Activated charcoal (also known as activated carbon) consists of small, black beads or a solid black porous sponge. It is used in water filters, medicines that selectively remove toxins, and chemical purification processes.
Activated Carbon Powder
Activated charcoal is carbon that has been treated with oxygen. The treatment results in highly porous charcoal. These tiny holes give the charcoal a surface area of 300-2,000 m2/g, allowing liquids or gases to pass through the charcoal and interact with the exposed carbon. The carbon adsorbs a wide range of impurities and contaminants, including chlorine, odors, and pigments. Other substances, like sodium, fluoride, and nitrates, are not as attracted to the carbon and are not filtered out.
Since adsorption works by chemically binding the impurities to the carbon, the active sites in the charcoal eventually become filled. Activated charcoal filters become less effective with use and have to be recharged or replaced.
What Activated Charcoal Will and Won’t Filter
The most common everyday use of activated charcoal is to filter water. It improves water clarity, diminishes unpleasant odors, and removes chlorine. It’s not effective for removing certain toxic organic compounds, significant levels of metals, fluoride, or pathogens. Despite persistent urban legend, activated charcoal only weakly adsorbs alcohol and it not an effective means of removal.
It will filter:
Chlorine
Chloramine
Tannins
Phenol
Some drugs
Hydrogen sulfide and some other volatile compounds that cause odors
Small amounts of metals, such as iron, mercury, and chelated copper
It won’t remove:
Ammonia
Nitrates
Nitrites
Fluoride
Sodium and most other cations
Significant amounts of heavy metals, iron, or copper
Significant amounts of hydrocarbons or petroleum distillates
Bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and other microorganisms
Activated Charcoal Effectiveness
Several factors influence the effectiveness of activated charcoal. The pore size and distribution varies depending on the source of the carbon and the manufacturing process. Large organic molecules are absorbed better than smaller ones. Adsorption tends to increase as pH and temperature decrease. Contaminants are also removed more effectively if they are in contact with the activated charcoal for a longer time, so flow rate through the charcoal affects filtration.
Activated Charcoal De-Adsorption
Some people worry that activated charcoal will de-adsorb when the pores become full. While the contaminants on a full filter aren’t released back into the gas or water, used activated charcoal is not effective for further filtration. It is true that some compounds associated with certain types of activated charcoal may leach into the water. For example, some charcoal used in an aquarium might start to release phosphates into the water over time. Phosphate-free products are available.
Recharging Activated Charcoal
Whether or not you can or should recharge activated charcoal depends on its purpose. It’s possible to extend the life of an activated charcoal sponge by cutting or sanding off the outer surface to expose the interior, which might not have fully lost its ability to filter media. Also, you can heat activated charcoal beads to 200 C for 30 minutes. This will degrade the organic matter in the charcoal, which can then be rinsed away, but it won’t remove heavy metals.
For this reason, it’s generally best to just replace the charcoal. You can’t always heat a soft material that has been coated with activated charcoal because it might melt or release toxic chemicals of its own, basically contaminating the liquid or gas you want to purify. The bottom line here is that you possibly could extend the life of activated charcoal for an aquarium, but it’s inadvisable to try to recharge a filter used for drinking water.
Activated charcoal may sound like a funny thing to put on your plate or lather on your face, but recently, it’s been appearing in everything from waffles and smoothies to face wash and toothpaste. Why?
activated charcoal
Many users believe the black powder can brighten teeth, temper body odor and help the body detox.
How effective is it?
Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.
The effectiveness ratings for ACTIVATED CHARCOAL are as follows:
Possibly effective for…
Poisoning. Activated charcoal is useful for trapping chemicals to stop some types of poisoning when used as part of standard treatment. Activated charcoal should be given within 1 hour after a poison has been ingested. It does not seem to be beneficial if given for 2 or more hours after some types of poisoning. And activated charcoal doesn’t seem to help stop all types of poisoning.
Insufficient evidence to rate effectiveness for…
Diarrhea caused by cancer drug treatment. Irinotecan is a cancer drug known to cause diarrhea. Early research shows that taking activated charcoal during treatment with irinotecan decreases diarrhea, including severe diarrhea, in children taking this drug.
Reduced or blocked flow of bile from the liver (cholestasis). Taking activated charcoal by mouth seems to help treat cholestasis in pregnancy, according to some early research reports.
Indigestion (dyspepsia). Some early research shows that taking certain combination products containing activated charcoal and simethicone, with or without magnesium oxide, can reduce pain, bloating, and feelings of fullness in people with indigestion. It’s unclear if taking activated charcoal by itself will help.
Gas (flatulence). Some studies show that activated charcoal is effective in reducing intestinal gas. But other studies don’t agree. It’s too early to come to a conclusion on this.
Hangover. Activated charcoal is included in some hangover remedies, but experts are skeptical about how well it might work. Activated charcoal doesn’t seem to trap alcohol well.
High cholesterol. So far, research studies don’t agree about the effectiveness of taking activated charcoal by mouth to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
High levels of phosphate in the blood (hyperphosphatemia). Early research shows that taking activated charcoal daily for up to 12 months appears to reduce phosphate levels in people with kidney disease, including those on hemodialysis who have high phosphate levels.
Wound healing. Studies on the use of activated charcoal for wound healing are mixed. Some early research shows that using bandages with activated charcoal helps wound healing in people with venous leg ulcers. But other research shows that activated charcoal does not help treat bed sores or venous leg ulcers.
Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of activated charcoal for these uses.
How does it work?
Activated charcoal works by “trapping” chemicals and preventing their absorption.
Are there safety concerns?
When taken by mouth: Activated charcoal is LIKELY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth, short-term. Taking activated charcoal long-term by mouth is POSSIBLY SAFE. Side effects taking activated charcoal by mouth include constipation and black stools. More serious, but rare, side effects are a slowing or blockage of the intestinal tract, regurgitation into the lungs, and dehydration.
When applied to the skin: Activated charcoal is LIKELY SAFE for most adults when applied to wounds.
Special precautions & warnings:
Pregnancy and breast-feeding: Activated charcoal might be safe when used short-term if you are pregnant or breast-feeding, but consult with your healthcare professional before using if you are pregnant.
Gastrointestinal (GI) blockage or slow movement of food through the intestine: Don’t use activated charcoal if you have any kind of intestinal obstruction. Also, if you have a condition that slows the passage of food through your intestine (reduced peristalsis), don’t use activated charcoal, unless you are being monitored by your healthcare provider.
And while there may be truth to some of those claims, not every charcoal product is safe to use.
Many people are looking for ways to reduce inflammation and detox, so there’s a huge market for these products. The problem is, there’s no agency overseeing the safety or effectiveness of activated charcoal, and it’s not governed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Breaking Down the Facts on Activated Charcoal
Before you slip some activated charcoal in your morning protein shake, it’s important to note that activated charcoal is not the same as the charcoal you buy at Home Depot for your backyard barbeque, nor is it made from the same stuff as the char on your overdone toast. Instead, it comes from burning specific types of wood — including bamboo, birch and balsam — at super-high temperatures, then oxidizing it.
The particles left behind are almost pure carbon, so they’re able to suck up moisture and chemicals. But that doesn’t mean using it is safe or should be done without medical supervision.
Here are six facts you should know before you purchase anything with activated charcoal:
It draws out impurities. Charcoal has a rich history as a medical treatment. Its porous texture binds to toxins and prevents your body from absorbing them. That’s one reason it’s a staple in hospital emergency rooms. Doctors commonly use it as an antidote for food poisoning and drug toxicity.
Putting it in food can be dangerous. There’s no way of knowing what is in an activated charcoal product. It’s a completely uncontrolled industry, so it’s best to leave it out of your diet.
It’s abrasive. While activated charcoal is marketed as a tooth-whitening agent, it can be abrasive and ruin tooth enamel, particularly if it’s used on a regular basis.
It can bind to medications, vitamins and minerals. Activated charcoal does bind to chemical toxins to flush them out, but it also binds to nutrients. Take too much and you could compromise your nutrient status or interfere with the way your body absorbs medication. It can make blood pressure medication and even birth control pills less effective.
It can help patients with kidney disease. For patients with end-stage renal disease, activated charcoal may be a viable alternative to dialysis. The reason: It binds to urea and other toxins, reducing the number of waste products that filter through your kidneys. If you have kidney disease, talk to your doctor.
It can minimize body odor. For people who suffer from something called Fish Odor Syndrome, activated charcoal can bind to the stinky compounds the body produces and help reduce unpleasant odors.
The Bottom Line
Activated charcoal is still a largely unstudied and misunderstood compound and as far as safety goes, consumers are at the mercy of the manufacturer. Any chemical that has the potential to do good also has the potential to harm. Only use activated charcoal under the direction of a medical professional, particularly if you’re planning to ingest it.
Activated charcoal is a fine black powder made from bone char, coconut shells, peat, petroleum coke, coal, olive pits or sawdust.
The charcoal is activated by processing it at very high temperatures. The high temperatures change its internal structure, reducing the size of its pores and increasing its surface area
This results in a charcoal that is more porous than regular charcoal.
activated Charcoal
Activated charcoal shouldn’t be confused with charcoal briquettes that are used to light your barbecue.
While both can be made from the same base materials, charcoal briquettes have not been activated at high temperatures. Moreover, they contain additional substances that are toxic to humans.
Activated charcoal is sometimes used to help treat a drug overdose or a poisoning.
When you take activated charcoal, drugs and toxins can bind to it. This helps rid the body of unwanted substances.
Charcoal is made from coal, wood, or other substances. It becomes “activated charcoal” when high temperatures combine with a gas or activating agent to expand its surface area.
Activated charcoal US Brand Name
Actidose-Aqua
Charcoal
Diarrest
Di-Gon II
Donnagel
EZ-Char
Kaodene NN
Kaolinpec
Kaopectate
Kaopek
Kerr Insta-Char
Canadian Brand Name
Aqueous Charcodote Adult
Aqueous Charcodote Pediatric
Charcodote
Charcodote Pediatric
Charcodote Tfs
Charcodote Tfs Pediatric
Descriptions
Activated charcoal is used in the emergency treatment of certain kinds of poisoning. It helps prevent the poison from being absorbed from the stomach into the body. Sometimes, several doses of activated charcoal are needed to treat severe poisoning. Ordinarily, this medicine is not effective and should not be used in poisoning if corrosive agents such as alkalis (lye) and strong acids, iron, boric acid, lithium, petroleum products (e.g., cleaning fluid, coal oil, fuel oil, gasoline, kerosene, paint thinner), or alcohols have been swallowed, since it will not prevent these poisons from being absorbed into the body.
Some activated charcoal products contain sorbitol. Sorbitol is a sweetener. It also works as a laxative, for the elimination of the poison from the body.Products that contain sorbitol should be given only under the direct supervision of a doctor because severe diarrhea and vomiting may result.
Activated charcoal has not been shown to be effective in relieving diarrhea and intestinal gas.
Activated charcoal may be available without a doctor’s prescription; however, before using this medicine, call a poison control center, your doctor, or an emergency room for advice.
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Suspension
Powder for Suspension
How Does Activated Charcoal Work?
Activated charcoal works by trapping toxins and chemicals in the gut, preventing their absorption.
The charcoal’s porous texture has a negative electrical charge, which causes it to attract positively charged molecules, such as toxins and gases. This helps it trap toxins and chemicals in the gut.
Because activated charcoal is not absorbed by your body, it can carry the toxins bound to its surface out of your body in feces.
Why do people take activated charcoal?
People take activated charcoal to manage a poisoning or overdose.
When used along with other treatments, activated charcoal may be effective for an acute poisoning. But it is NOT useful in some cases, including poisoning from:
Cyanide
Lithium
Alcohol
Iron tablets
It also is not used to treat poisons such as strong acids or bases.
With a poisoning, don’t guess about the right thing to do. Call your local poison control center immediately. And get to an emergency room. You need to use activated charcoal as soon as possible if it is recommended.
Other less studied uses of activated charcoal include:
Treat a condition of pregnancy in which the normal flow of bile is affected (cholestasis)
Prevent gas
Reduce high cholesterol
Prevent a hangover
Early research about using activated charcoal to treat cholestasis of pregnancy is very limited. More studies are needed to prove its safety and effectiveness.
It’s not clear whether activated charcoal helps improve gas and cholesterol. That’s because the research results so far have been inconsistent.
As for hangover remedies with activated charcoal, there isn’t really any evidence that it works.
The activated charcoal that is used to treat a poisoning is a powder that is mixed with a liquid. Once mixed, it can be given as a drink or through a tube that has been placed through the mouth and into the stomach.
Activated charcoal is also available in tablet or capsule forms to treat gas. This form is not used to treat a poisoning.
Activated Charcoal as an Emergency Poison Treatment
Thanks to its toxin-binding properties, activated charcoal has a variety of medical uses.
For instance, activated charcoal is often used in cases of poisoning.
That’s because it can bind a wide variety of drugs, reducing their effects. In humans, activated charcoal has been used as a poison antidote since the early 1800s.
It may be used to treat prescription drugs overdoses, as well as overdoses of over-the-counter medications like aspirin, acetaminophen and sedatives.
For instance, studies show that when a single dose of 50–100 grams of activated charcoal is taken within five minutes of drug ingestion, it may reduce drug absorption in adults by up to 74% .
This effect decreases to around 50% when the charcoal is taken 30 minutes after drug ingestion and 20% if it’s taken three hours after the drug overdose .
The initial dose of 50–100 grams is sometimes followed by two to six doses of 30–50 grams every two to six hours. However, this multiple dosage protocol is used less often and may only be effective in a limited number of poisoning cases .
It’s important to note that activated charcoal is not effective in all cases of poisoning. For instance, it appears to have little effect on alcohol, heavy metal, iron, lithium, potassium, acid or alkali poisonings.
What’s more, experts warn that activated charcoal shouldn’t be routinely administered in all cases of poisoning. Rather, its use should be considered on a case-by-case basis .
Activated Carbon May Promote Kidney Function
Activated charcoal may help promote kidney function by reducing the number of waste products that the kidneys have to filter.
This could be particularly beneficial in patients suffering from chronic kidney disease, a condition in which the kidneys can no longer properly filter waste products.
Healthy kidneys are normally very well equipped to filter your blood without any additional help. However, patients suffering from chronic kidney disease generally have a harder time removing urea and other toxins from the body.
Activated charcoal may have the ability to bind to urea and other toxins, helping your body eliminate them.
Urea and other waste products can pass from the bloodstream into the gut through a process known as diffusion. In the gut, they become bound to activated charcoal and excreted in the feces .
In humans, activated charcoal has been shown to help improve kidney function in those suffering from chronic kidney disease.
In one study, activated charcoal supplements may have helped lower blood levels of urea and other waste products in patients with end-stage kidney disease.
That said, the current evidence is weak, and more high-quality studies are needed before strong conclusions can be made.
Reduces Symptoms of Fish Odor Syndrome
Activated charcoal may help reduce unpleasant odors in individuals suffering from trimethylaminuria (TMAU), also known as fish odor syndrome.
TMAU is a genetic condition in which trimethylamine (TMA), a compound with an odor similar to that of rotting fish, accumulates in the body.
Healthy individuals are usually able to convert fishy-smelling TMA into a non-smelly compound before excreting it in urine. However, people with TMAU lack the enzyme needed to perform this conversion.
This causes TMA to accumulate in the body and make its way into urine, sweat and breath, giving rise to a foul, fishy odor (13Trusted Source).
Studies show that activated charcoal’s porous surface may help bind small odorous compounds like TMA, increasing their excretion.
One small study in TMAU patients analyzed the effects of supplementing with 1.5 grams of charcoal for 10 days. It reduced TMA concentrations in the patients’ urine to levels found in healthy individuals (14Trusted Source).
These results seem promising, but more studies are needed.
May Reduce Cholesterol Levels
Activated charcoal may also help reduce cholesterol levels.
That’s because it can bind cholesterol and cholesterol-containing bile acids in the gut, preventing the body from absorbing them (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
In one study, taking 24 grams of activated charcoal per day for four weeks lowered total cholesterol by 25% and bad LDL cholesterol by 25%. Good HDL cholesterol levels also increased by 8% (17Trusted Source).
In another study, taking 4–32 grams of activated charcoal daily helped reduce total and bad LDL cholesterol by 29–41% in those with high cholesterol levels (18Trusted Source).
In this study, the larger dosages of activated charcoal seemed the most effective.
Similar results were reported in most, but not all, studies (19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source, 21).
However, it’s interesting to note that all studies related to this topic were conducted in the 1980s. More recent studies would help confirm the link.
Other Uses of Activated Carbon ?
Activated charcoal is also a popular home remedy with multiple uses, though it’s important to note that not all of these are supported by science.
Its most well-known home uses include:
Gas reduction: Some studies report that activated charcoal may help reduce gas production following a gas-producing meal. It may also help improve the odor of gas. However, not all studies observed this benefit (22, 23Trusted Source).
Water filtration: Activated charcoal is a popular way to reduce heavy metal and fluoride content in water. However, it doesn’t appear to be very effective at removing viruses, bacteria or hard water minerals (4, 24, 25Trusted Source).
Tooth whitening: Using activated charcoal to brush your teeth is anecdotally said to whiten them. It’s said to do so by absorbing plaque and other teeth-staining compounds. However, no studies could be found to support this claim.
Hangover prevention: Activated charcoal is sometimes used as a hangover cure. While consuming it with alcohol may reduce blood alcohol levels, its effects on hangovers haven’t been studied (26Trusted Source).
Skin treatment: Applying this charcoal to the skin is touted as an effective treatment for acne and insect or snake bites. However, only anecdotal reports could be found on this topic.
Can you get activated charcoal naturally from foods?
Activated charcoal is a manufactured product. You cannot find it naturally in foods.
Dosage Instructions
Those interested in trying activated charcoal can find a wide selection of it on Amazon. Make sure to follow dosage instructions similar to those used in the studies mentioned above.
In the case of drug poisoning, it’s important to seek medical help immediately.
A dosage of 50–100 grams can be administered by a medical professional, ideally within an hour of the overdose. Children normally receive a lower dose of 10–25 grams (8Trusted Source).
Dosages for other conditions range from 1.5 grams to treat fishy odor disease to 4–32 grams per day to lower cholesterol and promote kidney function in end-stage kidney disease (11Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).
Activated charcoal supplements can be found in pill or powder forms. When taken as a powder, activated charcoal may be mixed with water or a non-acidic juice.
Also, increasing your water intake may help prevent symptoms of constipation.
What are the risks of taking activated charcoal?
When used to treat a poisoning or overdose, activated charcoal is usually safe, but it needs to be administered only in a health care facility.
Side effects are more likely when it is used on a long-term basis to treat conditions like excess gas.
Side effects. When you take it by mouth, activated charcoal can cause:
Black stools
Black tongue
Vomiting or diarrhea
Constipation
In more serious cases, it can cause gastrointestinal blockages.
Risks. Do not combine activated charcoal with drugs used for constipation (cathartics such as sorbitol or magnesium citrate). This can cause electrolyte imbalances and other problems.
Interactions. Activated charcoal may reduce or prevent the absorption of certain drugs. This may include drugs such as:
Acetaminophen
Digoxin
Theophylline
Tricyclic antidepressants
Do not use activated charcoal as a supplement if you take these medications. Activated charcoal may also reduce absorption of certain nutrients.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does regulate dietary supplements; however, it treats them like foods rather than medications. Unlike drug manufacturers, the makers of supplements don’t have to show their products are safe or effective before selling them on the market.
Be sure to tell your doctor about any supplement you’re taking, even if it’s natural. That way, your doctor can check on any potential side effects or interactions with medications, foods, or other herbs and supplements. They can let you know if the supplement might increase your risks.
Steam-activation is primarily used for coconut charcoal and coal.
In the production of steam-activated charcoal, first the coconut shell or coal is heated to create a char. This char is then “activated” in a furnace at high temperatures of 1,700° to 1,800°F with steam in the absence of oxygen. In the steam-activation process, all volatile compounds are removed, and at the same time layer after layer of carbon atoms are pealed off, enlarging the existing internal pores, and leaving behind a carbon skeleton. The carbon + steam reaction results in producing hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide (C+H2O=H2 +CO). As the carbon monoxide gases off it takes carbon atoms with it. Typically 3 pounds of raw charcoal will produce 1 pound of activated charcoal. This is a perfect example of the saying “Less is More”. Less carbon atoms yields More internal space.
How to Make Steam-Activated Charcoal ?
Once the activated charcoal is cooled off, to remove the soluble ash content, it may be either “water-washed”* (which requires a lot of water) or it is “acid-washed” (to remove the acid-soluble ash content) and then repeatedly “water-washed” to remove any trace of the acid solution.
(*Not to let anything go to waste, the charcoal “vinegar” is sometimes collected and sold as commercial ascetic acid or processed into table vinegar.)
Because of the very high temperatures required for steam activation (600 – 1,200 °C), temperatures you cannot achieve in a conventional oven (260 °C), this method is all but limited to industrial technology.
Another huge limiting factor is the cost of production. The world uses a tremendous amount of Activated Charcoal annually and so production needs to be on an industrial scale that can produce millions of tons of AC at a very low price.
This is typically done in large rotating steel cylinder kilns (up to 180ft long producing up to 12.5 metric tonnes/hour) with a sophisticated delivery system of heat and steam. If money were not an issue, then individuals would need to first design an even more sophisticated miniature version. There would be the issue of washing/rinsing, the disposal of waste ash from the pyrolysis, managing the exhaust gasses, and other challenges. The net product would far exceed the cost of the mass-produced product, and quality would likely also be an issue, since cooking temperatures and times are quite critical. Aside form the fascination of building one’s own, it seems the cost would be prohibitive to make steam-activated charcoal “at home”.
So, how can you make steam activated charcoal? It should be obvious that, for small personal quantities, you are not set up for the technical challenges or the financial outlay. Well then, how can you make chemically activated charcoal? Is it less expensive and easier?
To understand how activated charcoal works, it is important to know the difference between “adsorb” and “absorb”. Sponges absorb liquids, and they can be squeezed out. Charcoal adsorbs liquids, and binds to toxic chemicals so that they cannot escape.
Healing properties of Activated Carbons:
Detox: By binding with organic chemicals from pesticides, plastics, and other pollutants.
Detox: By binding with viruses and bacteria.
Gentle on the colon and does not damage the mucus lining of the intestines.
De- bloats by binding to gases.
Facilitates digestion.
May help lower cholesterol, triglycerides and lipids found in the blood.
Helps relieve constipation.
Helps with acne.
Kills parasites like Candida.
Removes the toxins in the human body. (The toxins are eliminated through feces).
