How and When to Use Charcoal for the Dreaded Stomach Flu

If you’ve had the stomach flu, there’s almost nothing you wouldn’t do to get back on your feet faster, and that is exactly how a special kind of charcoal might be able to help.

Even though charcoal makes most of us think of glowing embers and yummy barbecue, activated charcoal has stomach soothing medicinal properties that can help resolve stomach bugs.

Given that 19 to 21 million Americans get the stomach flu each year, you’ll want to remember this charcoal remedy the next time you or a loved one needs some digestive support.

What is the Stomach Flu?

The stomach flu, stomach bugs, or even food poisoning are all often caused by bacterial infections or viruses–most commonly Norovirus. The inflammation that happens as a result is called viral gastroenteritis, and symptoms include:

Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Gas, bloating

Symptoms usually come on quickly and can have you off your feet from 1 to 3 days.

Common treatment recommendations include drinking fluids, getting rest, and following the BRAT (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) diet—but adding charcoal might help get rid of the bacteria faster.

What Is Activated Charcoal?

Activated charcoal is a fine, black powder made from a variety of carbon-based materials like bamboo, wood, or coconut shells. These materials are decomposed by burning at an incredibly high temperature, then combined with oxygen, which makes them “activated”.

Indigenous peoples in North America, as well as in Egypt, capitalized on its antifungal and antibacterial properties for centuries (1).

The process of activating charcoal creates millions of tiny pores on the surface, making it incredibly absorbent, and that’s how it works in your stomach. It essentially absorbs or mops up toxins and harmful bacteria, preventing them from being absorbed by your gut lining.

Why do people take activated charcoal?

Doctors often use activated charcoal to treat certain instances of poisoning or drug overdose, but it may also serve as a remedy for stomach bugs that cause nausea and vomiting.

The theory is that activated charcoal can absorb the bacteria responsible for causing stomach flu (the same way it is used to absorb poisons). Because the process of activating charcoal makes it ultra-absorbent, it’s one of the most effective ways to rid your body of harmful toxins. You can also have a virus that can cause the same sort of tummy troubles, and it may help with the symptoms.

Activated charcoal is even considered more effective than stomach pumping in poisoned patients because of its incredible ability to absorb different kinds of toxins (with a few exceptions) (2).

Activated Charcoal and Diarrhea

The main causes of diarrhea are usually toxins or bacterial infection, similar to what causes most stomach bugs. Because activated charcoal is especially good at attracting and eliminating harmful toxins and bacteria, one study shows it’s an effective treatment for diarrhea with exceptionally few side effects compared with other treatments (3).

How should I take charcoal?

If symptoms worsen, or you develop a fever or other reaction, stop taking activated charcoal and call your doctor immediately.

After you’ve eaten a questionable food, or begin to feel the symptoms of a stomach bug, you can mix activated charcoal with a glass of water, or in applesauce for a more pleasant flavor.

A common recommendation for activated charcoal is 500 to 1,000 mg taken 2 to 3 times per day (4). This may not sound like a lot, but 1 gram (1,000) mg of activated charcoal has about the same surface area as a tennis court!

You can find activated charcoal in powder or capsules in most health food stores. When purchasing supplements, it’s important to choose high-quality, GMP-verified products when possible.

Can I give activated charcoal to my children?

It’s safe for children to take activated charcoal, but always check with your pediatrician before giving to your child.

Once you receive the ‘okay’ start with ¼ of a teaspoon in some applesauce and repeat no more than 2 times a day. If you or your child continue to have abdominal pain or persistent fever, you must see your doctor.

Healing the Gut After a Stomach Bug

It can take several days before your stomach returns to normal and is able to properly repair damage from the inflammation resulting from a bacterial infection.

I add a scoop of Belly Fix with fermented greens and Ayurvedic remedies, plus extra L-glutamine to help repair my stomach lining. This is an easy addition to my daily routine if I feel that my gut needs extra help, or if I’ve eaten something I shouldn’t have.

For a step-by-step plan to reset your gut and rebuild healthy digestion, learn more about the 21-Day Belly Fix.

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