Activated Charcoal

Activated Carbon & Activated Charcoal Products Australia

Activated Charcoal can be found almost everywhere: in toothpaste, skin care products, baked goods, beverages and water filtration systems. Here’s what you need to know about this seemingly ubiquitous ingredient.

What makes Activated Charcoal “Activated”?

Activated Charcoal is created from carbon-rich materials burned at high temperatures. For example, carbon-rich materials such as wood, coconut shells or coal, are burned at a high temperature (between 600 and 900 degrees Celsius) to create a charcoal powder.

The charcoal powder is then typically charred with some additional material, such as chloride salts, to help create the porous structure. The excess material is then washed away with a dilute acid solution to leave the pure carbon. The charcoal can further be treated to create a finer network of pores, and therefore additional surface area, by exposing it to an oxidising gas, such as steam or carbon dioxide.

So much additional surface area is created during the activation process that 50 grams of activated charcoal has 17.5 times more surface area than a full-size football field, according to a 2016 study in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

How does Activated Charcoal work?

Activated Charcoal works by trapping toxins and chemicals in the gut, preventing their absorption. The charcoal’s porous texture has a negative electrical charge, which causes it to attract positively charged molecules, such as toxins and gases. This helps it trap toxins and chemicals in the gut. Because it is not absorbed by your body, it can carry the toxinsbound to its surface out of your body in feces.

What is Activated Charcoal Good For?

Gas Reduction: Activated charcoal may help reduce gas production following a gas-producing meal.

Water Filtration: Activated charcoal is commonly used in water filtration systems to help reduce impurities, including heavy metals and fluoride.

Teeth Whitening: Activated charcoal toothpaste may help remove surface stains from teeth by absorbing plaque and other stain-causing compounds.

Hangover Prevention: Activated charcoal is sometimes used as part of hangover remedies, although results may vary.

Skin Treatment: Activated charcoal is commonly used in skincare and beauty products for acne, oily skin, and cleansing applications.

Australian Activated Charcoal Shipping Information

We ship your order to all locations within Australia. However please allow additional delivery time for some regional areas. You will receive an email to advise when your order has shipped.