Ten years ago, activated carbon was considered a fairly effective means of combating overweight. It was later replaced by appetite regulators and various dietary supplements. Today, however, as new drugs become too expensive or are discontinued altogether, a serious discussion is once again raging around coal on the Internet. So, let's find out how this drug works and whether it can really help you lose weight at home.
Beneficial feature
Activated charcoal is a medicine, not a fat burner. And it doesn't help people who want to lose weight so much as those who need a serious detox. So, among the positive manifestations of taking the drug, the most notable are not the "melting" waist centimeters or troubles, but:
- Stabilizes the digestive tract.
- Removes toxins and other harmful substances from the body.
- Slows skin aging slightly (due to increased fluid intake).
- Reduces cholesterol in the blood and thereby improves the function of the brain and cardiovascular system, while accelerating metabolism.
- Improves the function of the liver, adrenal glands, kidneys and some other internal organs.
- There is no deposition because the active ingredients of the drug are not absorbed but are completely eliminated from the body within 8-10 hours after administration.
- Reduces the likelihood of staph infections, dysentery and some airborne diseases (e. g. flu).
User manual
For all types of diets (which we will consider in more detail below), the use of 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, people who suffer from:
- Metabolic disorder.
- Stomach disorders, fermentation, flatulence, diarrhea.
- Consequences of severe drug addiction.
- Intoxication with alkaloids, heavy metal salts and other harmful substances.
- Poisoning of different causes.
And this is just a short list of situations where it would be extremely useful. However, do not forget that you can take the drug not just once, but for a course only after the approval of your doctor, because you may have contraindications to taking the drug.
Contraindicated
Despite the fact that activated carbon cleaning is used everywhere, not everyone should use it. In addition to personal intolerance, reasons for refusal may include:
- Vitamin deficiency or metabolic disorder.
- Underage (under 14 years old) or over age (over 65 years old) of the person losing weight.
- Pregnancy and lactation in young mothers.
- Low blood pressure.
- Presence of problems in the digestive tract: colitis, duodenal ulcer or any other problem.
- The patient is taking certain medications (eg, antitoxin).
- Prone to constipation and binge eating, and intestinal physiological disorders.
- Internal bleeding (regardless of its origin).
As you can see, drinking it is not always beneficial. And in some cases it can even be dangerous to your health. So, if you are planning to start losing weight with activated charcoal, be sure to consult your doctor first.
Are there any results?
Does charcoal help with weight loss? To find the answer to this question, let's turn to the experience of people who have tested these pills themselves. According to reviews, for two weeks without using additional methods (effective diet, physical activity), people lost about 2-4 kg. Furthermore, the greater the initial weight of the person losing weight, the better the results achieved.
However, let's find out if activated charcoal really promotes weight loss? Not really. It's just that when you start taking these pills, you will increase your water intake accordingly. Having previously filled the stomach with water, a person will eat less at the next meal. The result is weight loss. In other words, it is possible to achieve the same results in the same time without using activated carbon. Just drinking a glass of still water at room temperature about 20-30 minutes before meals is enough.
But the real effect of the medicine is to cleanse the body. After the two-week course, many people noted:
- Improves skin condition: disappears blackheads and greasy shine.
- The appearance of lightness in the body.
- Stabilize intestinal function.
However, all this only happens if you take the medicine correctly. If you forget to measure and when consuming you are guided by the principle "the more the better", you can develop some complications.
Harmful to the body
It seems that we have all known charcoal since childhood - as an excellent remedy for intestinal problems and excessive gas formation. So what negative consequences can we talk about? Let us remember that activated carbon is first of all a medicine. This means that overdose or improper use can be harmful to the body. This can be expressed in:
- Vitamin deficiency disease and vitamin deficiency
Activated carbon is an excellent adsorbent, but it removes not only toxins, but also nutrients from the body.
- External deterioration
With prolonged use, you risk negating all the positive effects of "cleansing": clear skin will become dull and pimples will appear, nails will become brittle, and hair will begin toshed.
- Constipation
Excessive slowing of intestinal motility is certainly a cause of severe constipation, not far from diarrhea and hemorrhoids.
- Intestinal wall damage
Two weeks of moderate use of the drug will not cause any negative consequences. However, if you get too excited, you will definitely have gastrointestinal problems.
- Reduces the effects of using other drugs
Instead of having a restorative effect on the body, beneficial substances and antibodies contained in the pill will be actively eliminated along with toxins.
- Reduces blood pressure and blood clots
And all this is true only for completely healthy people. One can only guess how self-medication or "grandmother's" activated carbon-based formula will affect people who already suffer from any chronic disease. 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 noticeable if used correctly. And it might be completely different from what you expected.
Dosage and principles of use
So which application method will bring optimal results and not cause harmful effects that are difficult to overcome? The exact course can only be prescribed by the attending physician, who is familiar with the features of your body. In general, the admission rules are as follows:
- The duration of the course starts from 3 days and does not exceed 2 weeks (the same applies to diets that include taking this medication).
- The number of tablets that must be taken per day (at least 3 approaches) is calculated according to the formula: 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. In other words, if you weigh 50 kg, you need to take 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, in the first 2-3 days it is better to take no more than 5 tablets, gradually increasing the dosage. The same applies to completing the course.
- The dose is taken within one hour before or after meals. However, you should not drink it in the morning (when your stomach is empty), it is better to drink it one hour after breakfast.
- After completing the course, remember to rest for at least 2 weeks.
- Take the medicine with boiled water at room temperature. This will prevent all types of bacteria from entering the body and help the medicine start working faster.
- At the end of your appointment, be sure to contact your doctor so he can prescribe you a course of multivitamins (to restore vitamin balance in the body).
Additionally, if you want to get the most benefit from using activated charcoal, try to adhere to the following recommendations:
- Reduce consumption of flour products and those containing sugar.
- Avoid drinking alcohol completely.
- Eliminate sugary, fatty and harmful foods 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 a morning workout, an evening jog or swimming in the pool) gives you bursts of energy and strength, rather than making youCompletely exhausted.
Follow these simple rules and losing weight with activated charcoal will definitely benefit you. Even if the extra pounds do not go away, you will feel much better than before starting the course.
Reception variations
As already mentioned, many people begin to actively take drugs to lose weight. Therefore, let's consider the most popular methods and evaluate their effectiveness:
Option number 1: Be gentle
Perfume:The weight loss person's diet did not change and no additional weight loss efforts were included. Tablets should be taken in the amount of 2 pieces 1. 5 hours - one hour before meals. Course duration ranges from 10 days to two weeks.
Result:There will be no significant weight loss (maximum - 3-4 kg in 14 days). However (if other conditions remain unchanged), the lost centimeters will disappear forever, the body will be relieved, intestinal function will stabilize, and daily activity will increase significantly.
Option #2: Diet for three days
Perfume:For 3 days, the person losing weight adheres to a certain diet. Additional physical activity is not taken into account, but is not prohibited.
- 1 day
During the day, you can only eat activated carbon with kefir and water. Further, first you take a few tablets (based on weight), wash them down with a glass of warm water, and after half an hour - a glass of kefir. If you are used to eating more than three times a day, you must reduce the portion size and number of tablets. In this case, the break between meals is at least 2-3 hours.
- Day 2
The current "list of dishes" is exactly the same as the previous day's menu, but there is one difference. Kefir is replaced with apples at the ratio of one apple per glass.
- Day 3
On this day, the diet remains the same, but instead of kefir, you will eat vegetable salad with olive oil or steamed vegetables without salt.
Result:This diet is one of the crash diets, due to which you can lose up to 5 kg. However, the menu provides for a rather sudden and radical rejection of products, which is not suitable for everyone. When you lose weight, you may experience severe headaches, weakness, and uncontrollable cravings (which can even cause your weight to increase). Therefore, you should not follow this diet during menstruation or while doing things that require high attention and concentration.
If such a diet is easy for you, the course can be continued, lasting up to 15 days. However, you should stop using activated charcoal and, at the end of the diet, remember to take a multivitamin.
Option #3: Two-week activated charcoal diet
Perfume:For 14 days, people losing weight follow a certain diet, designed to gradually reduce hunger. At the same time, 30-60 minutes before meals (except Monday breakfast), he drank activated charcoal (2 tablets) with a glass of warm water. When evaluating effectiveness, additional physical activity was not taken into account.
1 day:
- Breakfast: one serving (0. 2 kg) of oatmeal cooked in water and a glass of green or black tea without additives. If desired, you can season porridge with raisins, and with tea you can eat some 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 spoonful of sour cream or homemade yogurt.
Day 2:
- Breakfast: buckwheat cooked in water, 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 grilled in its own juice without adding any spices.
- Dinner: apple and 0. 2 kg of cheese, fat content 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 mixed vegetable salad with low-fat sour cream.
- Dinner: stewed vegetables and a glass of tea.
4th:
- Breakfast: a plate of oatmeal cooked with low-fat milk, a glass of tea and a handful of raisins.
- Second breakfast: cucumbers and two boiled eggs.
- Lunch: a bowl of soup made from lean fish. You can eat no more than 0. 1 kg of fish.
- Dinner: a portion of cheese and a banana.
Day 5:
- Breakfast: 1 medium-sized tomato, sandwich (bread + thin slice of cheese) and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: 0. 05 kg of cheese and a cup of low-fat milk. If desired, you can add a few loaves of bread.
- Lunch: vegetable soup cooked in meat broth and 0. 1 kg of boiled lean meat.
- Dinner: fresh vegetable salad.
6th:
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge cooked in water (without additives), a boiled egg and cucumbers.
- Second breakfast: a cup of low-fat kefir and a small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: low-fat meat broth (0. 2 kg) and cucumbers.
- Dinner: cottage cheese (0. 1 kg), seasoned with a spoonful of homemade yogurt (without additives).
7th:
- Breakfast: oatmeal cooked with milk, 0. 1 kg of homemade yogurt and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: a cup of kefir.
- Lunch: stewed vegetables and 0. 1 kg of boiled lean meat.
- Dinner: mixed vegetable salad with homemade yogurt.
Day 8:
- Breakfast: two cucumbers, two sandwiches with low-fat cheese and a glass of tea.
- Second breakfast: two small fruits of your choice.
- Lunch: chicken broth and 0. 1 kg of stewed vegetables.
- Dinner: two cucumbers and a portion of boiled mussels.
9th:
- Breakfast: rice cooked in water 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.
10th:
- Breakfast: 2 baked apples, a portion of 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 baked milk and an apple.
- Lunch: a bowl of low-fat chicken broth.
- Dinner: vegetable salad and 0. 1 kg of cheese.
12nd:
- Breakfast: one portion of cheese, two cucumbers, one 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.
13th:
- Breakfast: buckwheat porridge cooked in water, one hard-boiled egg and a glass of tea.
- 2nd breakfast: small fruit of your choice.
- Lunch: a plate of vegetable broth and 0. 15 kg of pollock grilled in its own juice without adding any spices.
- Dinner: apple and 0. 2 kg of cheese, fat content does not exceed 7%.
Day 14:
- Breakfast: one portion of boiled oatmeal with water and a glass of tea. If desired, you can season porridge with raisins, and with 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 while increasing your daily activity. In two weeks, with its help, you can lose about 5-7 kg, these pounds (if you adhere to the same menu but without coal) will not return in the future.
Black or white: choose the "right" charcoal
Today, the range of drugs is huge. Therefore, if previously in pharmacies there was only black activated carbon, today, along with that, pharmacists also provide white activated carbon tablets. Advertising for a fashionable new product promises buyers a gentler effect, only the removal of toxins from the body and the possibility of taking long-term courses (over 2 weeks).
The only thing is that the instructions for use of both drugs are almost identical, and the nano robot (which can reliably determine which elements are harmful to the body and which are beneficial) is not present in the charcoal. white. Furthermore, if traditional black charcoal costs a penny, you will have to pay several times more for white charcoal. Whether such a "game" is worth candles or not, decide for yourself.
Let us summarize the above. As practice shows, activated carbon for weight loss will not be effective. Without the help of other solutions (diet, exercise), with its help you can lose a maximum of 2-3 kg. In this case, an overdose of the drug risks causing serious problems for the body. However, if you need a quick detox, such as after a big party, you won't find a better solution. Furthermore, it is readily available and inexpensive.