Activated Charcoal Uses and Benefits (For Beauty, Health & Home)

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Uses of activated charcoal
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Activated charcoal has been part of my natural medicine cabinet for years, but now it is showing up in beauty magazines and DIY websites for its many other uses!

Activated charcoal is one of those rare areas where ancient traditional medicine and today’s medical literature agree. Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine used this sooty, jet-black powder for thousands of years. (Its first recorded use dates back to 1550 BC.) It is also well established in medical literature as a powerful antidote that adsorbs most organic toxins, chemicals, and poisons before they can harm the body.

Interest in activated charcoal grew in 1831 when a French Academy of Medicine professor famously drank a lethal dose of strychnine and did not suffer any ill effects … all because he combined it with activated charcoal.

Oddly enough, I also brush my teeth with it … so there are other reasons to have activated charcoal around!

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated Charcoal Uses and Benefits - why to keep it on hand

It is important to know right from the get-go that activated charcoal is not the same thing as charcoal for your grill or charred wood from the fire. Please don’t try to substitute or make your own!

Activated charcoal consists of some substance—usually bamboo, wood, coal, or my preference, coconut shell charcoal—burned without oxygen to create char. The char is then heated to a high temperature and exposed to certain gases through a multi-step process to make it extremely porous. This is the “activation” part of the process.

Once activated, the increased surface area of the molecules can bind powerfully to any substance. This process of adsorption (not to be confused with absorption) is what makes charcoal so powerful. True activated charcoal is odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic.

Benefits of Activated Charcoal Use

There are 3 main benefits to having activated charcoal in a healthy mama’s bag of tricks:

1. Poison and Toxin Remedy

Studies show that activated charcoal may be the most effective GI tract decontaminant available. It can adsorb up to 50-60% of unwanted substances in the stomach and intestines when taken quickly after ingestion. It can even have a positive effect as long as two hours after ingestion!

In fact, emergency rooms routinely administer large doses of activated charcoal for certain types of poisoning. Unlike ipecac syrup or stomach pumping, activated charcoal binds with and removes much of the offending substance even after it enters the bloodstream.

Of course, anyone who experiences poisoning or exposure to toxic substances should absolutely contact a poison control center or hospital immediately and follow any instructions they have. I know of cases where a poison center instructed someone to administer charcoal at home and then follow up in the ER.

Proof of activated charcoal’s power to purify? It’s routinely used in water and air filters for just that function!

2. Oral Care

The same properties that make charcoal beneficial for removing harmful substances in the digestive system also make it beneficial for oral health as well. It doesn’t neutralize toxins, but rather binds them to the many tiny pores on its surface.

When used in toothpastes, powders, and oral health rinses, it can bind to bacteria and other harmful substances and remove them from the mouth. Many people like using it in this way because it also binds to substances that stain the teeth and can whiten the teeth in only a few uses.

3. Beauty Ingredient

Activated charcoal is showing up in many beauty products lately too. This is because it is effective at removing bacteria, chemicals, dirt, and build-up on the skin. Check out all the beauty uses below or try mixing it into a face wash or scrub. (Don’t worry … it washes off!)

Activated Charcoal Uses for Home & Beauty

I keep activated charcoal on hand in case any of the kids ever accidentally ingest any household toxins or chemicals, though we also do our best to keep anything toxic out of the house completely. Thankfully, we haven’t yet had to use it for that purpose!

I find myself turning to charcoal almost daily for other uses though:

1. To Whiten Teeth Naturally

This is the first beauty use for charcoal that I tried, and it worked wonderfully!

Read all about my charcoal teeth whitening experiment here but the method is simple. Just dip a wet toothbrush in a high quality charcoal and brush gently. Alternately, you can swish with charcoal water by mixing 1/2 teaspoon of charcoal into a small amount of water.

Charcoal is mildly abrasive so be gentle and don’t do this more than once or twice a week!

2. In Toothpaste

Similarly, charcoal can be used in toothpastes and tooth powders to get the same effect. I wouldn’t use these daily, since they are abrasive, but adding a little charcoal to a homemade toothpaste or DIY tooth powder a couple times a week can whiten and freshen the teeth.

My pre-made Wellnesse charcoal toothpaste has clean ingredients and works really well!

3. As a Face Mask or Cleanser

I love using charcoal on my skin. Fair warning, it looks a little bizarre to paint this stuff all over your face, but it does wash off and leaves skin super soft!

For a maskEasily make your own mask with this simple recipe or buy a high quality pre-made natural mask like this one.

As a cleanser: Mix 1/2 teaspoon of activated charcoal powder into a face wash and scrub skin gently. Rinse well and pat dry.

4. In Shampoo

Charcoal has been showing up in shampoos for the same reason people love it in facial products. It removes build up and impurities. The easiest way to try this is to add a tiny amount (1/2 teaspoon) to shampoo before washing hair. Scrub gently and wash out.

I’ve yet to find a pre-made shampoo with good ingredients so just add to a natural shampoo that you like! I’ve added charcoal to this natural shampoo with good results.

5. Clean the Air

Charcoal’s porous structure makes it great at removing odors, harmful chemicals and allergens from the air. This is why you’ll often find charcoal in air purifying products. These charcoal bags are the easiest way to use charcoal to clean the air in a home. They last for years and can be recharged by putting them in the sun once a month or so.

6. Purify Water

How to use activated charcoal in toothpaste hair beauty and more

Activated charcoal also helps remove contaminants from water. It is used in the Berkey system that our family used for years and even in most water pitcher systems. The 14-stage filter we have now also uses charcoal to filter water.

7. Relieve Bug Bites

I use charcoal in my drawing salve for its ability to draw out irritants. This recipe is also great for applying to bug bites to relieve itching and pain! But charcoal alone can also help draw out venom.

In one scary episode, I used charcoal to treat a spider bite on my son’s leg after we had confirmation that it was likely a brown recluse bite. Our doctor confirmed that the conventional approach is “wait and see.” I wasn’t comfortable with this, especially since my son was uncomfortable. A mix of charcoal and baking soda helped draw the toxin out, and he healed with no long-term scarring.

8. Help an Upset Stomach

I give my kids these charcoal gummies whenever they complain of a bad upset stomach. The chewy texture and natural fruit flavor helps the medicine go down, and activated charcoal goes to work absorbing and neutralizing the substances causing the trouble.

Is Activated Charcoal Safe?

Activated charcoal is not known to be toxic, though it should not be taken within two hours of vitamins or medications because it will keep the body from adsorbing them. I personally would not take charcoal on a regular basis and would only use as needed.

As with any substance, you should always check with a doctor or medical professional before internal use, especially in an emergency or life-threatening situation or if there is any other underlying health problem.

Remember, activated charcoal is NOT the same thing as the ashes from burning wood or other fires at home, so please don’t try to use those type of ashes for these or any other uses!

I also don’t recommend activated charcoal-infused food or drinks. Charcoal can bind to the nutrients in food or drinks, making these less nourishing rather than enhancing them. The one exception? Charcoal cocktails are getting more popular, and since alcohol is a toxin anyway, these may be worth trying. In fact some experts recommend charcoal as a hangover remedy.

Where to Get Activated Charcoal

I keep this brand of activated charcoal on hand because it is made from coconut shells and is the most pure source I’ve personally found. I store it in a glass jar and usually keep it on the bathroom sink since we typically just use it for teeth.

Fair warning: Activated charcoal is EXTREMELY messy if spilled. It will easily wash out of a sink or bathroom counter but isn’t so easy to get out of rough surfaces like tile grout (don’t ask how I know). I recommend keeping this out of the reach of children or messy pets for that reason!

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

Ever used activated charcoal? What did you use it for? Share below!

Activated charcoal is a good resource for teeth whitening, in case of accidental poison ingestion, and spider bites and similar maladies.
Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

262 responses to “Activated Charcoal Uses and Benefits (For Beauty, Health & Home)”

  1. Salim Avatar

    I had my amalgam filling removed and take Activated Charcoal capsules x8 every second day for 2 weeks

  2. Jessica Avatar

    I have an abcessed tooth for which I took a round of cephalexin which didn’t get rid of it so I went to the ER in pretty serious pain so the doc gave me clindamycin 3 pills which total 450 mg 3x’s a day. At first it worked great and my pain went away until I took my first dose today… I layed down and woke up to the most excruciating pain and burning in my chest and throat. I felt like I was going to puke but nothing happened. It felt like the pills were stuck… it still does over 16 hours later. Would taking the activated charcoal help me now? How much should I take and should I take the pills or drink it or what and how often should I take it? Oh and I don’t have my gallbladder so could I even take it?

  3. laura Avatar

    So it gets rid of toxins and bad bacteria, but does it hurt your gut flora at all? Assuming not since you use it, Katie. And I’ve read it helps with candida die off symptoms but does it help with candida itself? You you treat it with activated charcoal or colloidal silver? And does it absorb vitamins and probiotics as well? I’m getting mixed info on these things. And how often is too often to use it? Monthly for stomach bug or intestinal issues or can you use it for a week straight to kill off candida or go through a cleanse? Any answers are so appreciated!
    Laura

    1. Katie - Wellness Mama Avatar

      It can absorb vitamins as well, but since it shouldn’t negatively affect the gut flora if not used every day. I just use as needed and keep on hand for if I get “glutened” or drink alcohol.

  4. Pamela Avatar

    I bought the one you recommended but there are no directions on how to use. I have 4 children ages 2-9 and I am pregnant with number 5. Is there a resource you can direct me to to find out how much to use and general directions? Thank you!

    1. Katie - Wellness Mama Avatar

      For teeth, I just dip a toothbrush in. For internal use, I only use as needed and start with 1/2 tsp and work up (while drinking a lot of water) but I’d check with a doctor of functional medicine doctor in your area of specific instructions for your particular case.

  5. Janet Avatar

    I began reading this article to learn of the benefits of using AC for stomach bugs, but am thrilled to learn through the comments that others have used it for CVS. My daughter suffers from CVS and I will be giving it a try for her episodes and for the overall benefits to her gi tract. I would greatly appreciate anyone sharing dosage details, etc.

    1. April Avatar

      Hi Janet,

      I just came across this post and have a daughter with CVS too. I am wondering if it worked for you? Thanks!

  6. Rachel Avatar

    For food poisoning or stomach bug with young children, how many capsules is safe to give them and how frequently? My six-year old has been throwing up all night 🙁

  7. Penny Avatar

    When you used the charcoal for the spider bite, how long did it take to clear up?

  8. Jan Avatar

    Could someone please answer all the questions about stomach virus prevention and such? Can you really take it and avoid the vomiting or prevent it in others? Winter virus season brings on great anxiety with these things for me.

    Thank you!

  9. Reba Avatar

    Chantal, the stuff for aquariums is too grainy to swallow. Nick, dessicated liver, cheese, bananas are constipating if that’s what you mean. Living clay.com (bentonite clay) may also be an option. You may also look into enzymes for your digestion like bromelain, pancreatin, papaya. Hope this helps. 🙂

  10. Chantal Avatar

    is it crazy ? someone told me to use ”activated carbon” for aquarium filters sold at walmart for $5.00 ….it supposed to do the same as activated charcoal sold at GNC …..???

  11. Suzana Avatar

    I use the charcoal to brush my teeth with, in case of food poisoning and also as a vegetable/fruit/salad wash. I found that this is the only thing that can remove pesticides from fruit/vegetables if you don’t buy organic.
    I leave the fruit/vegetables in a water bath with the powder for 10min, rinse and leave for 10 more minutes in a water solution of 10 drops of grapefruit seed extract to kill any patogen.
    It works a magic!

  12. Jalysa Avatar

    I had overdosed on my antidepressants, and I had to drink a cup full of activated charcoal. It was black and syrupy. It had a chalky taste, and it was sweet. It wasn’t entirely too bad. By the end of it, I wanted to gag. This was 8 months ago. Even to this day, when I think of the charcoal taste it turns my stomach.

  13. Nick Guyver Avatar
    Nick Guyver

    I have been dealing with a host of intestinal issues for sometime now. In addition to many other things, my doctor has me taking a medication called Questran to try and slow down my motility. To some extent I’ve seen success but I don’t like the idea of taking this long-term. What I’m wondering is if AC can be used in a similar fashion. Could I take this daily in order to slow down my motility? You mention that it can lead to constipation in some, and that’s actually what I’m more in need of. As the primary concern I’ve seen for taking this for extended periods is that it may cause constipation, it seems to be a calculated risk to go this route. Do you or any of the other readers on here have any insight in this regard? If I were to use for an extended period, what’s an acceptable daily dosing regiment? I’ve found nothing in this regard online so I was hoping you and your empowered network of readers may be able to assist a bit. Thanks much for all you do!

  14. Kristin Avatar

    My son has CVS (Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome) AKA Abdominal Migraines. According to his doctors, there’s no known cause for it and there’s nothing I can do aside from letting it run its course or giving him anti-nausea meds when he has an episode. I wasn’t satisfied with this answer. So I tried giving him a little activated charcoal as soon as an episode hit just to see if it helped. It brought his episodes down from 4-6 hours of vomiting to just a single hour of vomiting and he was his happy, normal self after! This clued me in that something is clearly building up in his GI tract in cycles and then needs to be purged, builds up, purges, builds up, purges…on and on and on. Unknown cause?? Well, it got me started with knowing that it isn’t something that HAS to happen. If we know some substance is building up in his GI Tract, then maybe I can find out what it is and maybe, just maybe, we can heal his body from whatever causes this. This led me to seek out anyone who might know anything more. I finally found a naturopathic doctor who says it is due to an overabundance of hormones in his gut–unbalanced. He said that his metabolism is likely not running totally efficiently and if we can get that in check, then we should be able to get the rest of him in check. Had it not been for Activated Charcoal, I would have just gone with what I was told and not sought out a solution for this problem! We ALWAYS have it on hand! 🙂

    1. Rebecca Avatar

      My daughter has CVS and I feel like we have tried everything so I was curious about trying this… We will give it a shot now that I hear you have had positive results! Do you use a particular brand?

      1. April Avatar

        Hi Rebecca,

        I came across your post about trying activated charcoal for your daughter’s CVS. My daughter has CVS and we would love to find anything that helps. Did it work for you? Thanks!

    2. Erin Avatar

      Mold allergy? Try to eliminate all food with a vinegar. ( Cheese
      Mushrooms
      Vinegar and foods containing vinegar, such as salad dressing, catsup, and pickles
      Sour cream, sour milk, and buttermilk
      Meat or fish more than 24 hours old
      Breads and other food made with yeast
      Sauerkraut
      Pickled and smoked meats and fish
      Dried fruits such as dates, prunes, figs, and raisins
      Soy sauce
      Hot dogs, sausages
      Canned juices.

    3. Erin Avatar

      For Rebecca and Kristin. Try to eliminate all food with a vinegar. Officialy it is called mold allergy

      Vinegar and foods containing vinegar, such as salad dressing, catsup, and pickles
      Sour cream, sour milk, and buttermilk
      Meat or fish more than 24 hours old
      Breads and other food made with yeast
      Sauerkraut
      Pickled and smoked meats and fish
      Dried fruits such as dates, prunes, figs, and raisins
      Soy sauce
      Hot dogs, sausages
      Canned juices.

    4. April Avatar

      Hi Kristin,

      I just came across your comment. My 2 year old daughter has CVS. We believe she has had it since she was a tiny baby. We were told the same things by doctors – it just has to happen and hopefully she will grow out of it. We have tried many things (low tyramine diets, elimination diets, monitoring sleep/stress/etc ). We are just starting a gut healing approach (GNOWFGLINS courses). Your post is encouraging and makes me hopeful. I was wondering if you have had any continued success with the activated charcoal and if you were able to get his metabolism on track. Has there been anything in particular that has helped? Thanks!

  15. Stacey Rusnell Avatar
    Stacey Rusnell

    hi, I’d really like to try to use activated charcoal as a teeth whitener, is it safe to use while pregnant?
    Thanks.

  16. Henry Leunissen Avatar
    Henry Leunissen

    I have built my own drinking water system. I put a charcoal filter in the first housing, but fill the whole area around the filter with bulk activated charcoal. The next filter is a white one that removes some other metals and things. The water coming out of these two filters is drinkable but still has a little after taste. So I added a third filter housing in which I put a small lemon, cut into pieces; after that the water is delicious. I also -sort of- redesigned the housings to make sure the water goes in at the top, but leaves the filter housing from the bottom to get better water to filter contact. In front of the first filter there is a (self designed) restrictor that lets only the water flowing at 1 or 2 drops per second, again to get better contact with the media. It takes about four hours to fill a three gallon container. After that I remove the lemon and clean that third filter housing but leave the rest hooked up to the water line for the next use. Is there anything wrong with the water just sitting there for a few days, Charcoal and second filter being in the “at rest” water?
    Henry.

  17. Lynn Avatar

    I Get Boils/ Risens Alot Will AC Help My Situation AndIf So How Would I Use It?

  18. Jamie Avatar

    I have been given the advice to take AC to ward of a bad stomach flu going around my house. We leave on a family trip to TX next week for my cousin’s wedding and I’m fearful (with my luck) it will either hit me while on the plane or while I’m standing up there in the middle of her wedding. Can you please advise how much I should take and how it should be done. And any other supplements (ACV or Epsom salt) I should take with it? Your help, advice and knowledge is greatly appreciated!

  19. Bonnie Avatar

    If I purchase the AC derived from wood, am I losing out on health benefits? I will be sharing with a friend who is allergic to coconut and am afraid using that source could make her sick.

  20. Alice Avatar

    My sister suffers from chroms disease will ac help.and dose it realy remove the enamel from ylour teeth ?

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