Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is the byproduct of burning a carbon source. The substance is “activated” by high temperatures which change its chemical structure to create much smaller particles with more surface area. The result is ultra-fine charcoal with millions of tiny pores that bind to and help remove many heavy metals, chemicals and intestinal gases. In fact, one teaspoonful of activated charcoal has about the same total surface area as a football field!

Charcoal was first demonstrated as a poison antidote in the 19th century, when scientists ingested arsenic and strychnine then chased it with activated charcoal—and they lived! Today, because it’s neither easy nor ethical to experiment on patients suffering from toxic poisoning, the results of using activated charcoal to reduce the damage from poison aren’t scientifically documented. That said, initial studies showed that activated charcoal made some drugs less bioavailable and the majority of some drugs cleared the body without being absorbed. This is why you want to take charcoal away from other supplements and medications.