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Dietary supplement

Activated Charcoal Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Herbally Grounded

Activated Charcoal label
See full label image
Capsule Category: Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Most serious interaction: Major
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 16, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Activated Charcoal against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Major

Activated Charcoal is a dietary supplement by Herbally Grounded 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 Activated Charcoal. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

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Check Your Meds Against Activated Charcoal by Herbally Grounded

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Activated Charcoal by Herbally Grounded — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Activated Charcoal by Herbally Grounded

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

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Jul 11, 2026

What’s inside

Low disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Low

Most active ingredients don't disclose an individual amount — you can't tell how much of each you're getting.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 0 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • “Proprietary Blend” is a proprietary blend — the label gives one combined amount (600 mg) without saying how much of each component you get.

This product contains one active ingredient: activated charcoal. Activated charcoal is a processed form of charcoal that has a porous structure, which allows it to bind to various substances in your digestive tract.

The capsule also contains cellulose as an inactive ingredient.

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: digestive health and toxin elimination.
  • We looked for evidence on: Flatulence, Dyspepsia, Poisoning, bloating, gas, intestinal health.
  • 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.

Activated charcoal is rated possibly effective for poisoning. For other uses — including high phosphate levels (hyperphosphatemia), wound healing, indigestion (dyspepsia), hangover relief, and high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia) — there isn't enough reliable evidence in the data we hold to say whether it works or not.

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 can cause constipation, which is the most common complaint. Other side effects include black stools, abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.

Rarely, it may cause a blockage in your digestive tract. Safety data for routine use in pregnancy is limited, so if you're pregnant, use this product only under your doctor's guidance.

Because this supplement hasn't been studied much for everyday use, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before you start.

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 you take this product, check your medications using the tool on this page. Activated charcoal interacts with oral drugs (Major severity) — a very large category that includes pain relievers, heart medications, antibiotics, and seizure medications.

It also reduces how well oral contraceptives work (Moderate severity), and alcohol weakens its binding action (Moderate severity).

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFormula with limited ingredient disclosure with some supporting evidence for its stated purpose. Major medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

Activated charcoal is used mainly for poisoning, but it binds to many medications and can make them less effective — including oral contraceptives. If you take any prescription or over-the-counter drugs, check them against this product's interactions before you use it.

Talk to your pharmacist if you're not sure whether it's right for you.

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 Aug 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, straight from the product label.

Brand Herbally Grounded
Barcode (UPC) 718122293629
Net contents 100 Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Aug 22, 2024
DSLD ID 318494
Product type Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years)
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 by Herbally Grounded, 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:
2 Capsule(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
2 Capsule(s)
Servings per container
50
UPC/BARCODE
718122293629
IngredientAmount% DV
Proprietary Blend600 mg--
Activated Charcoal0 NP--

Other ingredients: Cellulose

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.
Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Recommended Use: Take 2 capsules 2-3 times a day as needed.

Formulation

Known to assist to assist the body with toxin response and elimination. Assists with the symptoms associated with bloating and gas Encourages a healthy intestinal tract

Vegetarian

FDA Statement of Identity

Herbal Supplement

Formula

Activated Coconut Charcoal is produced from coconut shells by a chemical free steam activation process.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

The statements on this label have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Seals/Symbols

Vegetarian GMP Certified High-Quality Products

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Activated Charcoal by Herbally Grounded label

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

Activated Charcoal label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Activated Charcoal by Herbally Grounded

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

Serving size2 Capsule(s) Dosage formCapsule Servings per container50 Amounts shown are per serving.

Proprietary Blend

600 mg per serving

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

Interaction report

Activated Charcoal by Herbally Grounded Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Activated Charcoal?

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

Activated Charcoal 2,027

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Activated Charcoal interact with 2,027 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 1 ingredient in Activated Charcoal interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Activated Charcoal

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Activated Charcoal 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.

Activated Charcoal3 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
Activated Charcoal full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

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

Herbally Grounded

See all Herbally Grounded products
Name
Herbally Grounded
City
Las Vegas
State
NV
ZipCode
89102
Phone Number
1.866.676.1410
Web Address
www.herballygrounded.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Activated Charcoal by Herbally Grounded: Common Questions

Does Activated Charcoal by Herbally Grounded interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Activated Charcoal 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 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 make my birth control less effective?
Yes, it may. Activated charcoal can bind to oral contraceptive hormones and reduce how much your body absorbs, which could increase your risk of an unintended pregnancy. If you use birth control pills, talk with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product.
What are the most common side effects?
The most common side effects are constipation, black stools, abdominal pain, bloating, and gas. Constipation is the complaint we hear most often, but it usually goes away on its own.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant?
The safety data isn't clear enough to say yes or no. The rating is possibly safe, but it hasn't been well studied for routine use in pregnancy. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before you use it if you're pregnant.
What is activated charcoal actually used for?
It's rated possibly effective for poisoning. For other uses like indigestion, high cholesterol, or hangover relief, there isn't enough reliable evidence in our data to say whether it works.
Will alcohol make this product work less well?
Yes. Alcohol can lower the binding power of activated charcoal, so it may not work as well if you drink alcohol at the same time.
Can this product interfere with my medications?
It can. Activated charcoal binds to many drugs and can reduce how much your body absorbs them, which may make those drugs less effective. Use the medication checker on this page to look up your specific medications before you take it.

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

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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 label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Activated Charcoal’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Herb & supplement monograph

Activated Charcoal

Interacts with 2,027 drugs

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 and overdoses. For everyday uses like g...

Read the full Activated Charcoal monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Activated Charcoal'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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