Can I take activated charcoal with diarrhea? You will learn the answer to this question from the materials in this article.
General information about the "black" drug
Activated carbon is a natural sorbent used by people for many centuries. It's no secret that such a tool ideally helps with food poisoning. After all, this drug quickly and effectively removes all accumulated toxins and harmful substances from the body. But in addition to this, it often contributes to the loss of beneficial bacteria.
Does activated charcoal help with diarrhea or not? It should be specially noted that such a natural remedy at the same time carries both danger and benefit. On the one hand, it cleanses the body, and on the other, it displays what without which human health is in danger.
In order to find out whether activated charcoal is effective for diarrhea, it is necessary to understand its "methods" of work.
The principle of action of natural medicine
As you know, this tool is sold in all modern pharmacies at a fairly low price. And everyone who has ever encountered such a problem as diarrhea claims that activated charcoal helps with diarrhea quite well. What is the reason for this effect? The fact is that the said drug acts by the absorption method. In other words, coal seems to absorb harmful components and substances, and then concentrates them and removes them from the body in a natural way.
In what cases does it help, and in which - no?
It is possible to say clearly whether activated carbon will help get rid of diarrhea only after the cause of the disorder has been established. Thus, if a person is poisoned with low-quality products, then this remedy, taken in the required amount, will remove all harmful substances from the body during the day. If the cause of diarrhea was any viruses or disturbance of microflora after taking antibiotics, then activated carbon alone is unlikely to cope with the problem.
Activated charcoal: dosage for diarrhea
With severe diarrhea that arose as a result of eating poor-quality food, large doses of this absorbent drug should be taken. So, experts recommend using it three times a day in the amount of one tablet per 10 kilograms of weight (for example, if you weigh 60 kg, then you should drink 6 tablets at a time).
To carry out such an intensive course of treatment for adults should not be long (no more than 7-9 days). Indeed, long-term therapy with this drug can easily lead to weight loss and exhaustion.
It is recommended to drink activated carbon with a large amount of filtered water. It should be noted that this is a mandatory item, since the liquid will allow the drug to act more efficiently. If you neglect this advice, then the particles of coal will not dissolve well enough, and, accordingly, will not spread well throughout the intestine.
Can I give my child activated charcoal?
For children with diarrhea, this drug can be given (from 6 years), but under one condition: if diarrhea is not a consequence of any viral disease. By the way, after a sorbent course, a child and an adult should definitely use probiotics that contain beneficial bacteria. After all, as mentioned above, coal removes all necessary and unnecessary substances from the body.
Other uses
Today it is very fashionable and popular to use activated carbon for weight loss. There are even special techniques by which this drug is used for a long time. It should be noted that it is possible to lose weight in this way, but in the end, human health can be significantly shaken. In this regard, nutritionists highly do not recommend this method.
Many pet owners wonder if pet intestines can be treated with a drug such as activated charcoal. With diarrhea to a dog, this remedy helps. But, as in the case of people, it will be most effective if diarrhea does not occur due to a viral or some other disease, but as a result of banal poisoning. The dosage is simple: if your pet weighs 3 kilograms, then you should dissolve 3 black tablets in half a glass of water, and then give the animal a drink.
Activated Carbon and Pregnancy
Surely many expectant mothers experienced diarrhea during pregnancy. Activated carbon in this position is not contraindicated. But in order to surely get rid of diarrhea, experts recommend using more modern pharmacy drugs (for example, Enterosgel or Smectu).
If there are no such medicines in your house, and the problem must be solved urgently, then you can take the aforementioned sorbent. But after such therapy, a woman in an interesting position needs to stock up on probiotics, as well as to eat intensely. This is necessary in order to accumulate bacteria and nutrients that are naturally eliminated from the body using activated carbon.
Contraindications to the use of the drug
Activated charcoal is extremely undesirable for those who suffer from hypovitaminosis, peptic ulcer of the duodenum or stomach. In addition, this drug should not be taken for bleeding and if you are prone to constipation.