Health Benefits of Activated Charcoal

1. Rid Your Body of Toxins in Emergency Situations

According to a study published in the journal Medical Toxicology and Adverse Drug Experience, activated charcoal prevents the gastrointestinal absorption of a wide variety of drugs and toxins in emergency situations, and also increases their elimination even after they’ve been absorbed by the body. This includes an overdose of:

• Pharmaceutical drugs such as acetaminophen or aspirin, opium, cocaine, and morphine
• Toxins from pesticides (including DDT)
• Mercury, lead, and other chemicals

2. Relieve Bites and Bee Stings

Mixing a poultice of activated charcoal with a bit of water and cornstarch or flax seed powder can help cure bee stings, poison ivy rashes, snake bites, spider bites (including highly poisoning bites from the Brown Recluse or Black Widow), and other poisoning bites.

3. Reduce Acne and Improve Skin Health

Because activated charcoal removes toxins, it can help reduce the instances of acne and other skin impurities you might suffer from. It also works wonders for completely removing makeup.
To use activated charcoal on your skin, mix one (or one-half) capsule of the powder into a teaspoon of aloe vera gel one teaspoon of water or rosewater, five drops of tea tree oil, and a pinch of sea salt. Mix these ingredients together until you have an even consistency. But be aware that this face mask is going to be black, and while it can stain your clothing and counter tops, it won’t stain your skin. Apply to your skin, let it dry, and then rinse off. Your skin will feel amazing.

4. Whiten Teeth

While you might not think that a black powder could actually whiten teeth, you’d be surprised – all you have to do is sprinkle charcoal onto a toothpaste laden toothbrush, and brush away.
Your mouth may look really bizarre when you brush with charcoal, but if you do this daily, you’ll notice a difference within a couple of weeks. Activated charcoal is odorless and tasteless, so aside from having temporarily black teeth, you won’t be able to tell you’ve got charcoal in your mouth.
Keep in mind that activated charcoal is a fine black powder. Although it won’t stain your skin, it can be messy to use, so keep a wet paper towel on hand for a quick clean-up in case you spill.
It’s also important to consider your teeth’s sensitivity. Any whitening agent can weaken your tooth enamel over time – this is true with commercial products, such as Crest Whitening Strips, and it’s true for activated charcoal. If you notice your teeth becoming more sensitive after using activated charcoal, cut down on brushing with it to just once or twice per week, or stop using it altogether.

5. Reduce or Eliminate Gas

Activated charcoal can be effective for reducing gas, especially after eating foods, such as beans that commonly create excess gas. It can also relieve an upset stomach or nausea. However, it is worth repeating that activated charcoal should only be taken occasionally to relieve these symptoms, and should not be used every day.

6. Body Detox

Since charcoal does such an amazing job ridding your body of toxins, some people also use it to rid their body of built-up toxins. The length of these cleanses can vary, but they often last a week or two.