More often than not with modern medicine, natural remedies are shunned and dismissed as ‘quackery’. This could have been the unfortunate fate for activated charcoal too, if it were not for two French doctors in the 1800’s. The first was named M.Bertrand he was so determined to prove how powerful activated charcoal works as an antidote, that he swallowed a lethal dose of arsenic together with the charcoal. Thanks to its detoxifying abilities, he survived with no ill effects and presented his evidence to the medical world. His findings were ignored.
A second doctor, Pierre Touery, was deeply concerned by the fact that lives were being lost due to the medical establishment’s refusal to recognise the power of activated charcoal. So, he also carried out a dramatic demonstration to wake people up. In front of the French Academy of Medicine in a live demonstration, he swallowed activated charcoal mixed with a dose of strychnine strong enough to kill 10 men. To the audience’s disbelief, he was completely fine. Thanks to these brave doctors prepared to challenge the status quo, it’s now commonly used in hospitals. Today, if someone has ingested a poison, the first line of treatment is to give them activated charcoal. Nothing else on this planet is as effective as activated charcoal in ridding the body of toxins.
But this is not new information, our ancestors have known of charcoal’s abilities for thousands of years. The ancient Phonecians and Hindus used it to purify their water, especially for sea expeditions. ancient Egyptians. They would use it topically to treat infected wounds and internally for digestive issues. The ancient Greeks and Native Americans also used it medicinally to detoxify the body.
So, what is the difference between regular charcoal and activated charcoal? Both are forms of black carbon, which is produced by heating wood to very high temperatures. The difference is that much, much higher temperatures are needed to produce activated charcoal. Because of the different process, activated charcoal is significantly more porous than regular charcoal, which means it can absorb a great deal more toxins than regular charcoal can. In fact, one teaspoon of activated charcoal has the same surface area as a football field!
Activated charcoal works by binding to toxins and chemicals in the gut, stopping them from being absorbed by the body. It emits a negative electrical charge, which attracts positively charged molecules, such as toxins and gases. This is why Dr M. Bertrand and Dr Pierre were able to survive unscathed from enormous doses of deadly toxins. In the medical world, it is dubbed a ‘universal antidote’ as it works against almost all poisons. Activated charcoal supports the kidneys and liver, as it massively reduces the amount of waste products they have to filter. For this reason, some people take on a semi-regular basis. Not only does it rid the body of toxins; it can purify anything it comes into contact with. Its filtration powers are so strong it is even used in medical masks for laboratory technicians, in air purifiers to decrease pollution, and in water-filters to remove heavy metals and toxins.
Charcoal is not only for detoxing the body though, but it also does much more You can use it as a powerful tooth whitener, as a home-made facial, to remove bad smells, for relief from insect bites or stings, as a hangover cure, as a DIY deodorant, topically to heal wounds and rashes, and even as a DIY shampoo! It also improves digestions, relieves IBS symptoms, supports and heals kidneys, and works great against food poisoning. Do make sure to drink plenty of fluids, as activated charcoal can be dehydrating. It should not be used too regularly as overuse can slow down your digestion which could lead to blockages. Activated charcoal should be a staple in every household. Our activated charcoal is produced to the highest possible standard and be found in our online shop here or our store in Brixton.
Our customers report that it has helped them with many issues including stomach congestion and pain.