Activated Charcoal Uses May Be Harmful, Possibly Cancerous?
1. Decreased absorption of vitamins
The carbon does not have a brain, it is not a living organism. To say it can choose to absorb a toxin and choose to bypass a vitamin or mineral is a questionable statement, to say the least.
The Journal of Food Quality published a study last decade where they measured the effects of mixing activated carbon with apple juice (6). The amount that was mixed in was quite low, a much lower concentration than what’s used in the ER for overdoses.
Five different dilutions were measured; 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 grams of the charcoal powder per liter of apple juice.
The results? It absorbed vitamins. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), thiamine (B1), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), and biotin (B7) wound up inside of it. Is activated charcoal safe to take everyday if it is having a negative effect on your body’s absorption of vitamins?
Given that all compounds (toxins as well as nutrients) have different molecular sizes, weights, and shapes, it is true they can have different degrees of absorption, or none at all. However, the size and structure of many beneficial compounds is not dramatically different than that of toxic compounds.
The long term side effects of using activated charcoal daily, weekly, or even monthly on nutrient absorption is largely unknown.
[...]
2. Decreased absorption of medicines
Reportedly, the carbon will (7):
“…effectively prevent the gastrointestinal absorption of most drugs and toxins present in the stomach at the time of charcoal administration”
Prescription drugs, over the counter pills, and other supplements for your health may be absorbed by the active charcoal. Just a few examples include:
The most studied medical use is in a hospital environment, which is a short term dose for the treatment of poisoning. Using it everyday may not be producing noticeable side effects, but that doesn’t guarantee it’s safe; adverse side effects may by occurring (i.e. nutrient malabsorption) which cannot be easily detected by the person using it.
[...]
The question is, have PAHs in activated charcoal been measured and if so, how much is there? Not only in the charcoal itself, but also if it is absorbing them during the production process (i.e. the burning fuels used to create the heat and possibly emitting PAHs).
If it does contain PAHs or if they are absorbed during the production process, is there a danger of them being released into the body during digestion? It’s a valid question to ask, considering that for activated charcoal medication, it has been said (19):
“There is limited evidence that desorption of a toxin from activated charcoal may occur. Therefore, there is a potential for toxin readsorption and enhanced toxicity.”
.
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Some alarmism but some other good points and advice that may need to be stated again (take away from drugs/food). What I'm curious about is if taken fairly regularly it could coat the digestive tract/stomach and reduce nutrients/drugs absorption more and more and for much longer. Do you have any forecast or knowledge about activated charcoal @Travis?
1. Decreased absorption of vitamins
The carbon does not have a brain, it is not a living organism. To say it can choose to absorb a toxin and choose to bypass a vitamin or mineral is a questionable statement, to say the least.
The Journal of Food Quality published a study last decade where they measured the effects of mixing activated carbon with apple juice (6). The amount that was mixed in was quite low, a much lower concentration than what’s used in the ER for overdoses.
Five different dilutions were measured; 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 grams of the charcoal powder per liter of apple juice.
The results? It absorbed vitamins. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), thiamine (B1), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), and biotin (B7) wound up inside of it. Is activated charcoal safe to take everyday if it is having a negative effect on your body’s absorption of vitamins?
Given that all compounds (toxins as well as nutrients) have different molecular sizes, weights, and shapes, it is true they can have different degrees of absorption, or none at all. However, the size and structure of many beneficial compounds is not dramatically different than that of toxic compounds.
The long term side effects of using activated charcoal daily, weekly, or even monthly on nutrient absorption is largely unknown.
[...]
2. Decreased absorption of medicines
Reportedly, the carbon will (7):
“…effectively prevent the gastrointestinal absorption of most drugs and toxins present in the stomach at the time of charcoal administration”
Prescription drugs, over the counter pills, and other supplements for your health may be absorbed by the active charcoal. Just a few examples include:
- aspirin
- dapsone, an antiobiotic
- meprobamate, a tranquilizer for anxiety
- phenobarbitone for epilepsy
- phenytoin for seizures
- dextropropoxyphene, a pain medicine and cough suppressant
- cardiac glycosides, for irregular heart beats and heart failure
- theophylline for asthma and COPD
- Tegretol (carbamazepine) for epilepsy and neuropathic pain
- oral contraceptives/birth control (8)
The most studied medical use is in a hospital environment, which is a short term dose for the treatment of poisoning. Using it everyday may not be producing noticeable side effects, but that doesn’t guarantee it’s safe; adverse side effects may by occurring (i.e. nutrient malabsorption) which cannot be easily detected by the person using it.
[...]
The question is, have PAHs in activated charcoal been measured and if so, how much is there? Not only in the charcoal itself, but also if it is absorbing them during the production process (i.e. the burning fuels used to create the heat and possibly emitting PAHs).
If it does contain PAHs or if they are absorbed during the production process, is there a danger of them being released into the body during digestion? It’s a valid question to ask, considering that for activated charcoal medication, it has been said (19):
“There is limited evidence that desorption of a toxin from activated charcoal may occur. Therefore, there is a potential for toxin readsorption and enhanced toxicity.”
.
__________________________________________________
Some alarmism but some other good points and advice that may need to be stated again (take away from drugs/food). What I'm curious about is if taken fairly regularly it could coat the digestive tract/stomach and reduce nutrients/drugs absorption more and more and for much longer. Do you have any forecast or knowledge about activated charcoal @Travis?