Since it’s 2017 and the world is weird af, foods like activated charcoal are trendy. No shots to those who use this black powder to make goth lattes, but I’m high-key worried about the safety of this hip supplement. Like, the fact that activated charcoal can make medicines like your birth control pill less affective is a bit worrisome.
Here is everything you need to know about activated charcoal, how it interacts with your other medications, and whether or not you should add it to your grocery list (tbh I’m not adult enough to have one of these, but if you are, you probably already buy activated charcoal).
WTF Is Activated Charcoal?
Activated Charcoal is basically burnt coconut shells, peat, or wood that is exposed to high temperature gases, and it is known to bind to any surface that it is exposed to when “activated.” So when consumed, it will absorb anything in the stomach, and because of this, it’s traditionally used in the medical field for poisoning and drug overdoses. However, recently it’s been added to everything from your fave face mask to ice cream and lattes.
Aesthetically, this food trend is the antithesis of the unicorn food obsession that took spring 2017 a bit too far, but it’s being used for more than just appearances. Because activated charcoal binds to all exposed surfaces when consumed, it’s often marketed as a detoxifier (or even a hangover cure) “with claims that it detoxes the body,” according to nutritionist Fiona Tuck, who talked to HuffPost Australia.
Not So Good Vibes
Tuck is weary of the merits of activated charcoal as a detoxing tool because it, “doesn’t decipher between toxins and good nutrients, so taking it too regularly or with food means that the charcoal will also absorb the nutrients in your system.” It’s like when you delete that old Facebook album full of mems of your ex. It cleanses you of all his shit, but you are also losing a lot of fun pics and things you still want to remember.
The concerns regarding activated charcoal get even more intense when you add medications to the mix, specifically birth control. Because the initial purpose of activated charcoal was to “prevent absorption of medications or drugs in order to prevent toxicity,” activated charcoal is likely to also bind with medicines like your birth control pill and reduce it’s effectiveness, according to gynecologist Alyssa Dweck, MD, in an interview with Business Insider.
So, yes, your Insta-black, activated charcoal cocktail might be gorgeous, but it could also be “called the See Ya in Nine Months” based on how much it impairs the efficacy of your birth control pill. Idk about you, but I’d rather not get pregnant than have a hip black drink.
Keep in mind, birth control that is not ingested like an IUD, the patch, NuvaRing, a shot or an implant are not affected.
What Can Ya Do?
You’re gonna have to be careful. Even activated charcoal producers acknowledge that you should wait two hours after consuming activated charcoal before taking any of your other prescription medications.
Birth control is not the only drug impacted by your new activated charcoal habit, everything from aspirin to your cold medication may be absorbed differently. Like with birth control, you’re probably going to want to wait at least two hours before taking your prescription after using activated charcoal.
Luckily, a couple bites of charcoal ice cream or a small latte probably aren’t going to cause you any issues. It’s more likely to cause problems when you have big doses, like those found in supplements.
I’m not saying that you should swear off your activated charcoal habit just yet, but you need to be careful with this shit: Consume it in moderation and wait before taking your meds. It’s all fun and aesthetic until it impacts your medication absorption, and no one wants to deal with some faulty birth control.