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, as newer drugs become too expensive or are abandoned altogether, a serious debate has once again developed around anthrax on the Internet. So 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 and not a fat burner. And this helps not so much those who want to get rid of extra pounds, but those who need serious cleansing of the body. Therefore, among the positive manifestations of taking the drug, it is not the "melted" centimeters at the waist or the disorders that stand out, but:
- Stabilization of the digestive tract.
- Eliminate 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 functioning of the brain and cardiovascular system and accelerate metabolism.
- Improving the functioning of the liver, adrenal glands, kidneys and a number of 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 risk of infection with staphylococcus, dysentery and certain airborne diseases (e. g. influenza).
Indications for use
As with all kinds of diets (which we will consider in more detail below), taking activated charcoal is justified only when combined with other methods. However, in medical reference books you can find many other indications for its use. So, those who suffer from:
- Metabolic disorders.
- Gastric disorders, fermentation, flatulence, diarrhea.
- Consequences of severe detoxification.
- Poisoning with alkaloids, heavy metal salts and other harmful substances.
- Poisoning of various etiologies.
And that's just a short list of situations where this will be extremely useful. However, remember that you can take the drug not just once, but as a course only after your doctor's approval, since you may have contraindications to taking it.
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 (less than 14 years) or excessive (over 65 years) age of the person who is losing weight.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding among young mothers.
- Low blood pressure.
- The presence of problems with the gastrointestinal tract: colitis, duodenal ulcers or others.
- The patient is taking certain medications (for example, antitoxins).
- Predisposition to constipation and bulimia, presence of intestinal dysbiosis.
- Internal hemorrhage (whatever 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 for weight loss? In search of an answer to this question, let us 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. Additionally, the higher the initial weight of the person losing weight, the better results they can achieve.
However, let's see if activated charcoal really promotes 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 during the next meal. The result is weight loss. In other words, it is entirely possible to obtain the same result in the same time frame without taking activated charcoal. It will be enough to drink a cup of plain water at room temperature about 20 to 30 minutes before meals.
But what the medicine does really well is cleanse the body. After a two-week course, many people notice:
- Improvement in the condition of the skin: disappearance of blackheads and oily shine.
- The appearance of lightness in the body.
- Stabilization of intestinal function.
However, all this only happens if you take the medicine correctly. If you forget about the measure and when consuming you are guided by the principle "the more the better", you can develop a number of complications.
Damage to the body
It would seem that we all know about charcoal from childhood - as an excellent remedy for intestinal problems and excessive gas formation. So what negative consequences can we talk about? Remember that activated charcoal is above all a medicine. This means that its overdose or inappropriate use could harm the body. This can be expressed in:
- Avitaminosis and hypovitaminosis
Activated carbon is an excellent adsorbent, but it not only removes toxins from the body, but also nutrients.
- External deterioration
With prolonged use, you risk canceling all the positive effects of "cleansing": fair skin will become dull and covered with pimples, nails will become brittle and hair will begin 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
Two weeks of moderate use of the drug will not lead to any negative consequences. However, if you get too carried away, you are guaranteed to have problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
- Reduce the effect of taking other medications
Instead of having a restorative effect on the body, the beneficial substances and antibodies contained in the tablets will be actively removed along with toxins.
- Reduce blood pressure and thromboembolism
And all this is true only for completely healthy people. One can only guess how self-medication or "grandmother's" recipe based on activated carbon will affect those who already suffer from chronic diseases. But there is obviously no need to talk about improvements.
Of course, the above does not mean that it is harmful to health. It's just that the benefits will only be noticeable if taken correctly. And it may turn out completely different from what you expect.
Dosage and rules of administration
So what method of application will give the optimal effect and will not cause irreparable damage? The exact treatment can only be prescribed by the attending physician who knows the characteristics of your body. Generally speaking, 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 that include taking this medication).
- The number of tablets to take per day (at least 3 series) is calculated by the formula: 1 tablet per 10 kg of full body weight. In other words, if you weigh 50 kg, you need to drink 5 tablets per day, if you weigh 113 kg, 11 tablets.
- The drug should be introduced into the daily menu gradually. 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 one hour before or after meals. However, you should not drink it in the morning (when the stomach is still empty), it is better to do it an hour after breakfast.
- After completing the course, be sure to take a break of at least 2 weeks.
- Take the tablets with boiled plain water at room temperature. This will prevent all kinds of bacteria from entering the body and help the medicine 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 the body's vitamin balance).
Additionally, if you want to get the most out of taking activated charcoal, try to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Reduce your consumption of flour products and those containing sugar.
- Avoid alcohol completely.
- Eliminate dishes high in sugar, fats 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 weak tea without any additives.
- Increase your physical activity by making sure that exercise (such as morning exercise, evening jogging, or swimming in the pool) gives you a boost of energy and strength, rather than completely exhausting you.
Follow these simple rules and losing weight with activated charcoal will definitely benefit you. Even if not all the extra pounds disappear, you will feel much better than before the class started.
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 #1: Soft
Essence: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 to one hour before meals. The course duration 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, lightness will appear in the body, intestinal function will stabilize, and daily activity will significantly increase.
Option #2: Three-day diet
Essence:For 3 days, the losing weight person adheres to a certain diet. Additional physical activity is not taken into account, but is not prohibited.
- Day 1
During the day, you can only eat activated charcoal with kefir and water. Additionally, you first take a few tablets (depending on weight), washing them down with a glass of still warm water, and after half an hour - a glass of kefir. If you are in the habit of 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 the same as 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 vegetable salad with olive oil dressing or steamed vegetables without salt.
Result:This diet is part of the express diets, and you can therefore lose up to 5 kg. However, the card provides for a rather brutal and radical refusal of products, which does not suit everyone. As you lose weight, you may experience severe headaches, weakness, and bouts of uncontrollable appetite (which may even cause your weight to increase). Therefore, you should not follow this diet during your period or when doing things that require increased attention and concentration.
If such a diet seems easy to you, the course can be continued and extended up to 15 days. However, you should stop taking activated charcoal and, at the end of the diet, be sure to take a multivitamin.
Option #3: Two-Week Activated Charcoal Diet
Essence:For 14 days, the losing weight person eats according to a certain pattern, designed to gradually alleviate the feeling of hunger. At the same time, 30-60 minutes before meals (except for the second breakfast), he takes activated charcoal (2 tablets) with a glass of still warm water. When evaluating effectiveness, additional physical activity is not taken into account.
Day 1 :
- Breakfast: a portion (0. 2 kg) of oatmeal 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, seasoned with a tablespoon of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Day 2:
- Breakfast: boiled buckwheat, 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, 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 casserole and a glass of tea.
Day 4:
- Breakfast: a plate of oatmeal cooked with skimmed 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. You can eat no more than 0. 1 kg of fish itself.
- 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 skimmed milk. If you wish, you can add a few loaves of bread.
- 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 topped with homemade yogurt.
Day 8:
- Breakfast: two cucumbers, two low-fat cheese sandwiches 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: boiled rice 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 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: 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 mushroom compote.
- Dinner: boiled chicken breast (0. 1 kg) and vegetable salad.
Day 13:
- Breakfast: boiled buckwheat porridge, 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, 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 oatmeal 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 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 stick to 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" charcoal
Today, the range of drugs is vast. So, if previously only black activated carbon could be purchased in pharmacies, today, at the same time, pharmacists offer white charcoal tablets. Advertising of a new fashionable product promises buyers a more gentle effect, removal only of toxins from the body and the possibility of taking long-term courses (more than 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 coal. Moreover, if traditional black coal costs a penny, you will have to pay several times more for white coal. Whether such a "game" is worth it, 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 quickly cleanse your body, for example after a big feast, you won't find a better solution. Plus, it’s always available and inexpensive.