Ten years ago, activated carbon was considered to be a very effective way to fight excess weight. Then it was replaced by appetite regulators and various dietary supplements. However, today, when new drugs have become very expensive or have been completely discontinued, a serious discussion about coal has begun again on the Internet. Therefore, let's find out how this drug works and whether it will really help you get rid of extra pounds at home.
useful properties
Activated charcoal is a medicinal product, not a fat burner. And it 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 "melted" centimeters of the waist or problems that come to the fore, but:
- Stabilization of the digestive tract.
- Removal of toxins and other harmful substances from the body.
- It slightly slows down the skin aging process (due to increased fluid intake).
- It reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood and, as a result, improves the functioning of the brain and cardiovascular system and accelerates metabolism.
- Improving the functioning of the liver, adrenal glands, kidneys and a number of other internal organs.
- It is not precipitated, since the active elements of the drug are not absorbed, but are completely excreted from the body within 8-10 hours after administration.
- Reducing the probability of infection with staphylococcus, dysentery and some airborne diseases (for example, flu).
Indications for use
As for all types of diets (which we will discuss in more detail below), the use of activated carbon is justified only in combination with other methods. However, you can find many other references to its use in medical reference books. So, those who experience:
- Metabolic disorders.
- Stomach disturbances, indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea.
- The effects of severe detoxification.
- Intoxication with 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 very useful. However, we must not forget that you can take the drug not only once, but in a course only after the approval of the doctor, since you may have contraindications to taking it.
Contraindications
Although activated carbon cleaning is everywhere, not everyone should use it. In addition to individual intolerance, the reason for refusal can be:
- Vitamin deficiency or metabolic disorder.
- Insufficient (under 14) or excessive (over 65) age for weight loss.
- Pregnancy and lactation in young mothers.
- low pressure.
- Presence of gastrointestinal tract problems: colitis, duodenal ulcer or others.
- The patient is taking certain medications (for example, antitoxins).
- Tendency to constipation and bulimia, presence of intestinal dysbiosis.
- Internal bleeding (regardless of its origin).
As you can see, drinking it is not always useful. And in some cases it can even be dangerous to health. Therefore, if you plan to lose weight on activated charcoal, be sure to consult your doctor.
Is there a result?
Is charcoal effective for weight loss? To find an answer to this question, let's turn to the experience of those who have already tried these pills on themselves. According to reviews, people managed to lose about 2-4 kg in two weeks without using additional methods (effective diet, physical activity). Moreover, the greater the initial weight of the person who lost weight, the better the result he was able to achieve.
However, let's find out whether activated carbon really helps to lose weight? Not easily. Simply, when you start taking these tablets, 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 without taking activated carbon for the same period. A glass of room temperature boiling water 20-30 minutes before meals will be enough.
But what the drug does really well is cleanse the body. After a two-week course, many people report:
- Improvement of skin condition: disappearance of black dots and oily shine.
- The appearance of lightness in the body.
- Stabilization of intestinal function.
However, all this happens only if the medicine is taken correctly. If you forget about the size and follow the principle of "the more the better", a number of complications can develop.
harming 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? We remind you that activated carbon is primarily a medicinal product. This means that overdose or misuse can harm the body. This can be expressed as:
Avitaminosis and hypovitaminosis Activated carbon is an excellent adsorbent, but it removes not only toxins from the body, but also nutrients.
external deterioration With long-term use, you risk negating all the positive effects of "cleansing": transparent 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 an infallible companion of serious constipation, which is not far from diarrhea and hemorrhoids.
Intestinal wall damage Moderate use of the drug for two weeks will not cause any negative consequences. However, if you indulge too much, you are guaranteed to have gastrointestinal problems.
Reducing the effect of taking other medications Instead of a restorative effect on the body, the useful substances and antibodies contained in the tablets will be actively removed along with toxins.
Reduction of 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 any chronic disease, one can only guess. But there is clearly no need to talk about improvement.
Of course, the above does not mean that it is harmful to health. Simply, the benefits will be noticeable only if taken correctly. And it may turn out to be completely different than you expect.
Dosage and method of administration
So, which method of use will give the optimal effect and not cause irreparable damage? The exact course can be prescribed only by the attending physician who knows 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 that include taking this drug).
- The number of tablets to be taken per day (at least 3 approaches) is calculated by the formula: 1 tablet for every full 10 kg of weight. In other words, if you weigh 50 kg, you should drink 5 tablets a day, if you weigh 113 kg - 11 tablets.
- The daily drug should be included in the menu gradually. If your norm is 7 tablets, 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 one hour before or after a meal. 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 for at least 2 weeks.
- Take the tablets with boiled water at room temperature. This will prevent all kinds of bacteria from entering the body and help the medicine to start working faster.
- At the end of the meeting, be sure to consult a doctor so that he can prescribe a course of multivitamins (to restore the vitamin balance in the body).
In addition, if you want to get the maximum benefit from taking activated charcoal, try to follow the following recommendations:
- Reduce the consumption of flour products and sugary products.
- Avoid alcohol completely.
- Eliminate foods containing sugar, fat and harmful elements from your 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 a morning workout, evening jog, or swimming in the pool) provides a burst of energy and strength rather than complete exhaustion.
Follow these simple rules and weight loss with activated charcoal will definitely help you. Even if all the extra pounds do not disappear, you will feel much better than before the course.
Acceptance variations
As mentioned earlier, 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: Gentle
meaning:The weight loss person's diet remains the same and no additional weight loss efforts are considered. Tablets are taken in the amount of 2 pieces 1, 5 hours 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 work will stabilize and daily activity will increase significantly.
Option #2: The Three Day Diet
meaning:Losing weight follows a certain diet for 3 days. Additional physical activity is not provided, but it is not prohibited.
Day 1 During the day, you can only eat activated carbon with kefir and water. Moreover, you first take a few tablets (depending on weight), wash them down with a glass of warm water, and half an hour later - a glass of kefir. If you are used to eating more than three times a day, the portion size and the 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 exactly the same as the previous day's menu, but with one difference. Kefir is replaced with apples at the rate of one apple per cup.
Day 3 On this day, the diet 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 you can lose up to 5 kg. However, the menu provides for a rather sharp and radical rejection of products, which is not suitable for everyone. When losing weight, you may experience severe headaches, weakness, and uncontrollable appetite attacks (which may even cause you to gain weight). Therefore, you should not follow this diet during menstruation or when you are doing things that require increased attention and concentration.
If such a diet is easy for you, the course can be extended up to 15 days. However, you should stop taking activated carbon, and definitely take a multivitamin at the end of the diet.
Option #3: A two-week diet with activated charcoal
meaning:For 14 days, a person who has lost weight eats according to a certain pattern, which is designed to gradually suppress 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 water. Additional physical load is not taken into account when evaluating efficiency.
- Breakfast: a portion (0. 2 kg) of oatmeal boiled in water and a glass of green or black tea without additives. If desired, porridge can be sprinkled with raisins, and with tea you can eat bread with a thin slice of cheese.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Lunch: lean meat (veal or chicken) broth and 0. 2 kg of boiled vegetables.
- Dinner: fresh fruit salad, a tablespoon of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
- Breakfast: buckwheat boiled in water, as well as one boiled egg and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: apple, kiwi or small banana.
- Lunch: vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of dough, baked in its own juice without adding spices.
- Dinner: an apple and 0. 2 kg of cottage cheese, the fat content of which does not exceed 7%.
- Breakfast: a plate of freshly cooked rice and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: steamed chicken (0. 2 kg) and vegetable salad with low-fat sour cream.
- Dinner: vegetable casserole and a cup of tea.
- Breakfast: a plate of oatmeal boiled with skim milk, a cup of tea and a handful of raisins.
- Second breakfast: cucumber and two boiled eggs.
- Lunch: a bowl of soup from lean fish. You can eat no more than 0. 1 kg of fish.
- Dinner: a portion of cottage cheese and banana.
- Breakfast: 1 medium-sized tomato, a sandwich (bread + a thin slice of cheese) and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: 0. 05 kg of cottage cheese and a glass of low-fat milk. If desired, you can add some bread.
- Lunch: vegetable soup cooked in meat broth and 0. 1 kg lean boiled meat.
- Dinner: fresh vegetable salad.
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge boiled in water (without additives), one boiled egg and cucumber.
- Second breakfast: a glass 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), a tablespoon of homemade yogurt (without additives).
- Breakfast: oatmeal cooked with milk, 0. 1 kg of homemade yogurt and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of kefir.
- Lunch: vegetable casserole and 0. 1 kg lean boiled meat.
- Dinner: vegetable salad dressed with homemade yogurt.
- Breakfast: two cucumbers, two sandwiches with low-fat cheese and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: chicken broth and 0. 1 kg vegetable casserole.
- Dinner: two cucumbers and a portion of boiled mussels.
- Breakfast: rice boiled in water and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of kefir and an apple.
- Lunch: a portion of low-fat borsch and 0. 1 kg of boiled chicken breast.
- Dinner: cucumber and tomato salad and 0. 2 kg of boiled shrimps.
- Breakfast: 2 baked apples, a portion of cottage cheese and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of kefir and bread.
- Lunch: a plate of lean fish soup.
- Dinner: steamed vegetables.
- Breakfast: cucumber, sandwich (bread + a thin slice of boiled chicken breast) and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: a glass of fermented baked milk and an apple.
- Lunch: a glass of low-fat chicken broth.
- Dinner: vegetable salad and 0. 1 kg of cottage cheese.
- Breakfast: a portion of cottage cheese, two cucumbers, one boiled egg and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of low-fat borsch and 0. 1 kg of stewed mushrooms.
- Dinner: boiled chicken breast (0. 1 kg) and vegetable salad.
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge boiled in water, boiled egg and a cup of tea.
- Second breakfast: a small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of Polki, baked in its own juice without adding spices.
- Dinner: an apple and 0. 2 kg of cottage cheese, the fat content of which does not exceed 7%.
- Breakfast: oatmeal boiled in water and a cup of tea. If desired, porridge can be sprinkled with raisins, and with tea you can eat bread with a thin slice of cheese.
- Second breakfast: a glass of low-fat kefir.
- Dinner: a portion of low-fat meat broth and 0. 2 kg of stewed vegetables.
- Dinner: fruit salad, a tablespoon of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Result:Since this diet is classified as moderate, you can follow it even by increasing your daily activity. In two weeks, with its help, you can lose about 5-7 kg, which (if you follow a similar menu, but without coal) will not return in the future.
Black or white: choosing the "right" coal
Today, the range of medicines is huge. So, if previously only black activated carbon could be purchased at the pharmacy, today pharmacists offer white carbon tablets along with it. Advertisement of a fashionable new product promises buyers a milder effect, only the removal of toxins from the body, and the possibility of long-term (more than 2 weeks) courses.
The only thing is that the instructions for using both drugs are almost identical, and nanorobots (which reliably determine which elements harm the body and which help) 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" candle is worth it, you decide.
Let's summarize the above. As practice shows, activated carbon will be ineffective for weight loss. Without the help of other solutions (diet, exercise), you can lose a maximum of 2-3 kilograms with its help. In this case, an overdose of the drug threatens the body with serious problems. However, if you need to clean your body quickly, for example, after a big feast, you will not find a better solution. Moreover, it is always available and cheap.