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You may have heard about using activated charcoal as a remedy for stomach problems. Some people claim that taking charcoal pills or a charcoal supplement helps with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or overall gut health.

But are there really activated charcoal benefits for your stomach? Here, we look at the facts about activated charcoal.

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Charcoal is a man-made substance that comes from heating wood, peat, coconut shells, or coal. Activated charcoal is a black, odorless powder made by heating charcoal in the presence of a gas.

This heating process leaves the activated charcoal with many small pores and crevices. In your body, chemicals can get trapped in the holes, clinging to the activated charcoal.

Activated charcoal turns up in many products these days — everything from water filters to toothpaste to face wash. Some restaurants feature activated charcoal in trendy dishes, touting its health benefits. But whether activated charcoal can make a difference in your overall health is unclear.

The Proven Use for Activated Charcoal: Poisoning

Activated charcoal has one tried and true purpose: helping someone who has swallowed poison or is having a drug overdose.

That’s because activated charcoal can bind to other substances.  The charcoal absorbs poisons or drugs in the gut, so they don’t enter the rest of the body.

Doctors have used activated charcoal this way for centuries. In 1813, a French chemist named Michel Bertrand drank 5 grams of arsenic mixed with activated charcoal — and survived.

Doctors still use activated charcoal in emergency departments (EDs) across the country. In the ED, doctors mix the black powder with a liquid for the affected person to drink. They may use water or blend it with a sweetener for children.

Should I Take Activated Charcoal at Home if I Swallow Poison?

Swallowing poison is a medical emergency. You should never treat poisoning — in an adult or a child — by using activated charcoal at home. You should take the person to the nearest ED right away.

The effectiveness of activated charcoal depends on how quickly doctors can give it to you and what the poisonous substance is. The sooner you get activated charcoal after you swallow a drug or poison, the faster and better it will work.

There’s another reason not to treat poisoning at home. You’d need hundreds of over-the-counter (OTC) pills or tablets to equal a dose of activated charcoal in the ED.

Can You Take Activated Charcoal for Stomach Bugs and Other Health Problems?

The short answer is yes, you can — but it may not help.

Over the years, people have used activated charcoal to treat many ailments. They’ve believed activated charcoal cures hangovers, whitens teeth, and freshens breath. But there’s little scientific evidence for any of those claims.

Researchers continue to study how activated charcoal might help with gut health, IBS, and stomach problems caused by bacteria and viruses. But as of now, there’s no solid evidence that activated charcoal is effective at treating stomach and intestinal problems.

Still, activated charcoal is an ingredient in everything from toothpaste to skin care products. It comes in powder, pills, tablets, and capsules. You can buy it online, at drug stores, and in health food stores.

Some of the ways people use activated charcoal include:

• As a food additive — Activated charcoal has become a trendy ingredient. It can add a smoky taste and exotic color to dishes — but probably doesn’t offer nutritional value.
• Cleaning your teeth and gums — There’s limited evidence that activated charcoal has any effect on oral health. It may actually scratch the enamel of your teeth because products with activated charcoal are often abrasive.
• Clearing toxins from the body — There’s no scientific evidence to support this.
• Improving your skin — Many companies claim it can reduce dandruff, unclog pores, and remove bacteria from the skin. Again, scientific evidence doesn’t back up such claims.
• Lowering cholesterol — Some older studies show this is possible, but more research is necessary.

The good news is that taking activated charcoal probably won’t hurt you, either. Its side effects on healthy people are usually mild, if any. They include:

• Black stools
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting

When You Shouldn’t Use Activated Charcoal

There are times when you shouldn’t use activated charcoal.

In general, you shouldn’t take activated charcoal with a meal. This is because it may interfere with the absorption of nutrients. It’s better to wait an hour or so after eating.

It’s also always important to ask your doctor’s advice before using any OTC products that contain activated charcoal. You should stay away from products with activated charcoal if you:

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding — Doctors don’t know enough about using activated charcoal when you’re pregnant. It’s best to err on the side of caution.
• Are taking laxatives — OTC activated charcoal sometimes contains sorbitol, a sweetener that also works as a laxative. If you’re already taking a laxative, you can end up with severe diarrhea and dehydration.
• Have a child with diarrhea or dehydration — Doctors don’t recommend giving activated charcoal to children with stomach problems. Activated charcoal can absorb nutrients, enzymes, and antibiotics in the intestine and mask the amount of fluid your child is losing.
• Have any type of gastrointestinal blockage — Activated charcoal may further slow the movement of food through your digestive system. You could become severely constipated.

Does activated charcoal interfere with my medicine?

Activated charcoal can also interfere with some medications and other substances. These include:

• Antibiotics and other medicine you take by mouth — Activated charcoal may decrease the amount of medicine your stomach and intestines absorb. You won’t get the full effect of medicine if you take activated charcoal with it. Wait at least one hour after taking your medicine to take activated charcoal.
• Birth control pills — Taking activated charcoal with your birth control pills can decrease their effectiveness. Take activated charcoal at least three hours after or 12 hours before you take your birth control pill.

Can I DIY activated charcoal?

Another caveat: You should never attempt to make your own activated charcoal at home. Some internet sites promote using burned toast or charcoal briquettes as activated charcoal. These are neither safe nor effective.