How to Use Activated Charcoal for Detoxing (2024)

When most people think of charcoal, a backyard BBQ often comes to mind. Yet, another type of charcoal is sweeping the mainstream, and it’s made by activating carbon-rich materials. Activated charcoal has become so widespread that many people turn up an activated charcoal detox when exploring how to pass a drug test.

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal is a finely ground, dark black powder that is often used in medical settings in cases of overdose. It is also an ingredient commonly found in black toothpaste or tooth powders for its ability to whiten teeth and cleanse the mouth. The skincare and supplement industries have taken advantage of its toxin-absorbing capabilities and infused it into many products like face masks, deodorants, capsules, and beverage additives.

Making activated charcoal involves heating up material like coconut shells, wood, peat, or other material high in carbon. The charcoal is “activated” and stripped of any absorbed molecules by heating at high temperatures. By freeing up these bonding sites, activated charcoal becomes very absorbent and can bind to toxins. When ingested, activated charcoal binds to toxins and eliminates them via stool.

Can Activated Charcoal Help You Detox?

Activated charcoal has been used medicinally for centuries to treat cases of overdose from substances like alcohol, acetaminophen, sedatives, antidepressants, and ingestion of household toxins like cleaning supplies. It is often administered in the emergency room and is most effective when taken within 30 to 60 minutes after consuming a toxic substance.

An activated charcoal detox prevents toxins from being absorbed into the bloodstream. It holds onto the toxins until they are passed through the digestive system and excreted via feces. Activated charcoal can latch onto bacteria, drugs, alcohol, and even mold particles. It is a naturally detoxing substance for these reasons and can help support the body’s ability to purge toxins. For this reason, activated charcoal has made its way into the mainstream health and wellness culture as a popular tool to support detoxification and cleansing protocols.

There is little scientific evidence supporting its healthful claims, but anecdotal evidence is widely available.

How to Use Activated Charcoal for Detoxing

The recommended dosage varies depending on the reasons for use. Since activated charcoal is often used for gastrointestinal symptoms like gas, bloating, and diarrhea, a doctor may prescribe anywhere from 500 to 1,000 milligrams per day until symptoms subside. For toxin poisoning, a doctor might use a hefty dose of 50 to 100 grams to save someone’s life.

For general detox purposes, alternative health practitioners and some doctors may recommend a smaller dose to be taken daily to support detox. Powder or capsule form is usually up to the user’s discretion, as they both work the same once ingested.

To do an activated charcoal detox, take 5 grams 30 minutes before every meal for a whole week. Do not mix other medications with the charcoal because it will render them useless and carry them through the digestive tract unabsorbed. Be sure to drink at least two liters of water per day because activated charcoal dehydrates the body.

Activated Charcoal for Weed Detoxing

Activated charcoal can help speed up detox time by helping your body rid itself of toxins faster by interfering with enterohepatic circulation. Enterohepatic circulation is when the drug metabolites (and bilirubin, bile acids, etc.) move through the liver and into the gallbladder before entering the intestines. Then, they make their way back into the bloodstream before visiting the liver one more time.

THC enters the bloodstream almost immediately after it fills your lungs when you smoke weed. But when you ingest cannabis in the form of edibles, capsules, or beverages, the THC must be processed by your digestive system. As soon as THC mixes with the bloodstream, it is converted to 11-hydroxy-THC in the liver. From there, it is further metabolized to become THC-COOH. Then, the liver keeps on working and adds a glucuronide molecule to form THC-COOH-glucuronide. The purpose of this is so the body can remove this compound via urine.

Okay, so what does this have to do with activated charcoal? A study on the subject of activated charcoal for detoxing from THC proved some promising results. Researchers found that 5 milligrams of activated charcoal can absorb up to 1,000 nanograms per milliliter of THC-COOH. To pass a THC test, your urine must contain less than 50 nanograms per milliliter, meaning that a casual user or someone who does not heavily consume THC may have luck with activated charcoal.

A similar study administered periodic doses totaling 30 grams of activated charcoal to participants who had smoked weed within a 24-hour window of testing. The participant’s THC-COOH levels were lowered by 45%, and the THC-COOH-glucuronide levels were undetectable. This proved that the activated charcoal adhered to the THC metabolites and purged them via urine or feces to produce a passing test.

Even though this experiment has worked in small studies, it is not indicative of passing results for all people. Several factors contribute to one’s ability to detox from THC, including age, weight, hydration, and overall health. Using activated charcoal for detoxing weed from your system might work if you are a casual smoker and have the luxury of time on your side to pursue a detox program. However, if you have only a few day’s notice before a drug test, consider a same-day detox drink for reliable results.

Activated Charcoal Detoxing FAQ

How many times should I take activated charcoal in a day for detoxing?

Follow the instructions on the manufacturer’s label when taking activated charcoal. Generally speaking, take once or twice a day before meals and do not combine with other medications. Drink plenty of water.

Is turmeric better than activated charcoal for detoxing?

Turmeric and activated charcoal are both beneficial for helping the body to detoxify. Neither is more effective or efficient than another, and both are used to support full-body detoxification.

Why did my doctor recommend activated charcoal for diarrhea from detoxing?

Activated charcoal is often prescribed to relieve diarrhea because it can prevent the body from absorbing the bacteria that causes it.

Which is the best activated charcoal for detoxing?

There are plenty of high-quality activated charcoal supplements available online and in most health food stores.

What kind of toxins does activated charcoal remove?

Activated charcoal can bind to toxins like alcohol, sedatives, acetaminophen, various pharmaceutical drugs, vitamins, supplements, cocaine, opium, chlorine, heavy metals, and even food particles. When ingested, activated charcoal has the ability to bind to many types of toxins and this list is not comprehensive. There are some substances that activated charcoal cannot bind to.

Is activated charcoal safe for detox?

Activated charcoal may have adverse effects with repeated doses in large quantities. Therefore, it’s best to use activated charcoal for short periods of time, and adhere to the directions prescribed on the manufacturer’s label. Activated charcoal is not regulated by the FDA.

How long does it take for activated charcoal to remove toxins?

When used to prevent overdose or drug poisoning, activated charcoal must be administered within an hour of consuming the toxic substance, and it will begin working immediately. An activated charcoal detox time will depend on the specific goal and intention of use. See above guidelines for using activated charcoal for detoxing from weed.

Final Thoughts

An activated charcoal detox is a natural way to help the body cleanse itself from toxins. It’s an ancient remedy that has many uses and may be a beneficial ingredient to include in your daily wellness routine. If you are looking to pass a drug test quickly, it’s a risky bet and you are better off investing in a detox kit.

How to Use Activated Charcoal for Detoxing (2024)

FAQs

How to Use Activated Charcoal for Detoxing? ›

To promote an activated charcoal detox of your digestive system, take 10 grams 90 minutes prior to each meal, for two days. You can use activated charcoal tablets or use powder to make an activated charcoal drink.

Does activated charcoal detox the body? ›

Superheating natural sources of carbon, such as wood, produces activated charcoal. The black powder stops toxins from being absorbed in the stomach by binding to them. The body is unable to absorb charcoal, and so the toxins that bind to the charcoal leave the body in the feces.

How long does it take for activated charcoal to remove toxins? ›

Activated charcoal has been used for centuries as an effective way to remove toxins from the body. Typically, it takes between 30 minutes and 3 hours for activated charcoal to bind to toxins and help flush them out of the body.

Does charcoal soak up toxins? ›

Activated charcoal can help in some emergency poisonings or drug overdoses. If you get it into your system within an hour, it can trap some of the toxins and keep your body from absorbing them. An ER doctor might give it to you through a feeding tube, which goes down your throat and into your stomach.

How do I use activated charcoal? ›

For treatment of poisoning: Treatment with one dose: Adults and teenagers—Dose is usually 25 to 100 grams mixed with water. Children 1 through 12 years of age—Dose is usually 25 to 50 grams mixed with water, or the dose may be based on body weight.

What toxins does activated charcoal work for? ›

Toxins for which multi-dose treatment with active charcoal is indicated
  • Carbamazepine, quinine, dapsone, phenobarbital, theophylline.
  • Digoxin/digitoxin (pronounced enterohepatic circulation, if no antidote available)
  • Slow-release quetiapine (bezoar-forming preparation)

Is it OK to take activated charcoal every day? ›

Working to eliminate toxins and chemicals that linger in our bodies, taking a few capsules of activated charcoal per day can flush your system. (3) This can help to improve mental clarity, support a healthy digestive system, and can even reduce kidney and liver problems.

What to expect after taking activated charcoal? ›

Activated charcoal will cause your stools to turn black. This is to be expected while you are taking this medicine. There have not been any other side effects reported with this medicine. However, if you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.

What happens after activated charcoal? ›

The few adverse effects of activated charcoal are: nausea and vomiting after drinking it, often in response to the gritty feeling of the mixture, and. vomiting and inhaling (aspirating) the activated charcoal. This could happen if the patient is very drowsy.

When should I take activated charcoal? ›

When consumed in tablet or capsule form, activated charcoal absorbs bacteria in the intestines and can relieve bloating, discomfort and flatulence. It works by binding with by-products within the intestines that cause the discomfort and is best taken two hours before a meal or one hour after eating.

Can activated charcoal help with viruses? ›

In addition to its ability to scavenge these microbiome derived toxins, activated charcoal may also have non-specific absorptive properties that blunt inflammatory responses to [20] or possibly inactivate viruses [21].

Can activated charcoal help lose weight? ›

Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence to back up these claims. In fact, there are no randomised controlled trials that assess the effectiveness of commercial detox diets like this in humans. In a review of evidence into detox and fad diets, it has been found it's not the program that results in weight loss.

Does charcoal get rid of bad bacteria? ›

Activated charcoal has gained tremendous popularity in numerous cleanse and detox protocols because of its ability to give your body a little extra help in removing things like mycotoxins, unwanted bacteria, and heavy metals by binding to them and neutralizing them until they can pass through your digestive system.

Does activated charcoal help with inflammation? ›

According to the present invention, the charcoal can be used to treat any one inflammatory condition or a combination of inflammatory conditions at the same or different time(s). There is no limitation as to the type of charcoal to be used. Preferably the charcoal is activated charcoal.

How fast does activated charcoal work? ›

Generally, it takes about 30 minutes for activated charcoal tablets to start working, and their effects can last up to 4-6 hours. It is important to note that the effectiveness of activated charcoal tablets may vary depending on the individual and the amount of toxins they have ingested.

Should I take activated charcoal before bed or morning? ›

Your body releases higher levels of histamine naturally at night as well as after meals so taking activated charcoal at night (about two hours after an early dinner) sweeps up excess histamine and can alleviate some, if not all of the symptoms associated with high histamine at night.

What are the benefits of charcoal cleansing? ›

The visible skin benefits of activated charcoal are:
  • Exfoliation without stripping the face of natural oil.
  • Deeply cleansing to pores.
  • Soothing for acne.
  • Removes blackheads.
  • Relieves skin impurities.
  • Detoxifying and purifying.
  • Shrinks pores.
  • Tightens the skin.
May 4, 2021

Does activated charcoal remove heavy metals from your body? ›

While activated charcoal doesn't remove everything, it does eliminate important toxins, including chlorine, chloramine, hydrogen sulfide, phenol, tannins, and small amounts of heavy metals (copper, iron, mercury). It does not remove ammonia, fluoride, nitrates, bacteria, or viruses.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Kieth Sipes

Last Updated:

Views: 6344

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (47 voted)

Reviews: 86% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kieth Sipes

Birthday: 2001-04-14

Address: Suite 492 62479 Champlin Loop, South Catrice, MS 57271

Phone: +9663362133320

Job: District Sales Analyst

Hobby: Digital arts, Dance, Ghost hunting, Worldbuilding, Kayaking, Table tennis, 3D printing

Introduction: My name is Kieth Sipes, I am a zany, rich, courageous, powerful, faithful, jolly, excited person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.