6 Odd Benefits of Activated Charcoal Supplements

UltimateHuman Team May 24, 2022
24 People Read
health benefits of activated charcoal

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When people think about charcoal, they typically remember the smell of barbecues on a sunny day...

Fail Independence Day GIF by Natalie Palamides

But when prepared differently, it can actually offer many health benefits as a supplement.

Yes, you heard that right... ingesting charcoal could be good for us.

It may sound odd, but using charcoal to help the body is NOT a new idea...

Many historical cultures, like the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, used it as a way to detox.

These days, what people consume is something called activated charcoal.

To find out about activated charcoal, 6 potential benefits, possible side effects, and more... all in 3 minutes or less...

Keep scrolling below 👇

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal is created by burning an organic carbon source like wood or coconut shells.

kids children GIF by PlayKids

These high temperatures change the internal structure of the source and make it more porous.

Without this process, charcoal could be toxic to humans...

So, do NOT use your grilling charcoal as a substitute for picking up some supplements.

Unlike the little bricks sitting at the bottom of your BBQ...

This activated charcoal is appropriate for consumption because it's more absorbent and pure.

In this state, it better binds to other chemicals (assisting in detox) and is "filtered" to remove harmful additives and smoke.

Some famous biohackers — like Dave Asprey — are famous advocates for regular activated charcoal use.

What Are The Uses Of Activated Charcoal?

Generally, activated charcoal has been used to assist in treating stomach sickness or poisoning from things like alcohol and drug overdoses...

It's also used in whitening toothpastes, D.I.Y. water filters, and even household cleaning products...

But in the biohacking community... which is primarily focused on performance and anti-aging therapies...

It's used for its detoxifying properties.

When activated charcoal is consumed, it binds to toxins — and even odor-causing elements

So that when the body eventually removes charcoal from its systems... these toxins are flushed out along with it.

Purify Paramount Network GIF by Yellowstone

What Are The Health Benefits Of Taking Charcoal As A Supplement?

Activated charcoal has potential to assist the body in many different situations.

As always, you should ask your doctor before using it, or anything else, for yourself...

But here's a few ways it may help:

1. General Detox

As mentioned, if you're looking to flush out toxins from you're body...

Activated charcoal might be your best friend.

There are many potential benefits to detoxification — both physically & mentally — and it could help to treat or prevent serious conditions.

2. Better Kidney Function

The primary job of the kidney is to filter out bad elements in the blood.

So, if the activated charcoal preemptively helps removes waste and toxins... the kidneys won't have to work as hard.

This is especially important for those who have trouble filtering out waste as a result of chronic kidney disease.

3. Gut Health + Gas and Bloating Relief

Charcoal supplements can help us to fight against "cutting the cheese" or blown-up bellies...

This is because it can neutralize some nasty secondary effects created by normal digestion.

It may also help prevent cellular changes by removing toxins from the GI tract.

4. Fighting Fish Odor Syndrome

Some people struggle with what can be an embarrassing genetic disorder that causes their breath or bodies to smell like a fish.

This happens when a chemical called trimethylamine is not properly removed from the body.

It's suggested that activated charcoal can help absorb this chemical before it accumulates and is released at inopportune times.

5. May Reduce Bad Cholesterol Levels

Those with high levels of bad cholesterol are at greater risk for developing a chronic and life-threatening disease.

Thankfully, activated charcoal supplements may help.

Some research suggests that activated charcoal reduces cholesterol.

As the charcoal is removed through stool 💩... the absorbed cholesterol exits along with it.

Keep in mind that activated charcoal is not meant to treat high levels of bad cholesterol, but it may help in conjunction with other treatments.

6. Anti-Aging Effects

One incredible study showed that older rodents who were given activated charcoal saw their life expectancy rise by about 34%!

While these weren't human tests...

It's clear that charcoal's ability to eliminate toxins and improve cellular function could be a game-changer when it comes to longevity and healthspan.

What Are The Potential Side-Effects Of Activated Charcoal?

Charcoal, which is mostly made up of carbon, has very low levels of toxicity to humans.

So, there seems to be no severe common side effects.

But some have reported vomiting, constipation, or black-colored stools.

In extremely rare cases... it may cause dehydration, regurgitation to the lungs, or intestinal tract slowing/blockage.

Activated Charcoal Powder or Pills: Which Is Best?

Most commercial activated charcoal is delivered either powder or capsule form...

And deciding which one to use is mostly about preference.

If you're someone that likes to mix your supplements into smoothies, foods, or drinks... rather than try to swallow a pill... you might like the powdered form.

But if you prefer to quickly gulp down a capsule and be done with it...

Or you want to avoid tasting the charcoal — which can be harsh & may not be completely hidden by the flavors of your foods or smoothies —

Pills may be the way to go.

You can find some good ones from Bulletproof made with coconut shells HERE.

Either way, activated charcoal could be another good addition to your supplement stack.

What do you think... is it crazy... or the next big thing in anti-aging?

Let us know ⬇️

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