Activated Charcoal & Weight Loss

Activated charcoal is widely available at drugstores and health food outlets in tablet, capsule or powdered form, and it is credited with a number of beneficial applications. For example, it can be used to combat some poisons; however, it is strongly recommended you seek the advice of your doctor before using activated charcoal. There are suggestions that activated charcoal may aid weight loss, but there is no clinical evidence to support these assertions.

Definition

Activated charcoal is also known as activated carbon. Activated carbon is produced from carbon-rich materials with a high degree of porosity such as wood, coal, peat, coconut shells, nut shells, bones and fruit stones. These porous materials give activated charcoal absorbent characteristics which make it useful for processes such as purification, filtration, separation and deodorization.

History

Charcoal was used to filter drinking water by the ancient Hindus in India, and in Egypt in 1500 B.C. it was used to absorb odors from gangrenous wounds. Activated charcoal was used to purify drinking water in nineteenth century England and was first used on a large scale in the early years of the twentieth century in sugar refining. The extensive use of poisonous gas in WWI saw the large scale production and use of activated charcoal in respirators.

Poisons

Activated charcoal may be used to inhibit the absorption of poison if administered within one hour of ingestion, according to a study by the Tennessee Poison Center published in 2005 in the Journal of Clinical Toxicology. However, activated charcoal is ineffective in poisoning by corrosive agents or strong acids such as lye, boric acid, lithium, cleaning fluids, gasoline, kerosene or paint thinner. If you are unfortunate enough to get food poisoning from eating mushrooms or shell fish, activated charcoal may be used to remove remaining toxins after your stomach is pumped.

Claims

Internet marketers and proponents of activated charcoal claim charcoal eases the discomfort of abdominal gas and stomach bloating and also aids weight loss. None of these purported benefits of activated charcoal is backed by clinical evidence. On the contrary, a study in the March 1985 issue of the journal Gastroenterology concluded activated charcoal has no effect on gas formation or flatulence.

Warning

Consult your health practitioner before using activated charcoal. Minor side effects from using activated charcoal may include vomiting, diarrhea, constipation and temporary darkening of the stool. Severe side effects may include severe allergic reactions such as swelling of the face, lips or mouth; difficulty in breathing; or tightness in the chest.