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Dietary supplement

Activated Charcoal 780 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Nature's Truth

Capsule Category: Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Most serious interaction: Major
The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Major

Activated Charcoal 780 mg is a dietary supplement by Nature's Truth with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for poisoning and drug overdose (in emergency care), gas and bloating, upset stomach.Based on those ingredients, 2,027 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated major. The ingredients most likely to interact are Charcoal, Activated. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Activated Charcoal 780 mg by Nature's Truth

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • No proprietary blends here — you can verify the dose of every single component.

This product contains one active ingredient: activated charcoal at 780 mg per capsule. Activated charcoal is a form of carbon that's been treated to make it very porous, which allows it to bind to substances in your digestive tract.

The capsules also contain gelatin and magnesium stearate as inactive ingredients (the gelatin forms the capsule shell, and magnesium stearate helps with manufacturing).

Does it work?

Moderate evidence
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Moderate

Some clinical evidence supports this product's ingredients for its stated purpose, but it isn't conclusive.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: Potent absorbent properties.
  • We looked for evidence on: Poisoning, Flatulence, Dyspepsia, gas, bloating, upset stomach.
  • The strongest evidence on file: Activated Charcoal is rated "Possibly Effective" for Poisoning (Natural Medicines).
  • Also on file: Activated Charcoal is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Dyspepsia, Flatulence.

The evidence for activated charcoal is mixed. It's possibly effective for poisoning — it's been used to help prevent absorption of certain toxins when someone's been exposed.

For other uses like high cholesterol, wound healing, indigestion, hangover relief, and elevated blood phosphate levels, there isn't enough reliable evidence to know whether it works. If you're considering it for a specific health concern beyond poisoning, talk with your pharmacist about what the science actually supports.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Activated Charcoal

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Activated charcoal is generally well tolerated for short-term use, but it does come with some digestive side effects. Constipation is the most common complaint and is usually temporary.

You may also notice black stools, belly pain, bloating, or gas. Rarely, it can cause gastrointestinal obstruction.

Because activated charcoal also reduces how well other things are absorbed — not just drugs but nutrients and other substances — using it regularly or long-term requires medical guidance. For pregnancy and breastfeeding, the safety data isn't well established.

The available information suggests it may be possibly safe, but there's limited study of routine use in pregnancy. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this if you're pregnant or nursing.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Activated Charcoal

Meds to double-check

Major interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Major identified

At least one ingredient has a documented Major-severity interaction. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Activated Charcoal.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Major.
  • For scale: 2,028 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking this, double-check any oral medications you're on — activated charcoal can reduce how well they work, and there are over 2,000 medications affected. If you take birth control pills, activated charcoal may lower their effectiveness.

Avoid taking this with alcohol, as it reduces how well the charcoal works. Use the medication checker on this page with your exact drugs before you start.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with some supporting evidence for its stated purpose. Major medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Activated charcoal can be useful in poisoning situations, but because it interferes with so many medications, you need to check your prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs before you start. If you take oral contraceptives, this is especially important.

Short-term use is generally okay, but be ready for constipation or other digestive effects. Talk with your pharmacist about your specific situation.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Mar 22, 2024.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Activated Charcoal 780 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand Nature's Truth
Barcode (UPC) 840093109804
Net contents 150 Quick Release Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Mar 22, 2024
DSLD ID 306617
Product type Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other
Intended target group(s) Adult (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free, Dairy Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Activated Charcoal 780 mg by Nature's Truth, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
3 Quick Release Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
3 Quick Release Capsule(s)
Servings per container
50
UPC/BARCODE
840093109804
IngredientAmount% DV
Charcoal, Activated780 mg--

Other ingredients: Gelatin, Magnesium Stearate

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
General Statements

100% Quality Satisfaction Guarantee Vitamins Value Size!

Formulation

Gluten Free Non GMO

Potent Absorbent Properties

No gluten, wheat, yeast, milk, lactose, soy, artificial color, artificial flavor, artificial sweetener, preservatives. Non GMO Our non-GMO pledge, Visit our website.

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Formula

Premium coconut Activated Charcoal 780 mg per serving

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions: For adults, take three (3) quick release capsules after meals. Do not exceed six (6) quick release capsules daily. As a reminder, discuss the supplements and medications you take with your health care providers.

Precautions

Warning: If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medications or have any medical condition, consult your doctor before use.

If any adverse reactions occur, immediately stop using this product and consult your doctor. If seal under cap is damaged or missing, do not use.

Keep out of reach of children.

Any medication should be taken one (1) hour prior to consuming this product.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

Brand IP Statement(s)

Copyright 2021 Nature's Truth LLC

See for yourself

Activated Charcoal 780 mg by Nature's Truth label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Activated Charcoal 780 mg by Nature's Truth

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size3 Quick Release Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container50 Amounts shown are per serving.

Charcoal, Activated

Interacts with
2,027 drugs
780 mg per serving Form: Coconut

Activated charcoal is a highly porous form of carbon that can bind certain substances in the gut, and it is used in hospitals to treat some poisonings...

Charcoal, Activated monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Gelatin, Magnesium Stearate. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Activated Charcoal 780 mg by Nature's Truth Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Activated Charcoal 780 mg?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

Go to the checker
2,027Drugs
2,022 Major 5 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Activated Charcoal 780 mg with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

Charcoal, Activated3 drug types · 2,027 drugs

Oral Drugs

Activated charcoal reduces systemic exposure to many drugs, including those that undergo enterohepatic recirculation, regardless of the route of administration.
Activated charcoal adsorbs various drugs and may reduce their absorption and/or half-life. Examples of affected drugs include acetaminophen, aminophylline, amiodarone, atenolol, carbamazepine, dapsone, digoxin, disopyramide, fluoxetine, indomethacin, moxifloxacin, nadolol, phenytoin, phenobarbital, piroxicam, quinine, sotalol, theophylline, tricyclic antidepressants, valproate, and verapamil. Avoid co-administration, except after drug overdose.

Likelihood Probable Evidence B
Alcohol (Ethanol)

The binding action of activated charcoal may be reduced by alcohol.
Alcohol may lower the adsorptive capacity of activated charcoal.

Likelihood Probable Evidence D
Contraceptive Drugs

Activated charcoal may reduce the clinical effects of oral contraceptives.
Activated charcoal, taken in a dose of 5 grams four times daily for 3 days, may bind to, and reduce the absorption of, oral contraceptives, thereby limiting their effectiveness and increasing the risk of contraceptive failure. However, some clinical research shows that the risk for this interaction is minimal when activated charcoal is taken either 3 hours after or at least 12 hours before oral contraceptives.

Likelihood Possible Evidence B
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Activated Charcoal 780 mg, from the product label.

Nature's Truth

See all Nature's Truth products
Name
Nature's Truth LLC
City
Ronkonkoma
State
NY
ZipCode
11779
Phone Number
1-844-544-1030
Web Address
naturestruthproducts.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Activated Charcoal 780 mg by Nature's Truth: Common Questions

Does Activated Charcoal 780 mg by Nature's Truth interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Activated Charcoal 780 mg has a known interaction with 2,027 medications, including 2022 rated major. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Activated Charcoal 780 mg contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Will activated charcoal interfere with my medications?
Very likely. Activated charcoal binds to many oral drugs in your digestive tract and can reduce how much your body absorbs. This could make your medications less effective. The search tool on this page lets you check your specific drugs — it's worth doing before you start.
Can I take this with my birth control?
That's a concern. Activated charcoal may reduce how well oral contraceptives work and increase your risk of contraceptive failure. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor about whether this is safe for you, or use the medication checker to verify your specific pill.
What side effects should I expect?
The most common ones are gastrointestinal — constipation (usually temporary), black stools, belly pain, bloating, and gas. Rarely, it can cause more serious issues like gastrointestinal obstruction. If you have severe or persistent symptoms, contact your doctor.
Is it safe to take activated charcoal if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
The safety data isn't well established. It may be possibly safe, but there's limited study of it during pregnancy and lactation. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking it if you're pregnant or nursing — they can give you personalized advice.
What is activated charcoal actually used for?
The evidence is strongest for poisoning situations, where it can help prevent absorption of certain toxins. For other uses like high cholesterol, wound healing, or hangover relief, there isn't enough reliable evidence to know whether it works.
Can I take this long-term?
Not without medical guidance. While it's generally low-risk for short-term use, activated charcoal reduces absorption of not just drugs but also nutrients and other substances. If you're thinking about using it regularly, check with your doctor or pharmacist first.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Activated Charcoal 780 mg is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Activated Charcoal 780 mg label
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Activated Charcoal 780 mg's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 14 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Activated Charcoal 14 references
  1. Kaaja RJ, Kontula KK, Raiha A, Laatikainen T. Treatment of cholestasis of pregnancy with peroral activated charcoal. A preliminary study. Scand J Gastroenterol 1994;29:178-81.
  2. Anon. Position statement and practice guidelines on the use of multi-dose activated charcoal in the treatment of acute poisoning. American Academy of Clinical Toxicology; European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists. J Toxicol Clin T
  3. Park GD, Spector R, Kitt TM. Superactivated charcoal versus cholestyramine for cholesterol lowering: a randomized cross-over trial. J Clin Pharmacol 1988;28:416-9. PubMed
  4. Hoegberg LC, Angelo HR, Christophersen AB, Christensen HR. Effect of ethanol and pH on the adsorption of acetaminophen (paracetamol) to high surface activated charcoal, in vitro studies. J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2002;40:59-67. PubMed
  5. Brahmi N, Kouraichi N, Thabet H, Amamou M. Influence of activated charcoal on the pharmacokinetics and the clinical features of carbamazepine poisoning. Am J Emerg Med 2006;24(4):440-3. PubMed
  6. Gude AB, Hoegberg LC, Angelo HR, Christensen HR. Dose-dependent adsorptive capacity of activated charcoal for gastrointestinal decontamination of a simulated paracetamol overdose in human volunteers. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2010;106(5)406-10. PubMed
  7. Wananukul W, Klaikleun S, Sriapha C, Tongpoo A. Effect of activated charcoal in reducing paracetamol absorption at supra-therapeutic dose. J Med Assoc Thai 2010;93(10):1145-9.
  8. Wang Z, Cui M, Tang L, et al. Oral activated charcoal suppresses hyperphosphataemia in haemodialysis patients. Nephrology (Carlton) 2012;17(7):616-20. PubMed
  9. Wang X, Mondal S, Wang J, et al. Effect of activated charcoal on apixaban pharmacokinetics in healthy subjects. Am J Cardiovasc Drugs 2014;14(2):147-54. PubMed
  10. Chyka PA, Seger D, Krenzelok EP, et al. Position paper: single-dose activated charcoal. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2005;43(2):61-87. PubMed
  11. Chiew AL, Gluud C, Brok J, Buckley NA. Interventions for paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018;2:CD003328. PubMed
  12. Elomaa K, Ranta S, Tuominen J, Lähteenmäki P. Charcoal treatment and risk of escape ovulation in oral contraceptive users. Hum Reprod. 2001;16(1):76-81. PubMed
  13. Gao Y, Wang G, Li Y, Lv C, Wang Z. Effects of oral activated charcoal on hyperphosphatemia and vascular calcification in Chinese patients with stage 3-4 chronic kidney disease. J Nephrol. 2019;32(2):265-72. PubMed
  14. Skov K, Graudal NA, Jürgens G. The effect of activated charcoal on drug exposure following intravenous administration: A meta-analysis. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol 2021;128(4):568-578. PubMed

See these in context on the Activated Charcoal monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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