Press

What Is Activated Charcoal, and Is It Really Safe?

August 23, 2018

I offered my thoughts on Activated Charcoal in this piece for healthyish:

“Activated charcoal has long been used in hospitals to remove poison from the gastrointestinal tract before it’s absorbed into the body,” says Maya Feller Ms, RD, CDN. Charcoal has made the jump from poison control and ER rooms to wellness-minded cafes over the past few years, but that doesn’t mean you should be adding it to your supplement rotation. Activated charcoal may be advertised as a “detoxifier” for fixing hangovers and overindulging on french fries, but it doesn’t just target “bad” particles—it sucks up whatever it can get, including valuable nutrients and even medication. “There is some evidence that activated charcoal has been shown to bond to vitamins, which means it may remove them from your system,” says Feller. “I would caution against daily use especially for people that are taking prescription medications or supplements.”

Maya Feller

Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN is the founder and lead dietitian at Maya Feller Nutrition. In her practice, her team provides medical nutrition therapy and nutrition coaching for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mood disorders, developmental disabilities, disordered eating, and more. Maya believes in providing inclusive nutrition education from an anti-bias patient-centered, culturally humble approach to help people make informed food choices. Maya shares her approachable, food-based solutions with millions of people through regular speaking engagements, writing, her social platforms, and as a national nutrition expert on Good Morning America, is a Healthline Medical Advisor, and on the advisory board for SHAPE and Parents, as well as appearing on TODAY Show, Tamron Hall, and in The New York Times, mindbodygreen, Well+Good, Food Network, Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Cooking Light, Eating Well, Prevention, Glamour, SELF, and more. She is the author of The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook: Over 100 Recipes for a Healthy Life and Eating from Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites from Cultures Around the World (goop Press, January 24, 2023).

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