Did you know activated charcoal can treat alcohol poisoning and hangovers?
Article by Shaloo Tiwari
You must have heard about activated charcoal in the commercials of face creams and face washes but do you know that it is beneficial in so many other ways. Activated charcoal has been used in the medical field from a really long time to treat poisoning by chemicals, drugs, and snake bites, and is a common ingredient in water filters [1].These days the use of activated charcoal has reached home and is readily available in any chemist shop in the form of capsules or tablets. And why not. It has umpteen health benefits right from detoxifying your body to filtering water. However, you need to understand that activated charcoal is quite different from the normal charcoal. Activated charcoal is carbon infused with oxygen and is prepared for human ingestion and skincare products. Here are 5 health and skin benefits of activated charcoal:
Teeth whitening: Activated charcoal is an overall oral solution that not only helps whiten teeth but also aids good
oral health by changing the pH balance in the mouth[ 2]. This option really cost-effective and natural. Cavities, bad breath and gum diseases, all will be taken care of by activated charcoal. You can use it just like you use your toothpaste or you may mix it with your toothpaste too. Gargle well and rinse until your spit is clear.Don’t do it more than 3-4 times a week.
Activated carbon is one of the most absorbent cosmetic ingredients. It doesn’t absorb alcohol from the body but is capable of quickly removing other toxins from the body that contribute to poisoning. [3]
Secret to flawless skin, acne free skin
Activated carbon treats
acne very well and will leave you with
glowing skin [4]. Its ability to absorb toxins is very helpful when it comes to skincare.It is an ideal ingredient for oily and acne prone skin types and you will see that is a major ingredient in some of the acne products is activated charcoal. Not only acne it even helps you get rid of dirt and toxins and relieve the discomfort caused by insect bites, rashes from poison ivy or poison oak. All you have to do is mix some activated charcoal powder to
coconut oil or
aloe vera gel and apply. For your face, you can add some of this to your
face pack or simply mix with some
olive oil and use.
Activated charcoal acts as a very good digestive system cleanser and for reducing intestinal gas[5]. Yes! All the toxins that your stomach is loaded with due to all your junk binging and
adulterated food can be cleaned by this magical powder! You may intake activated charcoal tablets for it. You may also consult a
dietician or a nutritionist to get a proper dose for you if you’re suffering from
prolonged digestive ailments.
There are medical studies to prove that activated charcoal has proven to be as effective as any prescribed medicine to reduce bad cholesterol in your body [6] . So the people suffering from high cholesterol issues can be relieved by activated charcoal greatly.
There are many other health and skin benefits of activated charcoal. If used efficiently it can work wonders. You need to keep in mind to definitely consult your doctor before using it, if you’re under any other medication.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1306980/
[2] http://www.omicsonline.org/proceedings/activated-charcoal-as-a-whitening-dentifrice-37325.html
[3] 1: Hultén BA, Heath A, Mellstrand T, Hedner T. Does alcohol absorb to activated charcoal? Hum Toxicol. 1986 May;5(3):211-2. PubMed PMID: 3710499.
[4] 1: Chun SI, Calderhead RG. Carbon assisted Q-switched Nd:YAG laser treatment with two different sets of pulse width parameters offers a useful treatment modality for severe inflammatory acne: a case report. Photomed Laser Surg. 2011 Feb;29(2):131-5. doi: 10.1089/pho.2010.2786. Epub 2010 Dec 23. PubMed PMID:
[5] 1: Jain NK, Patel VP, Pitchumoni CS. Efficacy of activated charcoal in reducing intestinal gas: a double-blind clinical trial. Am J Gastroenterol. 1986 Jul;81(7):532-5. PubMed PMID: 3521259.
[6] 1: Neuvonen PJ, Kuusisto P, Vapaatalo H, Manninen V. Activated charcoal in the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia: dose-response relationships and comparison with cholestyramine. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 1989;37(3):225-30. PubMed PMID:
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