by For those who don’t know, activated charcoal is a flavorless, odorless, black powder. Several people use it as a treatment for various ailments. The history of its usage goes back to ancient times.
These days, it is frequently used in various medicines for treating drug overdose and even as an anti-poison remedy that you can use in an emergency. But there are many other benefits of charcoal. These include reducing flatulence and gas, lowering cholesterol levels, and improving kidney functions.
Some people view it as a teeth whitener, and it can even work as curing hangovers and filtering water. But you might want to know how many of these are factual claims, which is why we have developed this guide.
Key Takeaways
- Absorbs toxins and prevents drug overdose absorption
- May improve kidney function and lower cholesterol
- Helps treat gas, diarrhea, and fish odor syndrome
- Added to some cosmetics, but benefits unproven
- Dosage varies; 10g to 100g based on use
Title Idea Variations
- Activated Charcoal Uses and Proven Health Benefits
- Science-Backed Effects of Activated Charcoal Supplements
- Activated Charcoal: Treating Overdoses, Gas and More
- How Activated Charcoal Works to Detox Your Body
- Activated Charcoal Health Benefits: Separating Fact from Fiction
What is Activated Charcoal?
So, activated charcoal is treated with oxygen at a higher temperature to make it more porous. And with this treatment, its internal structure is altered. In other words, it is reduced in pore size but with an increased surface area.
As a result, you get a fine black powder that is either available in supplements or encapsulated. It is also added to food or non-food items, ranging from toothpaste to ice cream.
You need to remember it does not derive from charcoal briquettes that people use in barbeque or grilling. They might have similar base materials, but the briquettes are not activated at higher temperatures. In fact, they contain some additional substances that are harmful to humans.
How Does It Work?
Charcoal is activated with oxygen at higher temperatures. It develops several microscopic holes, so its surface area increases significantly.
This is a substance that your gut can’t absorb. Therefore, once you swallow it, it will reach your stomach in a similar form. With the porous texture, it has a negative charge on it. So it will attract any molecules that have a positive charge on them. These molecules come from various gasses and toxins.
As soon as any gasses or liquids pass through this porous charcoal, their molecules bind to the permeable negatively charged charcoal molecules. And this process is absorption.
These chemicals and gasses trap within your gut. And eventually, they are out from your body when you pass a stool. Your body does not absorb these toxins and gases.
Benefits & Uses of Activated Charcoal
You must remember that you should not administer activated charcoal on your own to treat overdose or poisoning. Your best option is to seek immediate medical assistance.
Charcoal has various benefits, and we have already mentioned a few above. But let’s explore it some more.
Emergency treatment for poisoning
Since the 1800s, people have used it as an emergency treatment for poisoning because it can bind to various drugs while reducing their effects.
It is highly effective against overdose and poisoning due to prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs such as sedatives, acetaminophen, aspirin, and others. Taking 50g to 100g of charcoal within five minutes of an overdose might reduce an individual’s absorption capability of that drug by up to 74 percent. It might be because it stops absorption and eliminates the impact of drugs much faster.
Medical practice generally involves an initial dose of 50g to 100g. And in some cases, it is a small dose of 10g to 25g every 2 to 6 hours. This administering protocol might be more effective for the slow absorption of drugs.
It might promote kidney functioning
It boosts kidney function by reducing the waste products these organs have to filter out. Healthy kidneys can filter out blood pretty effectively. The negatively charged porous activated charcoal can bind urea and similar other toxins and helps your kidney to perform better.
Urea can enter your gut from your bloodstream through diffusion. And inside the gut, they will bind with the molecules of charcoal and pass out of your body through the stool.
It might reduce fish odor syndrome symptoms
Unpleasant odors in people dealing with trimethylaminuria (TMAU) or fish odor syndrome can be treated with activated charcoal. Fish odor syndrome is a genetic condition in which your body accumulates compounds that smell like rotten fish.
The human body can usually convert trimethylamine (TMA) into odorless compounds before it is out of your body through urine. However, people with fish odor syndrome don’t have the enzyme in their bodies to make this conversion happen.
TMA begins accumulating in the body, entering your breath, sweat, and urine and causes a strong fishy odor. So, the charcoal can bind itself to these smelly compounds and increase their excretion from your body.
It might cause a reduction in cholesterol levels
The charcoal might bind to cholesterol and bile acids that are rich in it within your gut. And it prevents your body from absorbing them. According to another study, taking 24g of activated charcoal daily for four weeks reduces bad cholesterol by up to 25 percent and raises good cholesterol by 8 percent.
Household, Cosmetic & Other Potential Uses
It is one of the most potent ingredients for various cosmetics and household purposes. For example, it is present in your skincare products, shampoos, and soaps. It draws out the dead cells and toxins from your skin, giving it a beautiful and instant glow.
But again, you must remember that science does not support these advantages.
Gas reduction
According to a recent study, taking charcoal eight hours before an abdomen ultrasound can reduce gas in the gut. Therefore, you will get a clear ultrasound image.
Diarrhea aid
Charcoal can assist in treating diarrhea, but more research is essential to establish this claim further.
Tooth whitening
Charcoal can help whiten your teeth, and you can use it as a toothpaste or mouth rinse. It does so by absorbing plaque and various other compounds that stain your teeth. But still, no research supports this claim.
Hangover prevention
This substance can be helpful in hangovers but doesn’t absorb alcohol effectively, so the benefit might be a bit unlikely.
Skin treatment
Application of this substance onto your skin might treat acne, snake or insect bites, and dandruff. But there is not much research to support this claim as well.
Conclusion:
Charcoal might be good for curing a few ailments and working as a great cleaner. It draws out toxins from your body in the form of urine or poop. It reduces inflammation and other bacteria from your body to keep you healthy. The substance helps you refrain from the gas that cumulates inside your body and makes you feel more comfortable during sleep (also check the most comfortable mattresses).
How it works proves that it is effective as it has negatively changed molecules, and they bind to positive molecules of gasses and toxins in your body and prevent them from absorption. But there is plenty of room for research regarding the benefits of charcoal.
Activated charcoal before bed FAQs
Is activated charcoal safe?
It is safe in most cases, and adverse reactions are rare. But you might have to deal with some unpleasant side effects, which include vomiting or nausea.
This is especially the case if you have used sorbitol. And if you have any gut disorders, you are more at risk.
What dose of charcoal should you take?
A drug professional might administer 50g to 100g of charcoal in case of overdose or poisoning. You should give the children a lower dose of 10g to 50g according to their age. But be sure to go through the instructions on the label and consult your doctor.
Why does charcoal make me feel better?
You feel better because of the charcoal consumption. This is because toxins and drugs inside your gut tend to bind to it. So, to can conveniently get rid of them through stools, you may use charcoal.
Does charcoal help in weight loss?
Some people claim that it can be helpful in weight loss. But science has not proven it yet, so you should abstain from consuming it for weight loss.