What Is Activated Charcoal?
● When you hear the word charcoal, you might think of hot dogs on a barbecue grill. Activated charcoal, however, is a powder that is produced by heating wood and other materials that contain carbon, such as coconut skins, to extremely high temperatures (think 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit).
● This removes bad molecules from the charcoal, leaving room for additional molecules to attach.
● It also creates many tiny holes. Thus, the charcoal becomes extremely porous and adsorbent and can “trap” toxins.
● Due to its porous nature, one gram of activated charcoal has a surface area of more than 32,000 square feet.
Following are 10 little-known health benefits of activated charcoal.
1. Heal Overdoses and Hangovers
Activated charcoal is often used in emergency rooms to treat overdoses. As mentioned, it is extremely adsorbent.
Toxins from drugs can stick to the charcoal and thus be prevented from being absorbed by the body. If the patient is conscious, they will usually be given a drink that contains activated charcoal.
Activated charcoal is also used in many products that are designed to treat hangovers.
While alcohol is one of the few toxins that activated charcoal will not be very useful for, alcohol is rarely consumed in its pure form, and there are usually other toxins present in the body that are increasing the effects of alcohol poisoning.
2. Lower Cholesterol Levels
In one study, patients who took 24 grams of activated charcoal a day for four weeks experienced a 25 percent decrease in bad cholesterol levels. Good cholesterol levels increased by eight percent.
Other studies produced similar results. This may be because charcoal can prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the body.
3. Improve Kidney Health
This can help lead to reduced inflammation in the kidneys and/or while urinating.
4. Filter Water
Similarly, activated charcoal is often used in filtration systems to clean toxins and bacteria from water.
Many commercial and at-home water filtration systems use activated charcoal to filter out the toxins.
5. Improve Oral Health
Activated charcoal is often used in oral health products. There are many oral health benefits that can be obtained through its use.
For example, it can act as an antiviral and antifungal agent. It can help fix bad breath by removing bacteria and other foul-smelling particles.
It is a natural whitener, as it removes plaque and other tiny particles that stick to your teeth. It can help change the pH balance in your mouth.
With its continued usage, not only oral health gets benefited but you also get respite from dental anxieties that are largely responsible for general wellness.
Many activated charcoal oral health products also contain fluoride. Use your toothbrush to apply them to your teeth.
6. Acne Relief and Other Skin Care Benefits
Activated charcoal can also be used for its skincare benefits. By using a facial mask containing activated charcoal, you can remove toxins, dirt, and other particles that are clinging to your skin.
It’s great for facial cleansers and acne treatments. Some people have found that it can be used as an anti-aging product by removing toxins and chemicals that cause damage to the skin.
Activated charcoal is also good for treating skin infections. It can also be used on the skin to treat bites from bees, mosquitoes, and other insects.
Use it carefully and don’t use too much at once, as it can burn your skin.
7. Fix Digestion Issues
Besides reducing inflammation in the kidneys, activated charcoal can also be a tremendous help for reducing inflammation in the gut. There are various digestive issues that have been shown to be helped by activated charcoal.
Taking it every day can cleanse your digestive system from toxins.
Nausea and diarrhea, common symptoms of food poisoning, can also be reduced by taking activated charcoal.
It is seen that those who experience bloating and intestinal gas also get relieved after taking activated charcoal.
Abdominal pain has also been shown to be relieved by taking activated charcoal.
8. Use It As a Deodorant
Besides fixing bad breath, activated charcoal can act as a deodorant to remove other body odors.
Particles that cause bad odors can bind to the porous compounds in activated charcoal.
It’s a great alternative to natural deodorants that contain excessive amounts of chemicals.
People with fish odor syndrome, a genetic disease which causes trimethylamine to accumulate in the body and cause a bad stench, have also found relief by using activated charcoal.
9. Use It As a Detoxifier
Taking a daily drink containing activated charcoal every day will keep you healthier and more alive. You will be able to detoxify your body and digestive system and cleanse it from toxins. It can also be utilized as a fat burner.
If you want a thorough cleanse and detoxification, drink fruit and vegetable juices together with activated charcoal for a few days. You can use whey protein shakes as a source of protein if you are not consuming any foods.
10. Keep Your Food and House Fresh
Finally, activated charcoal can help keep your house and food clean and fresh.
It can be used together with baking soda and other natural products to clean mold from your home.
It can also be utilized to eliminate bad smell. You can put it throughout your home, in your shoes or socks, in your backpack, in your laundry rooms and bathrooms, or in your cabinets to keep mold from growing and bad smells from developing.
Storing it in your fridge or in your pantry can help keep your food fresh by keeping bacteria away.
Wrapping It Up
As you can see, activated charcoal has many health benefits.
Always consult with a healthcare professional before you take any supplements in order to avoid potential negative side effects.
You can buy individual products containing activated charcoal that are designed for specific uses, such as skin care, oral health or digestive relief, or you can buy pure activated charcoal from a pharmacy or online to put in your food and drinks.
Nikky Watson (Guest Author)
I love all things fun. Drop in sometime and you’ll know what I mean. For living and out of passion, I write and blog. Currently, I am writing for Mybodyexpert & other blogs. Twitter - @Nikky_watson
