I already use Activated Charcoal as part of my skincare routine, but does it also have implications for gut healing? I set out to uncover the goods on activated charcoal for gut healing.

On a recent Instagram thread, I saw someone state,

BTW, you might already know this but Activated Charcoal can help. You just have to take it 2 hours (both sides) away from meals, meds, and supps. Helps with bloating and mops up endotoxins.

So what’s the deal?

What is Activated Charcoal?

According to the Global Healing Center, 

Activated charcoal is a byproduct of burning coconut shells, bamboo, olive pits, wood, or various other substances. For your natural medicine cabinet, we recommend purchasing activated charcoal that is organic and made from coconut shells.

Processed at very high temperatures, this unique charcoal is “activated” in a way that changes its structure to increase the surface area and make it more porous. It is the porousness of activated charcoal that makes it effective at attaching to (“adsorbing”) toxins and flushing them out of the body. This is the principle behind activated charcoal detox.

Unlike the charcoal briquettes you use to light your barbecue, activated charcoal is free of toxins and carcinogens and is generally safe to consume and apply topically. Never substitute regular charcoal for the activated charcoal used for health and wellness!

Activated Charcoal for Gut Healing

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Six reasons for using for gut healing:

1. Flushes toxins out of the body (stated above)
2. Relieves stomach discomfort
3. Eases gas and bloating after certain meals
4. Helps the body to expel irritants after food poisoning (SIBO is often triggered after a bout of food poisoning)
5. Promotes overall digestive health
6. Supercharges a cleanse

Sources: HERE, HERE, and HERE

Gut Garden Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal is a manufactured product. We can’t get it naturally from foods. It comes as a powder or in tablet form. The important thing to note is that you trust your source.

This is why I chose to use and partner with Gut Garden. The founder, Lilly – is Gutsy, just like us.

Lily Berman Lopez founded Gut Garden in 2016. Lily suffered from chronic digestive issues which progressively worsened over a period of 10 years. They eventually led to other health issues, such as hypothyroidism, chronic hives, blood sugar dysregulation, brain fog, swollen joints, low energy, nutrient deficiencies, and weight gain. Despite practicing what she considered to be healthy diet and lifestyle, there was no escaping her chronic digestive issues and the debilitating symptoms, which unfortunately accompanied her condition.

Click HERE to read her full story.

How to Take Activated Charcoal

Gut Garden’s activated charcoal is derived from coconut shells, and it comes in tablet form. 

If you’re starting out on a gut healing program, Gut Garden recommends taking the charcoal between most meals just for the first few days. This is due to its ability to bind and grab up lingering toxins such as chlorine, pesticides and herbicides, bacteria, viruses, yeast, parasites, and toxic chemicals. After the first few days, they recommend a diet of whole, unprocessed foods alongside the other supplements and discontinuing the daily charcoal. Use the charcoal typically after overindulging, to help expel irritants after food poisoning, or to relieve occasional gas or bloating.

So, good news, this isn’t another daily supplement you’ll be on for life. And, it coincides with the comment I saw on that Instagram thread.

Other things to make note of with regards to taking activated charcoal:

1. Be sure to drink a lot of water to help prevent any constipation that could occur.
2. It’s always good to be aware of any medical conditions such as intestinal bleeding or blockages, holes in the intestines, chronic dehydration, slow digestion, or a recent abdominal surgery, as they may affect how activated charcoal reacts in your body. 
3. Activated charcoal can interfere with the absorption of nutrients, vitamins and other supplements. It can also interfere with prescription medicine. Take activated charcoal 90 minutes to two hours prior to meals, supplements and prescription medicine.
4. Finally, HERE is a list of drugs that may cause potential adverse interactions with activated charcoal. Don’t take any of those? No worries.
5. My list of benefits is for general gut health only. Activated charcoal has been shown to potentially help with drug overdose, but do not try to treat this at home.

Interested in giving activated charcoal for gut healing a try? Grab it HERE. Have you already been using it? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below. 

Disclosure: This post is a paid partnership with Gut Garden. All opinions stated here are 100% my own. I appreciate your support, as this compensation helps with expenses to keep this blog up and running, and for me to continue sharing all that I can with you. For my full disclaimer and disclosure click HERE. Thank you for your support!

Xox,
SKH