Charcoal, especially activated charcoal, is a fine, odourless, black powder made from other sources apart from wood sources like coconut shell, sawdust, and peat. It can also be made into different forms, powder or a paste form is usually overlooked by many due to its unpleasant appearance and stain effect.
But while many look at it as just a cooking tool and a source of dirt, charcoal has been proved to possess health benefits and is often used in emergency rooms to treat overdoses; also, it is said to serve health purposes like reducing flatulence, promoting kidney health and lowering cholesterol levels by stopping toxins from being absorbed in the stomach by binding to them. And because the body is unable to absorb charcoal, the toxins that bind to the charcoal leave the body in the feces.
It is important to note that activated charcoal is not the same substance found in charcoal bricks or burned pieces of food; activated charcoal is manufactured to be extremely absorbent, allowing it to bind to molecules, ions, or atoms and remove them from dissolved substances. The activation process strips the charcoal of previously absorbed molecules and frees up bonding sites again by reducing the size of the pores in the charcoal and making more holes in each molecule, increasing its overall surface area.
Activated charcoal is indeed important for heath issues including emergency treatment of overdoses or poisonings and other health conditions like assisting kidney function by filtering out undigested toxins and drugs.
It is said to be effective at removing toxins derived from urea, the main byproduct of protein digestion.
Activated charcoal powder is said to be able to disrupt intestinal gas and while there is no set way to use activated charcoal for intestinal gas, it is recommended that a gram 30 minutes before and after each meal may work.
Activated charcoal is also used as a natural water filter to absorb a range of toxins, drugs, viruses, bacteria, fungus, and chemicals found in water.
Due to its use as a gastrointestinal absorbent in overdoses and poisonings, it is believed that activated charcoal may work as a treatment for diarrhea as it has few side effects, especially in comparison with common anti-diarrheal medications.
It is a renowned material for teeth whitening and oral health and a huge number of teeth-whitening products contain activated charcoal due to its antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and detoxifying elements.
Also, researches show that it can be effective as a skin care agent by helping to draw micro particles such as dirt, dust, chemicals, toxins, and bacteria, to the surface of the skin, which makes removing them easier.
Charcoal may absorb smells and harmful gases, making it ideal as an underarm, shoe, and refrigerator deodorant and as a result, various activated charcoal deodorants are widely available.
However, activated charcoal cannot bind to all types of toxins or drugs, especially ones that are corrosive like alcohols, lye, iron, lithium and petroleum products like fuel oil, gasoline, paint thinner, and some cleaning products
Activated charcoal takes within one to four hour after consumption to clear toxin and it cannot work if the person has already digested the toxin or drug and it is no longer in the stomach.
There have been no adverse reactions noted with activated charcoal in any of its various forms but there is need to talk to a doctor before taking oral activated charcoal products as these may interfere with absorption of medication.
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