Supplement
Charcoal, usually activated charcoal, is a fine, porous carbon powder that binds substances in the gut so they leave in stool instead of entering the blood. Its best-supported role is in emergency medicine for acute poisoning, including arsenic, where the evidence is strong and large groups of people were studied. Outside the emergency room, the evidence is limited: small studies found lower uremic toxins in kidney disease and modest LDL cholesterol drops, though kidney outcomes were mixed.
- Updated
- How we grade
- 5 studies cited
- Best evidence
- Grade A
- Conditions studied
- 3
- Outcomes
- 3
- Graded outcomes
- 1020
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toxin Absorption Prevention Well-established treatment for acute poisoning. Most effective within 1 hour of ingestion. Standard emergency medicine practice. | Changes; see studies | Large effect | 2,000 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uremic Toxins Small studies suggest activated charcoal (AST-120/Kremezin) may reduce uremic toxins like indoxyl sulfate in CKD. Mixed results on clinical outcomes. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | 200 people |
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDL Cholesterol Limited older studies suggest modest cholesterol reduction via bile acid binding. Not considered a primary treatment. | Improves (the measure goes down) | Small effect | 100 people |
Key findings
- Toxin Absorption PreventionChanges; see studies
- Uremic ToxinsChanges; see studies
- LDL CholesterolImproves (the measure goes down)
Shop the evidence-backed picks
Third-party tested Charcoal products, in the forms the graded studies used where we can match them.
- Grade A
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Studies cited
5 studies from PubMed
- Activated charcoal - past, present and future
- AST-120 for the treatment of chronic kidney disease: effects on uremic toxins
- The effect of oral charcoal in reducing serum indoxyl sulfate and p-cresol in patients with chronic kidney disease
- Position paper: single-dose activated charcoal
- Reduction of serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic patients by activated charcoal