Should You Really Eat Activated Charcoal?

Celebrities and Instagrammers have been singing the praises of activated charcoal as a health supplement, but why? Can it really help make you healthier? Learn the science behind the activated charcoal fad in this episode of BrainStuff.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to brain stuff from how stuff works, Hey, brain stuff,
Lauren vocal bomb here. Maybe you don't cringe at charcoal
concoctions that turn your teeth temporarily black in the pursuit
of a gleaming smile, but charcoal smoothies. If a line
must be drawn, perhaps swilling a thick, earthy smoothie with
the unappealing hue of a mud puddle presents just such

(00:24):
an opportunity. Activated charcoal, the same stuff left over after
you grilla steak, is making its way into everything from
smoothies and juices to pasta and bread. It's widely touted
as having detoxifying properties, and in some cases this is true.
You'll find activated charcoal in water filters, toothpastes, and facial cleansers,

(00:45):
where it does trap pollutants. Its ability to cling to
certain chemicals and toxins is why it's used as an
emergency treatment for poisonings and overdoses. Just a fifty gram
dose of activated charcoal has the surface area of about
seven football field olds. That's a lot of little nook
and crannies that can be used for absorption, all created
by the high heat burning of wood or coconut to

(01:07):
create an ingestible carbon. And yes, I said adsorb, not absorb.
Absorption is what happens when something soaks in. Adsorption is
what happens when something sticks on. Because of all of
those crevices and activated charcoal, you might say that its
surface is molecularly sticky, though certainly the word absorb is

(01:28):
fine to use colloquially. Activated charcoals superpowers are, however, relegated
to the digestive tract. Sure it can work as a
powerful deep cleaner on surfaces like teeth and skin, but
it really shines by trapping poisons anywhere along the journey
from ingestion to expulsion. There are misguided assumptions fueling the

(01:50):
charcoal taking trend, though, including the idea that the substance
can absorb any so called toxin in the body to
improve your overall health. Adding activated charcoal to food and
drink for frequent use could actually cause nutritional issues because
it indiscriminately absorbs vitamins and minerals too. Nutritionist Pip Read
told The Huffington Post activated charcoal doesn't decipher between toxins

(02:13):
and good nutrients, so taking it too regularly or with
food means that the charcoal will also absorb the nutrients
in your system. The same goes with any medications you take.
We recommend do skepticism about any nutritional trend that promises
to detoxify you. Your digestive system and liver do an
excellent job of that already and frequently. The best way

(02:34):
to keep yourself detoxified is to eat a balanced diet
of vegetables and proteins to keep those systems working well.
I know that's less instagrammable, but it's more scientifically accurate.
Today's episode was written by Laurie L. Dove and produced
by Tyler Klang. For more on this and lots of

(02:55):
other topics that will stick with you, visit our home planet,
How Stuff Works Outcome