Charcoal has many applications and has been used for the treatment of digestive disorders and as an antidote for poisoning amongst other medical and industrial applications, how it actually works has been studied for centuries we believe that we are closer to developing an understanding but there are still some grey areas.  

Some of the most challenging studies date back to 1831, a French Chemist named Bertand, was studying the poisoning of animals and observed that charcoal prevented poisoning. Bertand was keen to corroborate his findings and gave regular public demonstrations, by drinking a mixture of arsenic and charcoal, thankfully he survived to tell the tale.

Other scientists found charcoal to be effective against opium, morphine, aconite, ipecac, veratrum, delphinium, hemlock and mineral toxins such as mercury, silver nitrate and lead salts.

Charcoal used at this time was not activated and the potency was much less than the modern grades of activated charcoal which are available today.  Activated charcoals became available in the early 1900’s when a Russian scientist, Ostrejko developed the process of manufacturing activated charcoal, pharmaceutical grades of activated charcoal are up to 300 times more potent than natural charcoal.

The application of charcoal as an antidote was developed mainly in Europe, whereas in America interest grew in using charcoal as a cure for digestive disorders. In 1908 the catalogue of “Sears, Roebuck & Co” carried the following advertisements:

Willow Charcoal Tablets

Every person is well acquainted with the great benefit derived from willow charcoal in gastric and intestinal disorder, indigestion, dyspepsia, heartburn, sour or acid stomach, gas upon the stomach, constant belching, fetid breath, all gaseous complications and for the removal of the offensive odour from the breath after smoking.

Bragg’s Vegetable Charcoal and Charcoal Biscuits

Absorbs all impurities in the stomach and bowels. Give a health tone to the whole system. effectively warding off cholera, smallpox, typhoid and all malignant fevers. Invaluable for indigestion, flatulence etc. Eradicate worms in children. Sweetens the breath.

Many of the claims made at this time seem quite bold and at the time could not be demonstrated by scientific study until now. It is now known that activated charcoal can adsorb poisons, bacterial toxins, viruses and gases in the intestines.  The ability to adsorb these substances is due to the complex structure of activated charcoal that is produced during the activation process.

Particles of activated charcoal consists of a complex honeycomb, substances are attracted to the surface of the activated charcoal and are held by weak intermolecular forces to produce a charcoal complex.

Particle of Activated Charcoal as seen under an Electron Microscope

When activated charcoal is taken orally, it is dispersed throughout the digestive system, as it passes naturally through our digestive system substances are bound to the particles of activated charcoal forming a complex.  The complex is inert and is too large to pass out of the digestive system.  As illustrated in the diagram below:

Schematic diagram of the GI system, showing drug transport processes

From Donovan (1987) McGraw- Hill Healthcare Publications

A large proportion of the substances are adsorbed directly from the digestive system, to a lesser extent substances are adsorbed from blood vessels surrounding / supporting the digestive system, this process may occur by migration, secretion or diffusion the actual process is unknown.

Activated charcoal does not alter the chemistry of the body and does not form complexes with nutrients or minerals or food supplements.

The number of active sites on each particle of activated charcoal is limited, once these complexing sites have been occupied the particles of activated charcoal can play no further role in removing substances from the body, hence it is important to take activated charcoal regularly to ensure there is sufficient activated charcoal present to remove unwanted substances.

Our activated charcoal is produced from coconut shells which has been purified for use as a pharmaceutical active ingredient, commercial forms of charcoal or activated charcoal which are not approved for pharmaceutical applications may contain byproducts which may cause harm.