Eating charcoal is unappetizing. So why are a growing number of people taking activated charcoal pills, or drinking charcoal powder, sometimes mixed with lemonade?
Charcoal is negatively charged. So, as it travels through your system, it’s believed to bind to positively charged toxins. Activated charcoal means that it’s been treated to make it more porous, so it has more surface area. This greatly increases the potential spaces where poisons can attach.
Activated Charcoal Tablets Benefits
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Some holistic practitioners recommend periodically taking activated charcoal supplements to cleanse the system. Charcoal can pull chemicals, toxic byproducts, heavy metals and mold from the body.
Charcoal Supplement Benefits
Some people take charcoal supplements periodically, such as when they eat a heavy restaurant meal, especially if they’re accustomed to eating organic home-cooked food. It’s also a popular remedy for people suffering from brain fog, something possibly due to toxic overload. Sometimes taking charcoal immediately before or after getting mercury fillings removed is recommended. (But check with your own practitioner for advice.)
This is also a good remedy to have on hand, in case of food poisoning. Charcoal helps, by binding the toxins.
For thousands of years, traditional healers have used charcoal for chronic illness. It’s also found in every modern emergency room, and it’s undoubtedly saved many lives. Charcoal is given to people who’ve overdosed, or who’ve accidentally been poisoned.
Activated charcoal is also something I’ve taken myself, an an attempt to bounce back from adrenal fatigue. I’ve been diagnosed with this condition twice. The first time, I recovered fairly quickly. Then, I started eating poorly and not watching my stress level. Eventually, my adrenals were depleted again, according to my holistic practitioner. It was much more difficult bouncing back the second time.
If you do take charcoal for adrenal exhaustion, it’s not likely to cure you, in and of itself. I also need to stress that I never mean to claim or promise that any natural remedy that I write about on this site will sovle a particular health problem. I’m not a doctor and I can’t give medical advice. All I can do is share my own experience of natural medicine, using a wide range of remedies, including activated charcoal supplements.
Eating Charcoal Benefits
One of the online holistic health experts I follow is Dr. Josh Axe, a naturopathic physician. He’s also a chiropractor. His advice is always excellent. He’s a fan of activated charcoal, but he says make sure it’s derived from coconut shells, or from another type of plant-based material.
Dr. Axe also urges anyone taking activated charcoal to wash it down with plenty of water. Otherwise, you run the risk of dehydration and/or constipation, he notes.
Activated Charcoal Pills Detox
Nature’s Way Activated Charcoal is made from Indian hardwood. This bottle contains 100 capsules, which make it easier to swallow this black powder. However, you can also break open a capsule if you need it for external use, such as for bee stings or poison ivy.
Activated charcoal can also be used to freshen your breath and brush your teeth. It’s a great alternative to using tooth whiteners made from chemicals or bleach. Some people brush with charcoal, instead of toothpaste.
Activated Charcoal Dietary Supplement
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How to Take Charcoal
Various alternative health experts wholeheartedly endorse occasionally taking charcoal to cleanse your body. It shouldn’t be taken continuously, though, because it can also bind nutrients.
There are different protocols. Some experts recommend consuming it no longer than a few days without a break, while others believe you can go longer without stopping. You should research this yourself, and talk with your health provider to find a schedule that’s right for you.
If you’re taking prescription drugs, activated charcoal can also interfere with the action of these chemical compounds, since they attach to the charcoal. So you’ll want to discuss, with your doctor, whether this supplement is right for you.
Charcoal as Medicine
Despite its potential benefits, there aren’t many studies being done on activated charcoal. That’s likely because there’s little incentive to fund clinical research on this natural and very inexpensive substance. Since it’s a natural, plant-based substance, it can’t be turned into a profitable drug.
The few studies we do have, however, support its historical use as an effective natural remedy. One Korean study found that activated charcoal applied to the skin, along with laser treatments, helped clear 90 percent of severe acne lesions.
Also, a study published in a Saudi Arabian medical journal also reported that elderly kidney patients who didn’t do dialysis were greatly helped by taking activated charcoal, along with eating a low-protein diet. A second study found that activated charcoal helped maintain the health of advanced kidney patients who hadn’t started dialysis. This study was published in the Journal of Functional Foods and Health.
Various studies have also found that charcoal can lower high cholesterol levels.
Disclaimer
These statements have not been approved by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. People with health concerns should discuss them with a doctor. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use dietary supplements, unless under the direction of a health care professional.
I’m not a healthcare professional, so all of the above statements are my personal opinion, and are not intended as medical advice.
