Ten years ago, activated carbon was considered a fairly effective tool for combating excess weight. Then it was replaced by appetite regulators and various nutritional supplements. But today, when newfangled medications have become too expensive or are being discontinued altogether, a serious discussion about coal has arisen again on the Internet. Therefore, let's find out how this drug works and whether it can really help you get rid of extra pounds at home.
Beneficial features
Activated charcoal is a medicine, not a fat burning agent. And it helps not so much those who want to get rid of extra pounds, but those who need serious cleansing of the body. Therefore, the positive manifestations of taking the drug include not the "melted" centimeters at the waist or discomfort, but:
- Stabilization of the digestive tract.
- Removal of toxins and other harmful substances from the body.
- Slightly slows down the skin aging process (due to increased fluid intake).
- Lowering blood cholesterol levels and thereby improving the functioning of the brain and cardiovascular system and accelerating metabolism.
- Improving the functioning of the liver, adrenal glands, kidneys and a number of other internal organs.
- There is no sedimentation, since the active ingredients of the drug are not absorbed, but are completely excreted from the body within 8-10 hours after administration.
- Reducing the likelihood of infection with staph, dysentery and some airborne diseases (e. g. influenza).
Instructions for use
As with all types of diets (which we will discuss in more detail below), taking activated charcoal is justified only in combination with other methods. However, there are numerous other information on its use in medical textbooks. So, those who suffer from:
- Metabolic disorders.
- Stomach problems, fermentation, flatulence, diarrhea.
- Consequences of strong detoxification.
- Poisoning with alkaloids, heavy metal salts and other harmful substances.
- Poisoning of various etiologies.
And this is just a short list of situations where it will be extremely useful. However, do not forget that you can take the drug not just once, but in a course only with the consent of your doctor, as you may have contraindications to taking it.
Contraindications
Although cleaning with activated carbon is practiced everywhere, not everyone should use it. In addition to individual intolerance, reasons for rejection can also include:
- Vitamin deficiency or metabolic disorder.
- Insufficient (under 14 years) or too old (over 65 years) age of the person losing weight.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding in young mothers.
- Low blood pressure.
- The presence of problems in the gastrointestinal tract: colitis, duodenal ulcer or others.
- The patient takes certain medications (e. g. antitoxins).
- Predisposition to constipation and bulimia, presence of intestinal dysbiosis.
- Internal bleeding (regardless of its origin).
As you can see, drinking is not always beneficial. And in some cases it can even be dangerous to your health. Therefore, if you plan to lose weight with activated charcoal, be sure to consult your doctor first.
Is there a result?
Is charcoal an effective way to lose weight? In search of an answer to this question, we turn to the experience of those who have already tested these pills on themselves. According to reviews, in two weeks people managed to lose about 2-4 kg without additional methods (effective diets, physical activity). In addition, the higher the starting weight, the better the person losing weight was able to achieve.
However, let's find out whether activated charcoal really helps with weight loss. Not really. It's just that when you start taking these tablets, you increase your water intake accordingly. Having previously filled the stomach with water, a person eats less at the next meal. The result is weight loss. In other words, it is entirely possible to achieve the same result over the same period of time without taking activated charcoal. It is enough to drink a cup of still water at room temperature about 20-30 minutes before meals.
But what the drug does really well is cleanse the body. After a two-week course, many people notice:
- Improved skin condition: disappearance of blackheads and greasy shine.
- The appearance of lightness in the body.
- Stabilization of intestinal function.
However, all of this only happens if you take the medication correctly. If you forget the measure and follow the principle of "the more the merrier" when eating, a number of complications can arise.
Harm to the body
It seems that we have all known charcoal since childhood - as an excellent remedy for intestinal problems and excessive flatulence. So what negative consequences can we talk about? Let's remember that activated carbon is, first of all, a medicinal product. This means that an overdose or improper use can certainly cause damage to the body. This can be expressed as:
- Avitaminosis and hypovitaminosis
Activated carbon is an excellent adsorbent, but not only removes toxins, but also nutrients from the body.
- External deterioration
With prolonged use, there is a risk that all the positive effects of the "cleansing" will be nullified: clear skin becomes dull and covered with pimples, nails become brittle and hair begins to fall out.
- constipation
Excessive slowing of peristalsis is a sure companion of severe constipation, which is not so far from diarrhea and hemorrhoids.
- Damage to the intestinal walls
Moderate consumption of the drug for two weeks does not have any negative consequences. However, if you get too involved in it, problems with the gastrointestinal tract are guaranteed.
- Reducing the effect of taking other medications
Instead of having a regenerating effect on the body, the useful substances and antibodies contained in the tablets are actively removed along with toxins.
- Lowering blood pressure and thromboembolism
And all of this only applies to completely healthy people. How self-medication or "grandmother's" recipe based on activated carbon will affect those who already suffer from chronic diseases can only be guessed at. But there is obviously no reason to talk about improvements.
Of course, the above does not mean that it is harmful to health. It's just that the benefits are only noticeable if taken correctly. And it could turn out completely different than you expect.
Dosage and administration rules
So which application method achieves the optimal effect and does not cause irreparable damage? Only the treating doctor who is familiar with the characteristics of your body can prescribe the exact procedure. In general, the following admission requirements apply:
- The duration of the course starts from 3 days and should not exceed 2 weeks (the same applies to diets that include taking this drug).
- The number of tablets that must be taken per day (at least 3 approaches) is calculated according to the formula: 1 tablet per full 10 kg of body weight. In other words: if you weigh 50 kg, you need to drink 5 tablets a day, if you weigh 113 kg, 11 tablets.
- The drug should be gradually introduced into the daily menu. If your norm is 7 pieces, then in the first 2-3 days it is better to take no more than 5 tablets, gradually increasing the dose. The same applies to completing your studies.
- The dose is taken within one hour before or after meals. However, you shouldn't drink it in the morning (when your stomach is still empty), but rather an hour after breakfast.
- After completing the course, be sure to take a break of at least 2 weeks.
- Take the tablets with boiled still water at room temperature. This prevents all types of bacteria from entering the body and the drug begins to work faster.
- At the end of your appointment, be sure to contact your doctor so that he can prescribe a course of multivitamins (to restore vitamin balance in the body).
In addition, if you want to get the most benefit from taking activated charcoal, try to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Reduce consumption of flour products and products containing sugar.
- Avoid alcohol completely.
- Eliminate dishes high in sugar, fat and harmful substances from your daily diet.
- Drink water (at least 1 liter per 30 kg of body weight, but up to 2. 5 liters in total).
- Switch from coffee to weak tea without additives.
- Increase your physical activity by making sure that exercise (e. g. morning exercises, evening jogging or swimming in the pool) provides a boost of energy and strength and does not completely exhaust you.
Follow these simple rules and losing weight with activated carbon will definitely benefit you. Even if not all of the extra pounds disappear, you will feel significantly better than before you started the course.
Reception variations
As already mentioned, many people begin to actively use the drug to lose weight. Therefore, let's look at the most popular methods and evaluate their effectiveness:
Option #1: Gently
Nature:The diet of the person losing weight remains unchanged and no additional efforts to lose weight are taken into account. Tablets should be taken in the amount of 2 pieces 1. 5 hours - one hour before meals. The course duration is between 10 days and two weeks.
Result:There is no significant weight loss (maximum 3-4 kilograms in 14 days). However, if other conditions remain unchanged, the lost centimeters disappear forever, lightness appears in the body, intestinal function stabilizes, and daily activity increases significantly.
Option # 2: Three-day diet
Nature:The person losing weight adheres to a specific diet for 3 days. Additional physical activity is not taken into account but is not prohibited.
- day 1
During the day you can only eat activated carbon with kefir and water. In addition, first take a few tablets (depending on weight), wash them down with a glass of warm, still water, and after half an hour with a glass of kefir. If you are used to eating more than three times a day, the portion size and number of tablets need to be reduced. In this case, the break between meals should be at least 2-3 hours.
- day 2
The current "dish list" is completely the same as last day's menu, but with one difference. Kefir is replaced with apples, one apple per glass.
- Day 3
On this day, the diet remains the same, but instead of kefir, eat a vegetable salad with olive oil dressing or stewed vegetables without salt.
Result:This diet is one of the express diets and therefore you can lose up to 5 kg. However, the menu includes a rather harsh and radical product waiver that is not suitable for everyone. When you lose weight, you may experience severe headaches, feelings of weakness, and uncontrollable appetite attacks (which may even lead to weight gain). Therefore, you should not do this diet during your period or when you are doing things that require increased attention and concentration.
If such a diet was easy for you, the course can be continued and extended to 15 days. However, you should stop taking activated charcoal and be sure to take a multivitamin at the end of the diet.
Option #3: Two-week activated charcoal diet
Nature:For 14 days, the person losing weight eats according to a specific pattern that is intended to gradually reduce the feeling of hunger. At the same time, he takes activated charcoal (2 tablets) with a glass of warm still water 30-60 minutes before meals (except for second breakfast). Additional physical activity is not taken into account when assessing effectiveness.
Day 1:
- Breakfast: a portion (0. 2 kg) of oatmeal cooked in water and a glass of green or black tea without additives. If desired, you can season the porridge with raisins and eat some bread with a thin slice of cheese with tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Lunch: broth of lean meat (veal or chicken) and 0. 2 kg of boiled vegetables.
- Dinner: fresh fruit salad seasoned with a tablespoon of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Day 2:
- Breakfast: buckwheat boiled in water as well as a hard-boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: apple, kiwi or small banana.
- Lunch: vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of pollock, baked in its own juice without adding spices.
- Dinner: apple and 0. 2 kg of cottage cheese, the fat content of which does not exceed 7%.
Day 3:
- Breakfast: a plate of freshly cooked rice and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: steamed chicken (0. 2 kg) and vegetable salad, served with low-fat sour cream.
- Dinner: vegetable casserole and a glass of tea.
Day 4:
- Breakfast: a plate of oatmeal with low-fat milk, a glass of tea and a handful of raisins.
- Second breakfast: cucumber and two hard-boiled eggs.
- Lunch: a bowl of soup made from lean fish. Of the fish itself, you can eat no more than 0. 1 kg.
- Dinner: a portion of cottage cheese and a banana.
Day 5:
- Breakfast: 1 medium tomato, a sandwich (bread + thin slice of cheese) and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: 0. 05 kg of cottage cheese and a cup of low-fat milk. You can add a few more breads if you like.
- Lunch: vegetable soup cooked in meat broth and 0. 1 kg of lean boiled meat.
- Dinner: fresh vegetable salad.
Day 6:
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge cooked in water (without additives), a hard-boiled egg and cucumber.
- Second breakfast: a cup of low-fat kefir and a small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: low-fat meat broth (0. 2 kg) and cucumber.
- Dinner: cottage cheese (0. 1 kg) seasoned with a tablespoon of homemade yogurt (without additives).
Day 7:
- Breakfast: oatmeal cooked with milk, 0. 1 kg of homemade yogurt and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a cup of kefir.
- Lunch: vegetable casserole and 0. 1 kg of lean boiled meat.
- Dinner: Vegetable salad with homemade yogurt.
Day 8:
- Breakfast: two cucumbers, two sandwiches with low-fat cheese and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: chicken broth and 0. 1 kg of vegetable casserole.
- Dinner: two cucumbers and a portion of boiled mussels.
Day 9:
- Breakfast: rice cooked in water and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of kefir and an apple.
- Lunch: a portion of low-fat borsch and 0. 1 kg of boiled chicken breast.
- Dinner: cucumber and tomato salad and 0. 2 kg of boiled shrimp.
Day 10:
- Breakfast: 2 baked apples, a portion of cottage cheese and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of kefir and bread.
- Lunch: a plate of lean fish soup.
- Dinner: stewed vegetables.
Day 11:
- Breakfast: cucumber, sandwich (bread + thin slice of boiled chicken breast) and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of fermented baked milk and an apple.
- Lunch: a bowl of low-fat chicken broth.
- Dinner: vegetable salad and 0. 1 kg of cottage cheese.
Day 12:
- Breakfast: a portion of cottage cheese, two cucumbers, a hard-boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of low-fat borsch and 0. 1 kg of stewed mushrooms.
- Dinner: boiled chicken breast (0. 1 kg) and vegetable salad.
Day 13:
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge cooked in water, a hard-boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of pollock, baked in its own juice without adding spices.
- Dinner: apple and 0. 2 kg of cottage cheese, the fat content of which does not exceed 7%.
Day 14:
- Breakfast: a portion of oatmeal cooked in water and a glass of tea. If desired, you can season the porridge with raisins and eat some bread with a thin slice of cheese with tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Lunch: a portion of low-fat meat broth and 0. 2 kg of stewed vegetables.
- Dinner: fruit salad seasoned with a tablespoon of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Result:Since this diet is classified as moderate, you can follow it even with increased daily activity. In two weeks, with its help, you can lose about 5-7 kg, which (if you stick to a similar menu, but without coal) will not return in the future.
Black or white: choosing the "right" coal
Today the range of medications is huge. In the past you could only buy black activated charcoal in the pharmacy, but today pharmacists also offer white activated charcoal tablets. Advertising a fashionable new product promises buyers a milder effect, the removal of only toxins from the body and the ability to take long-term courses (over 2 weeks).
The only thing is that the instructions for use for both drugs are almost identical, and nanorobots (which could reliably determine which element harms the body and which helps) are not contained in white coal. In addition, if conventional hard coal only costs a cent, you will have to pay many times more for white coal. You decide for yourself whether such a "game" is worth it.
Let's summarize what was said above. As practice shows, activated carbon is ineffective for weight loss. Without the help of other solutions (diet, exercise), with their help you can lose a maximum of 2-3 kilograms. In this case, an overdose of the drug threatens to cause serious problems with the body. However, if you need to cleanse your body quickly, for example after a big feast, you won't find a better solution. In addition, it is always available and inexpensive.