When consumed orally, these fine black granules have the ability to extract and neutralise many times their weight in gases, heavy metals, all kinds of toxins, pharmaceuticals, medications and a variety of other chemicals. The microscopic surface area of AC is enormous, giving it one of the highest known levels of micro-porosity. AC also has electrostatic-binding properties.

AC will blindly absorb a huge range of chemical compounds, but not necessarily every harmful chemical. For example, it does a poor job of absorbing fluorides in municipal water. However, it does a great job of absorbing many essential beneficial nutrients in your digestive system. For this reason AC should only be taken for a limited period to assist with detoxification problems.

Two grams or a cubic cm of activated charcoal has a surface area of 1,000 square metres.

Activated charcoal for poison absorption

Its most common medical use is in emergency treatment to stop specific kinds of poisons and drugs from being absorbed from the stomach or digestive tract into the body.

Activated charcoal powder can also be used on the skin to absorb various toxins.

In a poisoning emergency, first phone your doctor or poisons information centre, who will advise as to the use of charcoal after taking account of the type of poison, allergies, and other factors.

Activated charcoal should not be used to treat some types of poisons (such as lye or alkaline solutions, acids, fuel oil and other petroleum products, alcohols).

Active charcoal is most effective if used immediately after taking the poison, the sooner the better.

Activated charcoal uses

• Food poisoning and treatment of parasites. (1)
• Headache caused by a toxin.
• Diarrhoea caused by a toxin.
• Detoxification reaction (Herxheimer reaction).
• Body odour or bad breath.
• Nausea caused by a toxin.
• Belching / burping / gas still occurring when you are on a no sugar, very low carbohydrate diet (ketogenic diet). AC may relieve gas and indigestion, depending on its cause.
• Relieves acid reflux / heartburn. AC does NOT cure this problem, it only provides relief.

Activated charcoal warnings

• Frequent use is not recommended.
• AC can decrease your body's absorption of certain nutrients.
• AC can interfere with medications.
• AC can cause abdominal pain or swelling in a few circumstances. If severe symptoms occur after taking AC, seek medical advice as it could indicate intestinal bleeding or blockage.

References

1. Bereswill S, Mousavi S, Weschka D, Heimesaat MM. Disease-Alleviating Effects of Peroral Activated Charcoal Treatment in Acute Murine Campylobacteriosis. Microorganisms. 2021 Jun 30;9(7):1424. doi: 10.3390/microorganisms9071424. PMID: 34209438; PMCID: PMC8307340.