Standing steadfast as a hero, helping to treat people who have been poisoned or overdosed on medication, activated charcoal is a fine black powder with surprising healing benefits. This substance plays a crucial role by binding harmful substances and preventing their absorption.
After overdosing on pills, which led to him experiencing fits, Senzo Shebi from Durban says activated charcoal was given to him by his doctor, and he immediately felt better.
“I overdosed on pills, and when I came to the hospital, the doctor gave me activated charcoal. My stomach was burning, but immediately after I drank charcoal, I felt better.”
Senzo Shebi
“Activated charcoal can save lives because it stops the circulation of poison quickly before it does further damage,” he adds.
Shane Maritz from Thembisa in Gauteng explains that activated charcoal is capable of clearing toxins in the immune system, it is mostly used for spiked drinks, and also works for hangovers.
Different uses for activated charcoal
“I usually use it on my dogs when they are not feeling well. It also worked when my dogs were poisoned. I gave it to them and they recovered very well without any other medication or having to take them to the vet,” says Maritz.
“I think it also depends on how soon you spot the problem and use it; that will determine its impact, but it does work wonders. I have yet to identify other possible uses for it.”
Felton Sgabade from Pretoria, who works as an activated charcoal manufacturer, says he is fully aware of its many benefits and has used it himself to remove toxins from his body.
“What made me interested in activated charcoal were the benefits. It has removed toxins from my body, with other benefits being purification of the skin, teeth whitening, and also removing bad smells,” he says.
“Additionally, I work for a pharmaceutical manufacturing company; therefore, activated charcoal is one of the numerous products that we manufacture from power, soap, and capsules, and it is praised for its beneficial properties,” he adds.
Absorbs toxic elements
According to Dr Motsamai Maleka from the Free State, activated charcoal is used in cases of acute oral poisoning and any suspected cases of drug overdoses, in cases where the patient is still able to swallow.
“Activated charcoal functions by absorbing all the toxic elements of paraffin, makgonatsohle, mafinetha, Panado overdose, etc. It is the first step in treating all poisoned people in hospitals, and it can also be found at your local pharmacy.”
Dr Motsamai Maleka
“Activated charcoal should be diluted in water to create a suspension and can be taken orally once suspected of poisoning. It can be repeated once more if there isn’t a desired effect.”
It is also considered safe for children, provided it’s taken orally or via a tube that goes into the child’s stomach (a nasogastric tube), Maleka explains. “The recommended dose for children is 25–50 grams of charcoal in 100 ml of water to be taken immediately. This can be repeated,” he says.
“There are however some risks to watch out for with activated charcoal, such as black tar stools, constipation, bowel obstruction, bowel irritation, and/or perforation. There’s also a high risk of aspiration, especially in comatose patients.”
Maleka additionally adds that it is safe to take even when pregnant. Furthermore, he encourages it to be given under medical supervision, or at least just before seeking medical attention, and further monitoring is required after taking it.
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