All you need to know about activated charcoal

If you’ve taken a peek through Instagram recently, you’ll have noticed that activated charcoal is everywhere. ‘Activated charcoal is my go-to remedy whenever I have a patient who presents with diarrhoea, gas, a spastic colon or food poisoning,’ says local GP Dr Terry Serebro. ‘I love the fact that it’s nontoxic and works fast to relieve symptoms. The feedback I get from patients who use it is overwhelmingly positive.’

So, what is activated charcoal?

Activated charcoal is made by burning wood or coconut shells at high temperatures to remove all oxygen, activating it with steam-like gases. What remains is a highly absorbent material with millions of tiny pores that capture, bind and remove heavy metals, chemicals, gases and poisons from the skin and, surprisingly, in the mouth area, including teeth.

How does it work?

Also known as activated carbon or coconut ash, the supplement (usually taken in capsule, tablet or powder form with water) can apparently do everything from prevent hangovers to mitigate the side effects of food poisoning, reduce bloating and remove toxins (which also helps keep skin clear). ‘Activated charcoal is not digested or dissolved by the acids or alkalis of the digestive tract and therefore it is not assimilated into the bloodstream, rendering it absolutely nontoxic,’ says Serebro.

Love your gut

Activated-charcoal capsules and tablets can be used to treat stomach pain caused by excess gas, food intolerances, diarrhoea, bloating and indigestion. The tablets are perfect if you’re travelling to a new country or town and happen to get food poisoning or an upset stomach. However, be sure to buy a good-quality product with high levels of activation and absorbency, as you do not want to underdose in an emergency, says Serebro.

The level of activation and absorbency is measured by what’s called an iodine number. Most activated-charcoal products measure iodine numbers of about 500 to 800. Some brands on the market (such as Naturmade’s Charco range) have extremely high iodine numbers, ranging between 1 100 and 1 500, making them one of the most ‘super’ activated-charcoal products on the local market.

Emergency calls

In the event of an acute gastric attack or poisoning (in humans or pets), you don’t want to mess around. Be sure to choose activated-charcoal tablets that are free of the laxative sorbitol (like the activated charcoal used in hospitals, which helps to quickly remove poisons from the body).

Bye-bye, hangover

‘While it’s not a cure for a hangover, taking charcoal after a night out, prior to falling asleep and as soon as you wake up will help to “soak” up the residue and toxins left over from alcohol consumption,’ says Serebro. Just like a fatty meal tends to dilute the toxins in your tummy, which makes you feel a lot better, charcoal ‘soaks’ up these toxins, encapsulates them and ejects them from your bowels, leaving you feeling much better and less hung over.

Serebro suggests taking six tablets or four capsules before bed and another six tablets or four capsules upon waking (drink up to 500ml water at the same time) for optimum benefits.

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