It's unfortunate that charcoal can be harmful to your health, especially if you're already ill to begin with! Use your best judgement when you have to decide whether to use charcoal tablets or not. Read through the dangers below and make a decision that's best for you.

If you have seen charcoal tablets sold in health food shops or pharmacies, you may have wondered how safe this product is for human consumption.

Drug Interactions

Charcoal not only binds to various dangerous chemicals and helping pass them pass through the system, it also binds to various prescription drugs and supplements, reducing their effectiveness.

Digestion

Ingesting charcoal tablets can lead to various gastrointestinal side effects. Reported side effects include nausea, vomiting, constipation and bowel obstruction.

Nutrition

Consumers should take charcoal tablets well away from meals to reduce the risk of charcoal binding to vitamins and minerals, reducing their absorption in the gut.

If you suffer from liver or kidney disease, speak with your health care provider before taking charcoal tablets.

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

There is no evidence whether charcoal has any effect upon an unborn fetus, or if it passes through breast milk.

After reading through the dangers listed on eHow, will you be bringing charcoal tablets with you to have for a crisis moment? It's nice being self-sufficient and charcoal contributes to that.

Continue to educate yourself more about the benefits and risks and make a well-informed decision during an emergency situation.