Ten years ago, activated carbon was considered a fairly effective means of combating excess weight. Then it was replaced by appetite regulators and various food supplements. However, today, when newly developed drugs have become too expensive or have been discontinued altogether, a serious discussion about coal has developed again on the Internet. Therefore, let's understand how this remedy works and whether it can really help you get rid of excess weight at home.
Useful features
Activated charcoal is a medical product, not a fat burner. And it helps not so much those who want to get rid of excess weight, but those who need serious cleansing of the body. Therefore, among the positive manifestations of taking the drug, what comes to the fore are not "melted" centimeters on the waist or troubles, 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).
- Reduction of blood cholesterol and, as a result, improvement of brain and cardiovascular system function and acceleration of metabolism.
- Improving the functioning of the liver, adrenal glands, kidneys and a number of other internal organs.
- There is no sedimentation, because the active elements of the drug are not absorbed, but are completely eliminated from the body within 8-10 hours after administration.
- Reducing the likelihood of infection with staphylococcus, dysentery and some airborne diseases (for example, influenza).
Indications for use
As for all types of diets (which we will consider in more detail below), taking activated charcoal is justified only when combined with other methods. However, in medical manuals you can find many other indications for its use. So those who suffer from:
- Metabolic disorders.
- Stomach disorders, fermentation, flatulence, diarrhea.
- The consequences of severe detoxification.
- Intoxication with alkaloids, salts of heavy metals and other harmful substances.
- Poisonings of different etiology.
And this is just a short list of situations where it will be extremely useful. However, do not forget that you can take the medicine not only once, but during the course only after the approval of your doctor, because you may have contraindications for taking it.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that activated carbon cleaning is practiced everywhere, not everyone should use it. In addition to individual intolerance, reasons for refusal may include:
- Vitamin deficiency or metabolic disorder.
- Underage (under 14) or overage (over 65) 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 any other.
- The patient is taking certain medications (for example, antitoxins).
- Predisposition to constipation and bulimia, presence of intestinal dysbiosis.
- Internal bleeding (regardless of origin).
As you can see, drinking is not always beneficial. And in some cases it can even be dangerous for your health. Therefore, if you plan to start losing weight on activated charcoal, be sure to consult your doctor first.
Any results?
Is charcoal effective as a weight loss agent? In search of an answer to this question, let's turn to the experience of those who have already tested these tablets on themselves. According to reviews, in two weeks without using additional methods (effective diet, physical activity), people managed to lose about 2-4 kg. Moreover, the higher the initial weight of the person losing weight, the better results he could achieve.
However, let's understand whether activated carbon really promotes weight loss? Not really. Simply, when you start taking these pills, 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 carbon. It will be enough to drink a cup of still water at room temperature about 20-30 minutes before eating.
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.
- Appearance of lightness in the body.
- Stabilization of intestinal function.
However, all this happens only if you take the medicine correctly. If you forget about the measure and follow the principle "the more, the better" when consuming, you can develop numerous complications.
Damage to the body
It seems that we all know charcoal from childhood - as an excellent remedy for intestinal problems and excessive gas formation. So, what negative consequences can we talk about? Let us remind you that activated carbon is primarily a medical product. This means that its overdose or improper use can harm the body. This can be expressed as:
Avitaminosis and hypovitaminosis Activated carbon is an excellent adsorbent, but it not only removes toxins from the body, but also nutrients.
External deterioration With long-term use, you risk negating all the positive effects of "cleansing": clean skin will become dull and covered with pimples, nails will become brittle, and hair will begin to fall out.
Prison Excessive slowing of peristalsis is a sure companion of serious 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 cause any negative consequences. However, if you indulge too much, you are guaranteed to have problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
Reducing the effect of taking other medications Instead of having a restorative effect on the body, useful substances and antibodies contained in the tablets will be actively removed along with toxins.
Reduction of blood pressure and thromboembolism
And all this applies only to completely healthy people. How self-medication or "grandmother's" prescription based on activated charcoal will affect those who already suffer from any chronic disease, is anyone's guess. But it is clear that there is 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 visible if taken correctly. And it may turn out to be completely different from what you expect.
Dosage and application rules
So, which method of application will give the optimal effect and will not cause irreparable damage? The exact course can only be prescribed by a doctor 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 be longer than 2 weeks (the same applies to children who include taking this medicine).
- The number of tablets that must be taken daily (at least 3 approaches) is calculated according to 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, in the first 2-3 days it is better to take no more than 5 tablets, gradually increasing the dose. The same applies to the completion of the course.
- The dose is taken within an hour before or after eating. However, you should not drink it in the morning (when your 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 still water at room temperature. This will prevent all kinds of bacteria from entering the body and help the medicine start working faster.
- At the end of the appointment, be sure to contact your doctor so that he can prescribe a course of multivitamins (to restore the balance of vitamins in the body).
Additionally, if you want to get the most out of taking activated charcoal, try following these recommendations:
- Reduce consumption of flour products and those containing sugar.
- Avoid alcohol completely.
- Eliminate dishes with a high content of sugar, fat and harmful elements from the daily menu.
- Drink water (at least 1 liter for every 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 burst of energy and strength, rather than completely exhausting you.
Follow these simple rules, and weight loss with activated charcoal will certainly benefit you. Even if all the excess weight does not disappear, you will feel much better than before starting the course.
Reception Variations
As already mentioned, many people start actively taking the drug in an attempt to lose weight. Therefore, let's look at the most popular methods and evaluate their effectiveness:
Option #1: gently
essence:The diet of a person losing weight remains unchanged and additional efforts to lose weight are not taken into account. Tablets should be taken in the amount of 2 pieces 1. 5 hours - an hour before meals. The duration of the course is 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, bowel function will stabilize, and daily activity will increase significantly.
Option #2: The 3-Day Diet
essence:For 3 days, a person who is 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 only eat activated carbon with kefir and water. Moreover, you first take several tablets (according to 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, it is necessary to reduce the portion size and the number of tablets. In this case, the break between meals should be at least 2-3 hours.
Day 2 The current "dish list" is exactly the same as yesterday's menu, but with one difference. Kefir is replaced with apples in the amount of one apple for each glass.
3rd day The diet on this day remains the same, but instead of kefir you eat vegetable salad with olive oil dressing 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 foresees a rather abrupt and radical rejection 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 you to gain weight). Therefore, you should not go on this diet during menstruation 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 day, be sure to take a multivitamin.
Option #3: Two-week activated charcoal diet
essence: During 14 days, a person who loses weight eats according to a certain pattern, designed to gradually dull the feeling of hunger. At the same time, 30-60 minutes before eating (except for the second breakfast), he takes activated charcoal (2 tablets) with a glass of warm still water. When evaluating the efficiency, additional physical activity is not taken into account.
- Breakfast: a portion (0. 2 kg) of oatmeal boiled in water and a glass of green or black tea without additives. If you wish, you can season the porridge with raisins, and with the tea you can eat some bread with a thin piece of cheese.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Lunch: lean meat broth (veal or chicken) and 0. 2 kg of boiled vegetables.
- Dinner: fresh fruit salad, seasoned with a spoonful of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
- Breakfast: buckwheat boiled in water, as well as one hard-boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: apple, kiwi or small banana.
- Lunch: vegetable soup and 0. 15 kg half bread, baked in its own juice without adding spices.
- Dinner: an apple and 0. 2 kg of fresh cheese, the fat content of which does not exceed 7%.
- 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 seasoned with low-fat sour cream.
- Dinner: vegetable casserole and a glass of tea.
- Breakfast: a plate of oatmeal cooked with skim milk, a glass of tea and a handful of raisins.
- Second breakfast: cucumber and two hard-boiled eggs.
- Lunch: a bowl of lean fish soup. You cannot eat more than 0. 1 kg of fish alone.
- Dinner: a portion of cottage cheese and bananas.
- Breakfast: 1 medium-sized tomato, sandwich (bread + thin slice of cheese) and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: 0. 05 kg of fresh cheese and a cup of low-fat milk. If you wish, you can add a couple of loaves of bread.
- Lunch: vegetable soup cooked in meat broth and 0. 1 kg of lean boiled meat.
- Dinner: fresh vegetable salad.
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge boiled in water (without additives), one hard-boiled egg and cucumber.
- Second breakfast: a cup of low-fat kefir and some fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: lean meat broth (0. 2 kg) and cucumber.
- Dinner: fresh cheese (0. 1 kg), seasoned with a spoonful of homemade yogurt (no additives).
- 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 seasoned with homemade yogurt.
- Breakfast: two cucumbers, two sandwiches with low-fat cheese and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: chicken soup and 0. 1 kg of vegetable casserole.
- Dinner: two cucumbers and a portion of boiled mussels.
- Breakfast: rice boiled in water and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of kefir and an apple.
- Lunch: a portion of lean borscht and 0. 1 kg of boiled chicken breast.
- Dinner: cucumber and tomato salad and 0. 2 kg of cooked shrimp.
- 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.
- Breakfast: cucumber, sandwich (bread + thin slice of boiled chicken breast) and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of fermented milk and an apple.
- Lunch: a bowl of low-fat chicken broth.
- Dinner: vegetable salad and 0. 1 kg of cottage cheese.
- Breakfast: a portion of cottage cheese, two cucumbers, one hard-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.
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge boiled in water, hard-boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of vegetable soup and 0. 15 kg half bread, baked in its own juice without adding spices.
- Dinner: an apple and 0. 2 kg of fresh cheese, the fat content of which does not exceed 7%.
- 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 the tea you can eat some 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 spoonful 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.
Black or white: choosing the "right" coal
Today, the assortment of medicines is huge. So, if earlier you could only buy black activated carbon in the pharmacy, today pharmacists offer tablets of white carbon along with it. Advertising of a modern new product promises customers a mild effect, removal of only toxins from the body and the possibility of a long-term (over 2 weeks) course.
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 the candle, you 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, drug overdose threatens serious problems with the body. However, if you need to quickly cleanse your body, for example, after a big feast, you will not find a better solution. Moreover, it is always available and cheap.