How Does Activated Charcoal Work?
Activated charcoal works by trapping toxins and chemicals in the gut, preventing their absorption. The charcoal’s porous texture has a negative electrical charge, which causes it to attract positively charged molecules, such as toxins and gases. This helps it trap toxins and chemicals in the gut. Because activated charcoal is not absorbed by your body, it can carry the toxins bound to its surface out of your body in feces.
Benefits of Activated Charcoal :
- Activated Charcoal as an emergency poison treatment Activated charcoal can bind a variety of drugs and toxins, preventing their absorption into the body. It’s often used as an anti-poison treatment or to treat drug overdoses.
- May promote kidney function This could be particularly beneficial in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, a condition in which the kidneys can no longer properly filter waste products. In one study, activated charcoal supplements may have helped lower blood levels of urea and other waste products in patients with end-stage kidney disease.
- May Reduce Cholesterol Levels That’s because it can bind cholesterol and cholesterol-containing bile acids in the gut, preventing the body from absorbing them.
- Diarrhea 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.
Uses
it’s important to note that not all of these are supported by science. Its most well-known home uses include:
- Gas reduction: Some studies report that activated charcoal may help reduce gas production following a gas-producing meal. It may also help improve the odor of gas. However, not all studies observed this benefit.
- Water filtration: Activated charcoal is a popular way to reduce heavy metal and fluoride content in water. However, it doesn’t appear to be very effective at removing viruses, bacteria or hard water minerals.
- Tooth whitening: Using activated charcoal to brush your teeth is anecdotally said to whiten them. It’s said to do so by absorbing plaque and other teeth-staining compounds. However, no studies could be found to support this claim.
- Hangover prevention: Activated charcoal is sometimes used as a hangover cure. While consuming it with alcohol may reduce blood alcohol levels, its effects on hangovers haven’t been studied.
- Skin treatment: Applying this charcoal to the skin is touted as an effective treatment for acne and insect or snake bites. However, only anecdotal reports could be found on this topic.
Source :
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/activated-charcoal#TOC_TITLE_HDR_7
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322609#risks-and-takeaway
