Used for millennia in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, activated charcoal is gaining attention in the Western world now, thanks to its potent  detoxification properties and health benefits. Health advocates such as Dr. Mercola list it among their go to remedies. Activated charcoal works by trapping toxins and chemicals in its millions of tiny pores. The porous surface of activated charcoal has a negative electric charge that causes positive charged toxins and gas to bond with it. The nooks and crannies in activated charcoal are created through a heating process. One of the most popular activated charcoal uses is for the safe and effective treatment of poisoning and drug overdoses. It’s used in emergency trauma centers across the world.

Activated Charcoal: An Old Fashioned Cure All

Other uses include:

• Digestion/Bloating/Gas
• Teeth Whitening/Dental Infections
  
• Alcohol Poisoning/Hangover
• Vomiting
• Skin ulcerations, sores, burns
• Spider bites
• Poisoning/Ingested Toxins
• Mold Removal
• Water Filtration

John Dinsley (video), the author of CharcoalRemedies.com The Complete Handbook of Medicinal Charcoal & Its Applications, has found it be effective for even more issues including fighting kidney and liver disease, gall stones, lowering cholesterol, reversing gout and treating malaria. Historically, the Amish have used a paste of charcoal to treat acne, exema, burns, poison ivy and poison oak, and to remove embedded splinters from the skin.

As with any medicine, herbal remedy, or supplement, readers should research and consult their physicians before using activated charcoal. Sites such as WebMd warn that possible side effects and interactions include adsorption of good minerals and molecules, such as medicine, along with the bad.