Activated Charcoal: Universal Antidote and Detoxifier
by Richard C. Kaufman, Ph.D.
March 14, 2005
Activated charcoal is a highly absorbent
gritty black material commonly found in air and water filters.
Activated charcoal is created by carbonizing organic matter in
a kiln under anaerobic conditions and activating the material
with oxidizing gases like steam or air at high temperatures.
This oxidative process erodes the charcoals internal surfaces
and increases its adsorption capacity by creating an internal
network of very fine pores. Usually bone char, coconut shells,
peat, coal, petroleum coke, and sawdust are the starting
materials for making activated charcoal.
Early Uses Of Charcoal
The medical uses for charcoal date back to the Egyptian
Papyrus of 1550 B.C. During the time of Hippocrates (400 B.C.)
physicians treated epilepsy and anthrax with charcoal. In the
1700s charcoal was often prescribed for bilious problems
(excessive bile excretion). After the development of the
charcoal activation process (1870 to 1920), many reports
appeared in medical journals about activated charcoal as an
antidote for poisons and a cure for intestinal disorders.
Contemporary Charcoal Use
Modern research has validated most of the early uses for
charcoal and discovered exciting new applications. This
article will discuss the many important therapeutic uses for
activated charcoal;
Universal antidote for drugs, chemicals and
poisons.
Systemic clearance of drugs and
intoxicants.
General detoxification.
Anti-aging and life extension.
Reducing cholesterol, coronary disease and
arteriosclerosis.
Counteracting pathogens.
Intestinal complaints.
Antidote For
Drugs, Chemicals and Poisons
Activated charcoal has the well-earned reputation of being a
universal antidote. It can adsorb most organic chemicals, many
inorganic chemicals and countless poisonous substances before
they can cause harm. How well activated charcoal really works
in practical situations depends on several different factors:
The type of toxicant (its chemical
structure and physical properties)
The amount and type of charcoal ingested.
The length of time from toxin ingestion to
activated charcoal ingestion.
The contents of your intestinal fluids and
intestinal transport efficiency.
As a general rule, a single large dose of
activated charcoal should be taken as soon as possible after
ingesting a poison. The amount of activated charcoal should
exceed the toxic substance by a factor of eight (a ratio of
8:1). In other words, if youre poisoned with 5 grams of a
chemical, you need to take at least 40 grams of activated
charcoal. Other researchers recommend different dosages. Some
experts believe a 10 to 1 ratio is correct. Still other
experts recommend a fixed amount of 50 to 100 grams. I
recommend ingesting a minimum of 50 grams of activated
charcoal as a counterpoison, because ingesting large amounts
of activated charcoal is harmless, and taking too little is
ineffective. Besides, how often in the case of an emergency
can you precisely determine the amount of the poison?
The actual effectiveness of the activated charcoal will vary,
so take more than you think you require. Activated charcoal
should be taken within 30 minutes of ingesting the poison. The
longer the delay, the less effective activated charcoal will
be. On some poisons delaying more than 30 minutes decreases
the effectiveness of the activated charcoal as an antidote by
up to 60%. The bottom line is plain and simple. Keeping
activated charcoal in your medicine cabinet and taking it if
you are poisoned could save your life and your money too. It
has been estimated that use of activated charcoal for treating
poisonings could reduce the stay in intensive care from 3 or 4
days to one, saving over $100,000,000 in health care costs and
preventing unnecessary disability and death.
Systemic Clearance of Drugs and
Intoxicants
Nowadays, activated charcoal is often used to clear drugs and
intoxicants that can enter the body through the intestinal
tract, and even by injection and other routes. The systemic
clearance of toxic substances or detoxification by activated
charcoal is accomplished by taking multiple daily doses.
Activated charcoal detoxifies the body in several manners:
Purifies the 6-8 liters of digestive fluids
that are secreted daily which in turn helps remove foreign
substances from the blood.
Absorbs the intoxicant substance and its
metabolites that are excreted into the small intestine from
the biliary (bile) tract, preventing their reabsorption.
Absorbs drugs that diffuse back into the
stomach and intestines.
Decreases the detoxification work load of
the liver.
Activated charcoal shortens the time it
takes an intoxicant to leave the system and decreases the
duration and intensity of symptoms. People who take activated
charcoal after drinking alcohol or taking recreational drugs
such as cocaine or amphetamines recover quicker. I recommend
activated charcoal as part of a drug recovery program to ease
withdrawal symptoms and reduce drug craving. Other nutrients
that help are the neurotransmitter precursors L-Tyrosine, L-Tryptophan,
L-Phenylalanine, Choline and DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol).
Even experts disagree on the best way of using multiple doses
of activated charcoal to remove intoxicants. Most protocols
are based on experience with drug overdosages. In actual
clinical situations, the activated charcoal regimen is
optimized to the patient. The doctor considers the type of
toxic substance, severity of intoxification, digestive
functions and electrolyte balance. For mild overdoses and
intoxification, I suggest up to 80-100 grams divided into 4-6
daily doses of powdered activated charcoal until the symptoms
are eliminated. Consult an expert who can optimize your
regimen. For a dangerous overdosage call your physician or
hospital immediately.
General Detoxification
Very few health practitioners realize that activated charcoal
is the best single supplement for enhancing detoxification.
Detoxification is an on-going biological process that prevents
toxins (from infectious agents, food, air, water, and
substances that contact the skin) from destroying health.
Chronic exposure to toxins produces cellular damage, diverse
diseases, allergic like reactions, compromised immunity and
premature aging.
To use activated charcoal in a detoxification plan, I
recommend about 20 grams a day of powdered activated charcoal
be taken in divided daily doses for several months or the
duration of the detoxification program.
In addition to activated charcoal, the ideal detoxification
prescription includes sauna baths, exercise, a special diet,
and supplements (unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin C, niacin,
proteolytic (protein digesting) enzymes, liver support
phytonutrients, and a comprehensive multiple nutrient formula.
Anti-Aging and Life Extension
Dr. V. V. Frolkis, a famous Russian Gerontologist, and his
colleagues have discovered that activated charcoal is a potent
life-extending agent. Activated charcoal has been found to
increase the mean lifespan of older test animals by
approximately 40% and their maximum lifespan by approximately
34%.
Activated charcoal decreases the
age-related increase in the brains sensitivity to drugs and
toxins.
Activated charcoal normalizes cholesterol
and lipid metabolism.
The regular use of activated charcoal
improves the adaptive functioning of essential organs (the
liver, kidneys, and adrenals). That translates into better
defense mechanisms.
Microscopic tissue analysis shows that
activated charcoal prevents many cellular changes associated
with aging-decreased protein synthesis, lower RNA activity,
arteriosclerosis, and organ fibrosis. So the cumlative effects
from activated charcoal are longer life and improved overall
health.
A recommended protocol for anti-aging and life extension
benefits is as follows: On two consecutive days each week,
take about 30 grams each day of powdered activated charcoal in
divided daily doses. Take charcoal in the morning, at midday
and before bed on an empty stomach. Avoid excessive calories
or unhealthy foods on those days.
Reducing Cholesterol and Coronary
Artery Disease
You can help your heart and circulatory system by taking
activated charcoal. Activated charcoal lowers the
concentration of total lipids, cholesterol, and triglycerides
in the blood serum, liver, heart and brain. In one study that
was reported in the British journal, Lancet, on patients with
high cholesterol, 8 gm of activated charcoal taken three times
a day lowered total cholesterol 25%, lowered LDL cholesterol
41% and doubled their HDL/LDL (high-density
lipoprotein/low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol ratio.
Microscopic tissue examination studies have shown that a daily
dose of activated charcoal may prevent sclerotic changes in
the heart and coronary blood vessels. To help your heart and
blood vessels, I suggest the following: 12-17 grams of
activated charcoal twice a day for one month under the
guidance of a physician who can measure cardiovascular
improvements and cholesterol levels.
Counteracting Pathogens
Activated charcoal reduces the activity of some viruses. So if
you catch a cold or the flu, try activated charcoal. You may
suffer less and heal faster. Activated charcoal also prevents
the poisonous activity of many harmful bacteria in the human
body by adsorbing the toxins and enzymes that they generate.
Studies have shown that activated charcoal is an effective
treatment for dysentery, cholera, and many infectious
conditions of the digestive tract.
Systemic Candidiasis
Activated charcoal can be an effective adjunct to any regimen
for the treatment of systemic Candida albicans infections.
Activated charcoal adsorbs much of the toxins that Candida
produces that otherwise would be absorbed by the blood and
carried throughout the body. These toxins produce pathological
changes in tissues and organs and interfere with proper immune
function. Candida toxins cause allergic reactions and are
responsible for the debilitating symptoms of Candidiasis.
Activated charcoal also suppresses the growth of
intestinal-based yeasts. Activated charcoal counteracts the
Herxheimer reaction--a severe, short-term exacerbation of
Candida symptoms caused by the copious amount of toxins
produced by dying yeast cells. The Herxheimer reaction is
often so unpleasant that patients abandon treatment before
completion. Activated charcoal is one method for alleviating
the symptoms of yeast die-off so people can continue their
treatment and not suffer.
I suggest 20-30 grams of powdered activated charcoal a day in
divided dosages on an empty stomach until the problem is
eliminated. The larger amount is taken for more severe
situations. Again, a reminder: do not take required
medications within 2 hours of taking activated charcoal.
Intestinal Complaints
Activated charcoal has been used by physicians since the last
century to treat various intestinal complaints. Abdominal
distension (bloating) and flatulence respond favorably to
treatment with activated charcoal. Diarrhea caused by food
poisoning, bacteria, nervousness and other factors is usually
alleviated by taking activated charcoal. Some physicians have
used activated charcoal to stop bleeding from ulcerative
colitis and calm spastic colons. Activated charcoal is the
best intestinal deodorant available. Taking activated charcoal
counteracts decomposition products from food (such as beans)
that cause flatulence and diarrhea. Individuals with
malodorous stools should reach for activated charcoal.
Travelers to foreign countries would be wise to pack activated
charcoal. In my opinion, activated charcoal is the most
practical way to effectively counteract food poisoning. To
alleviate intestinal disorders with activated charcoal, I
recommend the following. As an antidote for food poisoning,
take 20 grams of activated charcoal two to three times daily.
For other intestinal complaints, 5 to 10 grams of powdered
activated charcoal twice daily.
Charcoal Is Safe
Toxicology studies have proven that activated charcoal is
basically harmless. Ingesting high dosages does not interfere
with sleep, appetite or well being--or cause major problems.
There are several undesirable effects of using activated
charcoal that can be avoided by complying with the following
directions. Activated charcoal is highly adsorbent; when it is
ingested at the same time as medication, supplements and foods
it may decrease their absorption and utilization. Therefore,
always allow 2 hours before and wait 2 hours after using
activated charcoal to eat, take supplements or swallow
medication. Activated charcoal has a natural tendency to cause
constipation. That can be counteracted by taking a mild herbal
laxative with the activated charcoal. Finally activated
charcoal harmlessly blackens your stools. Although black-gray
stools look strange, they can be used to calculate your bowel
transit time. Just measure the length of time from taking
activated charcoal to the appearance of darkened stools.
Not All Charcoal is Alike
Numerous companies manufacture activated charcoals, each of
which can have different adsorptive capacities. Different
source materials and manufacturing procedures give each brand
of activated charcoal its own pore diameters and internal
volume that determine its adsorption capacity. The U.S.P.
(United States Pharmacopoeia) standard for activated charcoal
specifies an internal surface area of 1000 m2/g (square meters
per gram). Recently, several companies have begun
manufacturing Super activated charcoals, with up to 3 times
the internal surface area per gram and far greater adsorption
power than standard activated charcoal.
Powders, Capsules, or Tablets?
Because of the large volume of charcoal that is needed, it is
easiest to take liquid preparation of charcoal powder. For
example, to take 30 grams of charcoal a day in capsules would
require that you swallow about 60 capsules. Furthermore,
activated charcoal tablets are not effective. They take too
long to disintegrate and release the activated charcoal.
Ideal Charcoal Preparation
Unfortunately, a simple water and charcoal mixture is
unpalatable and messy. It tastes like a charcoal briquette,
and blackens your teeth, gums and tongue. These problems can
be avoided by ingesting a powdered activated charcoal complex
that contains a thickening agent like bentonite, with added
flavors and mild sweeteners.
Research studies showed that that the addition of bentonite
with or without chocolate significantly improved the
palatability of an activated charcoal and water slurry.
Bentonite acts as thickening agent that reduces powdery
mouth-feel and improves the taste without reducing the
efficacy of activated charcoal. In fact, bentonite is an
enterosorption agent and a poison antidote in its own right.
For example, bentonite has been shown to bind and reduce the
poison paraquat. The addition of chocolate further enhances
the palatability of activated charcoal in research studies and
practical experience.
Provided by Zeusinfoservice Reprinted with permission of Journal Of The
Megahealth Society, Vol. 5, No. 3, Issue #23 ISSN
0891-5334. Copyright 1989 by MegaHealth Society, now Cognitive
Enhancement Research Institute (CERI), publishers of Smart
Life News. CERI explores the latest research and treatment
for Alzheimerss, Parkinsons, Downs syndrome and age-associated
mental impairment in normal, healthy adults.
