Uses, Side Effects and Benefits of Activated Charcoal

There are many benefits of activated charcoal, from treating poisoning to diarrhea, and other purported uses.

Overdoses are often treated with activated charcoal, a fine, odorless, black powder commonly found in emergency rooms. Some say it also aids in digestion, protects the kidneys, and lowers cholesterol.

Activated charcoal is created by rapidly heating organic carbon sources like wood to extremely high temperatures. The black powder binds to toxins in the digestive tract, blocking their absorption. Since charcoal is indigestible, any toxins it binds with are expelled along with the feces.

In this article, we'll look at some of the most common applications and benefits of activated charcoal and also about the potential drawbacks of using it.

Activated charcoal is a porous black powder, used in emergency rooms in cases of overdose (Image via Flickr)

What is Activated Charcoal?

Charcoal, which has been exposed to oxygen at high temperatures, is called "activated charcoal", and it has a much higher porosity as a result. Its internal structure is altered by this treatment, becoming more porous and thereby gaining more surface area.

The final product is a fine black powder that can be sold as is or encapsulated as dietary supplements. Many other products, from ice cream to toothpaste, also incorporate activated charcoal into their formulas.

However, this is not the same as the charcoal briquettes you use on the grill. Charcoal briquettes may have the same components as activated charcoal, but they have not been subjected to high temperatures to become fully functional. In addition, they include other human-toxic substances in their composition.

Don't confuse activated charcoal with charcoal briquettes, both are different (Image via Pexels @Dexter Fernandes)

Benefits of Activated Charcoal

The usefulness of activated charcoal is a much-debated topic. Some proponents have proposed activated charcoal as a treatment for an ever-expanding list of conditions due to its powerful toxin-clearing properties.

Benefits of activated charcoal have not been established due to a lack of sufficient, high-quality research. Many OTC products use the chemical principles of activated charcoal to back up their claims.

1) Improved Kidney Function

One of the benefits of activated charcoal is that activated charcoal may help the kidneys function better by removing toxins and drugs that the body hasn't digested.

Urine is the primary waste product of protein digestion, and activated charcoal appears to be particularly effective at removing toxins derived from urea.

While more studies are needed, animal research suggests that activated charcoal may help those with chronic kidney disease. It enhances kidney function and decreases gastrointestinal damage and inflammation.

Activated charcoal can be used for skincare (Image via Pexels @Sam Lion)

2) Reducing Intestinal Gas

The exact mechanism by which activated charcoal powder disrupts intestinal gas is still unknown, but this is one of the more popular benefits of activated charcoal.

Activated charcoal's millions of tiny holes provide a pathway for liquids and gasses trapped in the intestine to escape, which may neutralize them.

Although there isn't a ton of data yet, a group of experts from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) say activated charcoal can help with gas buildup.

If you suffer from intestinal gas, there is no one right way to use activated charcoal. However, the EFSA suggests taking at least 1g 30 minutes before and after each meal.

3) Treatment for diarrhea

Not much research has been done on this, but one of the purported benefits of activated charcoal is that it has been proposed as a treatment for diarrhea. This is due to its use as a good absorbent in poisonings and overdoses.

Some researchers have also noted that activated charcoal had fewer side effects than other common antidiarrheal drugs.

4) Skincare

There are purported activated charcoal benefits for the skin. It has been shown to aid in the removal of microparticles such as dirt, dust, chemicals, toxins, and bacteria by attracting them to the skin's surface.

Activated charcoal is often touted to whiten teeth and is used in toothpastes (Image via Pexels @Işıl Agc)

5) Deodorant

There are a number of different deodorants on the market that use the benefits of activated charcoal to their advantage. Charcoal's ability to trap odors and gasses makes it a promising ingredient in deodorants for underarms, shoes, and refrigerators.

Many studies have shown that activated charcoal can effectively reduce humidity levels by absorbing excess moisture.

6) Teeth Whitening

Many teeth whiteners use the benefits of activated charcoal. Although activated charcoal may be useful due to its ability to absorb toxins, there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend it for either teeth whitening or oral health.

A 2017 review concluded that there was insufficient laboratory or clinical data to determine the safety or effectiveness of activated charcoal for teeth whitening or oral health.