Red Seal Activated Charcoal

Mosby's Medical Dictionary describes activated charcoal as "a general purpose antidote and a powerful pharmaceutical adsorbent". (An adsorbent is a substance that has the power of attracting and retaining other materials or particles to its surface).  A gastro-intestinal adsorbent such as activated charcoal is taken to adsorb gases, toxins and bacteria in the stomach and intestines.

Charcoal has qualities like a 'rigid sponge', because its surface area is ideal for soaking up and absorbing many different substances.  Charcoal can safely be taken in high doses because the intestine does not absorb it. Instead it simply rides through the system, binding with cholesterol, toxins and other wastes, and then passes through the body. Charcoal tablets can be used at the first symptoms of a sore throat or an ill & chill to help reduce the incidence of infection. Charcoal can also help prevent the absorption, into the body, of toxins produced by bacteria and yeast in the gastro-intestinal tract.

Charcoal is regarded as a non-toxic general-purpose antidote and is an ideal first aid remedy for mild diarrhoea, food poisoning, or ingested poisons such as pesticides and heavy metals, or drugs such as aspirin, paracetamol, barbiturates and tricyclic antidepressants, (but not for strong acids and alkali, or cyanide ingestion).  As a first aid remedy Charcoal tablets can be crushed and made into slurry with water before swallowing. This is particularly useful in the case of suspected poisoning to avoid vomiting. (Induced vomiting may cause vomit to enter a lung and so damage lung tissue).

Charcoal's main uses are for: -

• Flatulence and gassiness
• Absorption of toxic materials in the bowel rendering them harmless
• Diarrhoea and looseness of bowel motions
• Gastro-intestinal infections
• Binding of cholesterol
• Ingestion of poisons such as pesticides and heavy metals.

Recommended Dosage: 1 - 5 Tablets daily.