Superheating natural sources of carbon, such as wood, produces activated charcoal. The black powder stops toxins from being absorbed in the stomach by binding to them. The body is unable to absorb charcoal, and so the toxins that bind to the charcoal leave the body in the feces.
This article will discuss some of the ways people use activated charcoal, its potential benefits, and if there are any risks.
What is activated charcoal?
Activated charcoal is not the same substance as that found in charcoal bricks or burnt pieces of food.
The manufacture of activated charcoal makes it extremely adsorbent, allowing it to bind to molecules, ions, or atoms. In this way, it removes these from dissolved substances.
Making activated charcoal involves heating carbon-rich materials, such as wood, peat, coconut shells, or sawdust, to very high temperatures.
This ‘activation’ process strips the charcoal of previously absorbed molecules and frees up bonding sites again. This process also reduces the size of the pores in the charcoal and makes more holes in each molecule, therefore, increasing its overall surface area.
As a result, one teaspoon full of activated charcoal has more surface area than a football field.
Given its use as a gastrointestinal absorbent in overdoses and poisonings, it follows that some people might propose activated charcoal as a treatment for diarrhea.
In a 2017 review of recent studies on the use of activated charcoal for diarrhea, researchers concluded that it might be able to prevent bacteria and drugs that can cause diarrhea from being absorbed into the body by trapping them on its porous, textured surface.
While noting it as a suitable treatment for diarrhea, the researchers also pointed out that activated charcoal had few side effects, especially in comparison with common antidiarrheal medications.
5. Teeth whitening and oral health
Dozens of teeth-whitening products contain activated charcoal.
Many oral health products that contain activated charcoal claim to have various benefits, such as being:
- antiviral
- antibacterial
- antifungal
- detoxifying
Activated charcoal’s toxin-absorbing properties may be important here, but there is no significant research to support its use for teeth whitening or oral health.
In a 2017 review, researchers concluded there was not enough laboratory or clinical data to determine the safety or effectiveness of activated charcoal for teeth whitening or oral health.
6. Skin care
Researchers have reported that activated charcoal can help draw microparticles, such as dirt, dust, chemicals, toxins, and bacteria, to the surface of the skin, to make removing them easier.
7. Deodorant
Various activated charcoal deodorants are widely available. Charcoal may absorb smells and harmful gases, making it ideal as an underarm, shoe, and refrigerator deodorant.
Activated charcoal is also reported to be able to absorb excess moisture and control humidity levels at a micro level.
8. Skin infection
Around the world, many different traditional medicine practitioners use activated charcoal powder made from coconut shells to treat soft tissue conditions, such as skin infections.
Activated charcoal may have an antibacterial effect by absorbing harmful microbes from wounds. Several are available commercially.
Medical uses of activated charcoal
In the emergency room, doctors may sometimes use activated charcoal to treat overdoses or poisonings.
Activated charcoal can often help clear toxins and drugs that include:
- NSAIDs and other OTC anti-inflammatories
- sedatives
- calcium channel blockers
- dapsone
- carbamazepine (Tegretol)
- malaria medications
- methylxanthines (mild stimulants)
Activated charcoal cannot bind to all types of toxins or drugs, especially ones that are corrosive.
Ones that activated charcoal cannot help clear include:
- alcohols
- lye
- iron
- lithium
- petroleum products, such as fuel oil, gasoline, paint thinner, and some cleaning products
If a person is conscious and alert, doctors may give them a drink made with a powdered form of activated charcoal mixed with water. Medical staff can also administer activated charcoal mixtures via feeding tubes in the nose or mouth if necessary.
An individual must take or be given activated charcoal within 1 to 4 hours of consuming a toxin for it to work. The charcoal cannot work if the person has already digested the toxin or drug and it is no longer in the stomach.
No one should ever try to treat an overdose or poisoning at home.
Risks and takeaway
To date, there have been no adverse reactions noted with activated charcoal in any of its various forms.
People taking medications should talk with a doctor before taking oral activated charcoal products, however, as these may interfere with absorption of their medication.
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