Activated charcoal is made by rapidly burning or charring of carbon-rich substance and the byproduct mixed with some active agents to increase its absorption capacity. One of the basic things that should be handy in your house is activated charcoal. Aside from the fact that activated charcoal is a major ingredient in common things like toothpaste (for teeth whitening), baking ingredients, some skin care products (to remove blemishes), and many others, it is also very important for treating poisoning or drug overdose when orally ingested. Let us know more detail about ‘Where Can I Buy Activated Charcoal?’.
Where Can I Buy Activated Charcoal?
Activated charcoal can be bought at any major grocery store like Walmart, Target, Kroger, Safeway, and Whole Foods. You can even simply order it online. However, before you make a purchase, there are a few things you should know about activated charcoal, the forms in which it is sold, brand names under which it can be sold, and lots more. Take a quick peek at the rest of the article!
Brand names of activated charcoal
One of the things that may make it difficult to get activated charcoal in grocery stores is that they usually don’t come with the label ‘activated charcoal’. If they came with such labels, wouldn’t life be easy? So, except you know the exact brand name you want to get, you may grow tired of going through everything on the counter at your nearest grocery stores.
But we have good news. We have compiled a list of some of the brand names you are likely to come across at your local grocery store for activated charcoal. So, the next time you go to your grocery store in search of activated charcoal, check out the following brand names –
- Actidose-Aqua
- Aqueous Charcodote Adult
- Charcoal (activated)
- Diarrest
- Di-Gon II
- Charcodote Tfs
- Charcodote Tfs Pediatric
- Donnagel
- EZ-Char
- Aqueous Charcodote Pediatric
- Kaodene NN
- Kaolinpec
- CharcoalAid
- Charcodote
- Charcodote Pediatric
- Kaopectate
- Liqui-char
- Superchar
- Kaopek
- Kerr Insta-Char
This list is not exhaustive, but it sure gives you an idea of what to look for in the grocery store.
Forms in which activated charcoal is sold
Another important thing to be aware of is that activated charcoal is sold in about three forms – capsule or tablets, suspension, or powder for suspension. The tablets or capsules come with a prescription on the milligram each capsule contains and the dosage to be taken for children and adults. The same applies to the suspension. However, the powder for making suspension comes with a description of how much powder is to be dissolved in a prescribed volume of water before use.
When to use activated charcoal?
Now that you know where to get activated charcoal and what to look out for on the shelves, there are some things you should take note of about activated charcoal.
- Activated charcoal is used to neutralize poisons and even treat drug overdose. WebMD also reported that activated charcoal is used for the treatment of cholestasis in pregnant women, to prevent a hangover or gas, or reduce cholesterol.
- In combination with other active agents, activated charcoal is sometimes used to treat chronic cases of poisoning except for poisoning from cyanide, iron, lithium, or alcohol.
- Before you use activated charcoal to treat poisoning, contact your local poison control center; especially if you are not sure you should use it.
- Activated charcoal can also be used to treat contaminated water because it is contained in most water filtration systems to remove poisonous contaminations. This is because it is an inert substance and is expected to not react with many of these contaminations, rather, it acts to absorb them.
Precautions to take when using activated charcoal
It is important to be sure you are not currently taking a drug that has been recorded to have counterindications with activated charcoal before you take it. Some of these are acetylcysteine, acetylcysteine (antidote), citalopram, digoxin, dyphylline, methotrexate, theophylline, acarbose, leflunomide, and miglitol. So, if you find that any of these drugs was recommended for you, you should contact your doctor or pharmacist before you ingest activated charcoal.
Conclusion
Apart from sodium bicarbonate, activated charcoal is probably one of the most important components that should be present in your drug cabinet. This is because it is very handy when there has been a case of poisoning or drug overdose. It can be administered if you know what to look out for before the paramedics arrive.
FAQ
- Can I buy activated charcoal without a prescription?
Activated charcoal is like any other drug and should normally be prescribed by a doctor. However, since it has been certified as a drug with little or no side effects, it is possible to buy it over the counter without a prior prescription from a doctor. Many grocery stores sell it too.
- How often can I use activated charcoal?
There have not been any short-term or long-term side effects of activated charcoal recorded. However, since it can interfere with normal body processes, it is advisable not to take it continually.
- Can children use activated charcoal?
Yes. Children can use activated charcoal but you must ensure to read the indications for children’s dosage from the instruction that comes with it before administration.
