Activated Charcoal

Other Names: Activated Carbon, Animal Charcoal, Carbo Vegetabilis, Carbon, Carbón Activado, Charbon Actif, Charbon Activé, Charbon Animal, Charbon Médicinal, Charbon Végétal, Charbon Végétal Activé, Charcoal, Gas Black, Lamp Black, Medicinal Charcoal, Noir de Gaz, Noir de Lampe, Vegetable Carbon, Vegetable Charcoal.
Common charcoal is made from peat, coal, wood, coconut shell, or petroleum. “Activated charcoal” is similar to common charcoal, but is made especially for use as a medicine. To make activated charcoal, manufacturers heat common charcoal in the presence of a gas that causes the charcoal to develop lots of internal spaces or “pores.” These pores help activated charcoal “trap” chemicals.

Special Precautions of Activated Charcoal

• Activated charcoal is safe for most adults when used short-term. Side effects of activated charcoal include constipation and black stools. More serious, but rare, side effects are a slowing or blockage of the intestinal tract, regurgitation into the lungs, and dehydration.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Activated charcoal might be safe when used short-term if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, but consult with your healthcare professional before using if you are pregnant.
• Gastrointestinal (GI) blockage or slow movement of food through the intestine: Don’t use activated charcoal if you have any kind of intestinal obstruction. Also, if you have a condition that slows the passage of food through your intestine (reduced peristalsis), don’t use activated charcoal, unless you are being monitored by your healthcare provider.
• Syrup of ipecac interacts with ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
• Alcohol interacts with ACTIVATED CHARCOAL
• Medications taken by mouth (Oral drugs) interacts with ACTIVATED CHARCOAL

Health Benefits and uses of Activated Charcoal are

• Poisoning : Trapping chemicals to stop some types of poisoning when used as a part of standard treatment. It removes pharmaceutical toxins from the body. This includes aspirin overdose, accidental household toxin ingestion, and heavy metals. It has been used for hundreds of years in cases of food poisoning. Ancient Egyptians used activated carbon as did the Native Americans.
• Decreasing gas (flatulence). Some studies show that activated charcoal is effective in reducing intestinal gas, but other studies don’t agree. It’s too early to come to a conclusion on this.
• Treating reduced bile flow (cholestasis) during pregnancy. Taking activated charcoal by mouth seems to help treat cholestasis in pregnancy, according to some early research reports.
• Preventing hangover. Activated charcoal is included in some hangover remedies, but some experts are skeptical about how well it might work. Activated charcoal doesn’t seem to trap alcohol well.
• Removes symptoms of traveler’s diarrhea.
• Reduces ulcers in the stomach.
• Can be used as a toothpaste to whiten teeth and eliminate foul breath since it kills bacteria.
• Removes parasites and bacteria from the body. This includes bugs that cause everything from a stuffy nose to more invasive parasites.
• Removes fungal toxins.
• Those with Crohn’s disease or irritable bowel syndrome need to prepare their activated charcoal a little differently, or use it externally, as a poultice, instead of mixing it with water and drinking it or taking it in pill form.

Main Combinations

• Mild Diarrhea : Brewer's Yeast strain boulardi + Activated Charcoal.
• Diarrhea : Bilberry + Activated Charcoal
• Irritable bowel : Turmeric + Activated Charcoal + Fennel