Ten years ago, activated carbon was considered a fairly effective means of combating excess weight. Then it was replaced by appetite regulators and various dietary supplements. However, today, when new drugs have become too expensive or have been completely discontinued, a serious discussion about charcoal has once again developed 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 body cleansing. Therefore, among the positive manifestations of taking the drug, what comes to the fore is not the "melted" centimeters at the waist or ailments, but:
- Stabilization of the digestive tract.
- Removing toxins and other harmful substances from the body.
- Slightly slows down the skin aging process (due to increased fluid intake).
- Reduce blood cholesterol and, as a result, improve the function of the brain and cardiovascular system and accelerate metabolism.
- Improve the functioning of the liver, adrenal glands, kidneys and numerous other internal organs.
- There is no sedimentation, since the active elements of the drug are not absorbed, but are completely eliminated from the body within 8-10 hours after administration.
- Reduce the likelihood of staph infection, dysentery and some airborne diseases (e. g. influenza).
Directions for use
As with all types of diets (which we will consider in more detail below), the intake of activated charcoal is justified only in combination with other methods. However, in medical reference books you can find many other indications for its use. So, those who suffer from:
- Metabolic disorders.
- Stomach disorders, fermentation, flatulence, diarrhea.
- Consequences of a severe detox.
- Intoxication by alkaloids, salts of heavy metals 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 one course only after the approval of your doctor, as you may have contraindications to its intake.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that cleaning with activated carbon is practiced everywhere, not everyone should use it. In addition to individual intolerance, reasons for refusal may include:
- Vitamin deficiency or metabolic disorder.
- Insufficient age (under 14 years) or excessive age (over 65 years) of the person losing weight.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding in young mothers.
- Low blood pressure.
- The presence of problems in the gastrointestinal tract: colitis, duodenal ulcers or others.
- The patient is taking 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 it is not always beneficial. And in some cases it can even be dangerous for your health. Therefore, if you are planning to start losing weight with activated charcoal, be sure to consult your doctor first.
Is there a result?
Is charcoal effective as a means of losing weight? In search of an answer to this question, let's turn to the experience of those who have already tested these pills on themselves. According to reviews, in two weeks without using additional methods (effective diets, physical activity), people managed to lose about 2-4 kg. Furthermore, the higher the initial weight of the person losing weight, the better results he or she will be able to achieve.
However, let's find out whether activated charcoal really promotes weight loss? Not exactly. The thing is, when you start taking these tablets, you increase your water intake accordingly. Having previously filled the stomach with water, a person eats less during the next meal. The result is weight loss. In other words, it is quite possible to achieve the same result in the same period without taking activated charcoal. It will be sufficient 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 note:
- Improved skin condition: disappearance of blackheads and oily sheen.
- The appearance of lightness in the body.
- Stabilization of intestinal function.
However, all this only happens if the drug is taken correctly. If you forget the measurement and during consumption you are guided by the principle "the more, the better", you can develop a number of complications.
Harm to the body
It would seem that we have all known charcoal since childhood, as an excellent remedy for intestinal problems and excessive gas formation. So what negative consequences can we talk about? Let us remember that activated charcoal is, first of all, a medicine. This means that its overdose or improper use could cause harm to the body. This can be expressed in:
- Avitaminosis and hypovitaminosis
Activated carbon is an excellent adsorbent, but it removes not only toxins from the body, but also nutrients.
- External deterioration
With prolonged use you risk nullifying all the positive effects of "cleansing": pale skin will become dull and covered with pimples, nails will become brittle and hair will begin to fall out.
- Constipation
An excessive slowdown of peristalsis is a sure companion of severe constipation, which is not that far from diarrhea and hemorrhoids.
- Damage to the intestinal walls
Two weeks of moderate use of the drug will not cause any negative consequences. However, if you get too carried away, you will definitely have problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
- Reduce the effect of taking other drugs
Instead of having a restorative effect on the body, the beneficial substances and antibodies contained in the tablets will be actively removed along with the toxins.
- Reduce blood pressure and thromboembolism
And all this is true only for completely healthy people. How self-medication or "grandmother's" recipe based on activated carbon will affect those who already suffer from chronic diseases, one can only guess. But there is clearly no need to talk about improvements.
Of course, the above does not mean that it is harmful to your health. It's just that the benefits will be noticeable only if taken correctly. And it may turn out to be completely different than you expect.
Dosage and administration rules
So, which application method will give the optimal effect and not cause irreparable damage? The exact course can be prescribed only by the attending physician who is familiar with the characteristics of your body. In general, the admission rules are as follows:
- The duration of the course starts from 3 days and should not exceed 2 weeks (the same applies to diets involving taking this drug).
- The number of tablets that must be taken per day (at least 3 approaches) is calculated with the formula: 1 tablet for every full 10 kg of 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 goes for completing the course.
- 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), it's better to do it an hour after breakfast.
- After completing the course, be sure to take a break for at least 2 weeks.
- Take the tablets with plain boiled water at room temperature. This will prevent all types of bacteria from entering the body and help the drug work faster.
- At the end of your appointment, be sure to contact your doctor so that he can prescribe you a course of multivitamins (to restore the vitamin balance in the body).
Also, if you want to get the most benefits from taking activated charcoal, try adhering to the following tips:
- Reduce your consumption of flour-based products and those containing sugar.
- Avoid alcohol completely.
- Eliminate dishes rich in sugar, fat and harmful elements from your daily menu.
- Drink water (at least 1 liter per 30 kg of weight, but up to 2. 5 liters in total).
- Switch from coffee to light tea without additives.
- Increase your physical activity by ensuring that exercise (such as morning exercise, evening jogging, or swimming in the pool) provides a boost of energy and strength, rather than completely exhausting you.
Follow these simple rules and losing weight with activated charcoal will definitely bring you benefits. Although not all the extra pounds will disappear, you will feel much better than before starting the course.
Reception variations
As already mentioned, many people begin to actively take the drug in an attempt to lose weight. Therefore, let's look at the most popular methods and evaluate their effectiveness:
Option no. 1: delicate
Essence: The diet of the person losing weight remains unchanged and no further efforts to lose weight are considered. Tablets should be taken in the amount of 2 pieces 1. 5 hours - one hour before meals. The duration of the course varies from 10 days to two weeks.
Result:There will be no significant weight loss (maximum: 3-4 kilograms in 14 days). However (if other conditions remain unchanged), the lost centimeters will disappear forever, the body will appear light, the bowel function will stabilize, and daily activity will increase significantly.
Option no. 2: three day diet
Essence:For 3 days, the person losing weight adheres to a certain diet. Additional physical activity is not taken into account, but is not prohibited.
- Day 1
During the day you can eat only activated charcoal with kefir and water. Also, first take a couple of tablets (by weight), washing 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 should be reduced. In this case, the break between meals should be at least 2-3 hours.
- Day 2
The current "dish list" is completely identical to last day's menu, but with one difference. Kefir is replaced with apples at the rate of one apple for each glass.
- Day 3
On this day the diet remains the same, but instead of kefir you will eat a vegetable salad dressed with olive oil or steamed vegetables without salt.
Result:This diet is one of the express diets and therefore as a result you can lose up to 5 kg. However, the menu provides for a rather abrupt and radical refusal of products, which is not suitable for everyone. As you lose weight, you may experience severe headaches, weakness, and bouts of uncontrollable appetite (which may even cause weight gain). Therefore, you should not follow this diet during your menstrual cycle or when doing things that require increased attention and concentration.
If such a diet was easy for you, the course can be continued, extending it to 15 days. However, you should stop taking activated charcoal and, at the end of the diet, make sure to take a multivitamin.
Option no. 3: Two-week diet with activated charcoal
Essence:For 14 days, the person losing weight eats according to a certain scheme, designed to gradually dull the feeling of hunger. At the same time, 30-60 minutes before meals (excluding second breakfast), take activated charcoal (2 tablets) with a glass of warm non-carbonated water. When evaluating effectiveness, additional physical activity is not taken into account.
Day 1:
- Breakfast: a portion (0. 2 kg) of oat flakes cooked in water and a glass of green or black tea without additives. If you wish, you can season the porridge with raisins, and with tea you can eat bread with a thin piece of cheese.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Lunch: broth made from lean meat (veal or chicken) and 0. 2 kg of boiled vegetables.
- Dinner: fresh fruit salad, topped with a spoonful of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Day 2:
- Breakfast: buckwheat cooked in water, as well as a boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: apple, kiwi or small banana.
- Lunch: vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of pollock, cooked 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 topped with low-fat sour cream.
- Dinner: vegetable stew and a glass of tea.
Day 4:
- Breakfast: a plate of oatmeal cooked with low-fat milk, a glass of tea and a handful of raisins.
- Second breakfast: cucumber and two hard-boiled eggs.
- Lunch: a plate of lean fish soup. You can not eat more than 0. 1 kg of the fish itself.
- Dinner: a portion of cottage cheese and a banana.
Day 5:
- Breakfast: 1 medium sized 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. If desired, you can add a couple of loaves of bread.
- Lunch: vegetable soup cooked in meat broth and 0. 1 kg of boiled lean meat.
- Dinner: fresh vegetable salad.
Day 6:
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge cooked in water (without additives), a boiled egg and a cucumber.
- Second breakfast: a cup of low-fat kefir and a small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: lean meat broth (0. 2 kg) and cucumber.
- Dinner: cottage cheese (0. 1 kg), topped with a spoonful of homemade yogurt (without additives).
Day 7:
- Breakfast: oat flakes 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 boiled lean meat.
- Dinner: vegetable salad topped 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 borscht and 0. 1 kg of boiled chicken breast.
- Dinner: cucumber and tomato salad and 0. 2 kg of boiled shrimp.
Day 10:
- Breakfast: 2 cooked 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: steamed vegetables.
Day 11:
- Breakfast: cucumber, sandwich (bread + thin slice of boiled chicken breast) and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of fermented cooked 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 boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of low-fat borscht and 0. 1 kg of stewed mushrooms.
- Dinner: boiled chicken breast (0. 1 kg) and vegetable salad.
Day 13:
- Breakfast: buckwheat polenta cooked in water, a boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of white cod, cooked 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 oat flakes, boiled in water, and a glass of tea. If you wish, you can season the porridge with raisins, and with tea you can eat bread with a thin piece of cheese.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Lunch: a portion of lean meat broth and 0. 2 kg of stewed vegetables.
- Dinner: fruit salad, topped with a spoonful of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Result:Since this diet is classified as moderate, you can also follow it with increased daily activity. In two weeks, with the help of him you can lose about 5-7 kg, which (if you follow a similar menu, but without coal) will not return in the future.
White or black - choosing the "right" coal.
Today the range of medicines is huge. So, if earlier in the pharmacy you could only buy black activated charcoal, today pharmacists offer white charcoal tablets along with it. Advertising a new trendy product promises buyers a milder effect, the removal of only toxins from the body and the possibility of taking long-term courses (over 2 weeks).
The only thing is that the instructions for use of both drugs are almost identical, and nanorobots (which could reliably determine which element harms the body and which helps) are not included in white carbon. Moreover, if traditional black coal costs a penny, then for white coal you will have to pay several times more. Whether such a "game" is worth the candle, decide for yourself.
Let's summarize the above. As practice shows, activated carbon for weight loss will be ineffective. Without the help of other solutions (diet, exercise), with its help you can lose a maximum of 2-3 kilograms. In this case, an overdose of the drug threatens serious problems with the body. However, if you need to cleanse your body quickly, for example after a big banquet, you will not find a better solution. It is also always available and cheap.