9 Myths About Activated Charcoal That Even Pharmacists Don’t Know

Activated charcoal is often called the universal antidote, and it can, for example, help us cope with the effects of heavy food. It is found in pharmacies, is used as a cosmetic for skin or hair care, is present in toothpastes and even becomes an ingredient in some recipes. It seems that the substance that has become so popular can help us in any situation, but it is necessary to be careful with some myths.

O awesome.club turned to scientific content to prove whether coal is really that good and to deny the myths spread by popular bloggers and fashion magazines.

The trend of consuming activated charcoal started a few years ago and continues to this day. It is added to pizza dough, chips, juices and other beverages. In addition, these drinks are attributed detoxifying properties.

Activated charcoal absorbs not only harmful substances, but also substances that are beneficial to your body. Therefore, the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in the drink will not benefit your body. If your goal is to get the most benefits, and not just impress your Instagram followers with an unusual detox, it’s best to choose a juice that doesn’t contain charcoal.

Black capsules can do as much good as harm. Activated charcoal absorbs certain medications, such as antidepressants and anti-inflammatory drugs. It is not recommended to take them together, as the effect of the drugs will diminish or disappear completely.

For those who use oral contraceptives, it is recommended to take activated charcoal at least 12 hours before or 3 hours after. However, in the event of an overdose, charcoal can help counteract the harmful effects.

Activated charcoal only interacts with substances that are in your stomach or intestines at the time you take the capsule. Taking charcoal in the morning after a feast with too much food makes no sense, because the toxins have already penetrated the blood. It is possible to contain the symptoms of intoxication in this way, but only within the first hour or two after eating.

Activated charcoal can cause nausea and constipation. According to the instructions, it is necessary to take 4 to 8 capsules at once, 3 to 4 times a day. But sometimes we take the whole dose in a few hours to get rid of intestinal problems.

The result: an overdose, metabolism disorders and nutrient absorption. Prolonged treatment can cause constipation or diarrhea. Vomiting occurs in 20% of patients. Since charcoal absorbs beneficial substances, it can also cause dysbiosis, an imbalance of the intestinal flora.

Activated charcoal is increasingly being used as an ingredient in skin care cosmetics. In stores and on the Internet, you can find hundreds of varieties of recipes for homemade charcoal scrubs and masks. Its advantages are attributed to its absorption capacity and porous structure.

Theoretically, charcoal can deeply cleanse pores, but it takes a few hours for it to start working. Masks, on the other hand, tend to act quickly.

Coal, even though it has excellent absorption, does not absorb all substances. For example, it practically does not block ethanol. Therefore, it is not a good idea to use the “universal antidote” after a party with a lot of alcohol (some people find it better to take the capsules before or during the party). It won’t do any damage to health, but it won’t have any positive effects either.

Activated charcoal is useless against the toxins that ethanol releases. The fact is that alcohol quickly enters the blood through the mucous membrane. Only a small part of it is digested in the stomach and breaks down into acetaldehyde, and charcoal is unable to absorb this compound. It’s useless for both preventing a hangover and fighting it.

Activated charcoal is believed to help fight bad cholesterol and clear blood vessels. But activated charcoal does not enter the bloodstream, which means it cannot purify it. The pore size of charcoal allows it to absorb only low molecular weight compounds, while cholesterol is present in the stomach along with lipids. In other words, cholesterol cannot be absorbed by charcoal in an amount that would affect metabolism.

Taking activated charcoal to lose weight does not lead to a decrease in waist size. The drug can absorb toxins after intoxication (over a period of time), but it has no fat burning properties. Weight gain occurs because of harmful substances. Obesity can be caused by the amount of food consumed or metabolic disorders. To lose weight, it is necessary to eliminate excess fat and carbohydrates from the body.

Activated charcoal is also used in shampoos; popular bloggers recommend making hair masks from it. Elimination of dandruff, hair growth, restoration of structure… Manufacturers promise us all this and much more. However, let us reason sensibly: the cause of dandruff is a fungus, and it is impossible to eliminate it with the help of absorption.

To activate hair growth, stimulation of hair follicles is used, which is something activated charcoal cannot do either. It can even cleanse the scalp, but as mentioned earlier, it takes a few hours to activate this property.

What other tricks with activated charcoal do you know? Don’t forget to comment!