Rafati-Rahimzadeh 2014 says: “Activated charcoal (AC) may be used but its efficacy is controversial in case of mercury poisoning… Many organic and inorganic contaminants are removed with this method [70]. It is believed that AC has been used to absorb different agents, except hydrocarbons, acids-alkalis, ethanol and heavy metal. Unlike in the cases of heavy metal poisoning, charcoal tightly binds with metallic compounds [38,69].”
But it sounds like you’re talking about charcoal maybe being useful for clearing out weird blood stuff that accumulates at low levels over time, like lead and mercury… that’s interesting. I never thought about that angle—even the idea helps explain why some people are into taking charcoal every day for general purposes.
But it sounds like you’re talking about charcoal maybe being useful for clearing out weird blood stuff that accumulates at low levels over time, like lead and mercury… that’s interesting. I never thought about that angle—even the idea helps explain why some people are into taking charcoal every day for general purposes.
Yes, that idea comes to me when I read the description and it seems plausible that’s what people who take it every day intent to do.
Whether or not it actually works for that purpose however is another question.
Do we know how effective activated charcoal is at reducing other poisons like mercury content of the body?
Rafati-Rahimzadeh 2014 says: “Activated charcoal (AC) may be used but its efficacy is controversial in case of mercury poisoning… Many organic and inorganic contaminants are removed with this method [70]. It is believed that AC has been used to absorb different agents, except hydrocarbons, acids-alkalis, ethanol and heavy metal. Unlike in the cases of heavy metal poisoning, charcoal tightly binds with metallic compounds [38,69].”
A quick google says mercury specifically is a heavy metal, so, eh. It is probably worth having on hand for short-term poisonings, though, considering the title of Activated charcoal for pediatric poisonings: the universal antidote?
But it sounds like you’re talking about charcoal maybe being useful for clearing out weird blood stuff that accumulates at low levels over time, like lead and mercury… that’s interesting. I never thought about that angle—even the idea helps explain why some people are into taking charcoal every day for general purposes.
Yes, that idea comes to me when I read the description and it seems plausible that’s what people who take it every day intent to do.
Whether or not it actually works for that purpose however is another question.