Major interaction on record — check this product against your medications before combining. Check your meds →
Dietary supplement

Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Solaray

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

Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg is a dietary supplement by Solaray 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.

HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg by Solaray

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 derived from coconut shell. Activated charcoal works by binding to substances in your stomach and intestines.

There are no inactive ingredients listed.

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: Cleansing and digestive support.
  • We looked for evidence on: Flatulence, Dyspepsia, Poisoning, Gas and bloating, Detoxification, General cleansing.
  • 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 possibly effective for poisoning. For other uses listed here — including high blood phosphate levels, wound healing, indigestion, hangover, and high cholesterol — the evidence isn't strong enough to rate.

If you're considering this product for any of those conditions, talk with your pharmacist or doctor about what the research 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 constipation is the most common side effect and can be bothersome. You may also notice black stools, bloating, abdominal pain, or gas.

Rarely, it can cause a blockage in your intestines. Because activated charcoal reduces how well many other things are absorbed, it can interfere with nutrient intake and medication effectiveness — another reason to space it well away from your drugs.

There isn't much safety data for routine, long-term use or in pregnancy. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, the data rates it as possibly safe, but that's not a green light — talk with your doctor or pharmacist before using it.

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 product, double-check any oral medications you take regularly with your pharmacist — activated charcoal can reduce how much your body absorbs. If you take oral contraceptives, be aware charcoal may lower their effectiveness.

Also avoid taking charcoal at the same time as alcohol, since alcohol reduces how well the charcoal works.

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 may be worth considering if you've been advised to take it for poisoning or under medical guidance for another specific reason. But because it interacts with over 2,000 medications and reduces absorption of many drugs, you really need to check your exact prescriptions and supplements with your pharmacist first — and ideally get personalized advice before starting.

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 25, 2025.

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 Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand Solaray
Barcode (UPC) 076280426083
Net contents 5.3 Ounce(s); 150 Gram(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Mar 25, 2025
DSLD ID 325903
Product type Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Supplement form Powder
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Vegan, Vegetarian, Adult (18 - 50 Years), 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 Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg by Solaray, 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:
500 mg
Maximum serving Sizes:
500 mg
Servings per container
300
UPC/BARCODE
076280426083
IngredientAmount% DV
Activated Charcoal500 mg--

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.
Brand IP Statement(s)

Solaray Est. 1973 A Brighter Way 1973

Formulation

Cleansing

Vegan

Non GMO Project Verified nongmoproject.org

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Seals/Symbols

Lab Verified Vegan Non GMO Project Verified nongmoproject.org

General Statements

Since 1973, we've scoured the globe for the highest quality ingredients, connecting you with the most efficacious supplements that help you live brighter & embrace the moments that matter most.

Precautions

Warning: Do not use if safety seal is broken of missing.

Keep out of reach of children.

Keep your licensed health care practitioner informed when using this product. A darkening of the stool may result from this product.

This product is highly absorbent and may reduce the effectiveness of some medications or nutritional supplements.

California Residents Only Warning: Reproductive Harm - www.P65Warnings.ca.gov

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Directions: Use only as directed. Take 500 mg (approximately 1/4 rounded teaspoon) with a glass of water. Take between meals.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

Packaged by weight, not volume. Some settling of contents may occur.

Formula

Discussion: Activated Charcoal is a fine powder that dates back to 400 BCE., where it was used to purify water. Charcoal may support total body cleansing due to its highly adsorptive properties.

FDA Disclaimer Statement

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

See for yourself

Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg by Solaray label

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

What’s inside

The Ingredients in Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg by Solaray

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

Serving size500 mg Dosage formPowder Servings per container300 Amounts shown are per serving.

Activated Charcoal

Interacts with
2,027 drugs
500 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...

Activated Charcoal monograph & interactions
Interaction report

Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg by Solaray Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 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 Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 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.

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
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg, from the product label.

Solaray

See all Solaray products
Name
Nutraceutical Corp.
Web Address
www.nutraceutical.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg by Solaray: Common Questions

Does Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg by Solaray interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 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 Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 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.
Can I take activated charcoal with my other medications?
Not without checking first. Activated charcoal binds to many drugs and can reduce how much your body absorbs them, making those medications less effective. Use the interaction checker on this page for your exact medications, and talk with your pharmacist before starting.
Will this help with a hangover?
The evidence isn't strong enough to say. Hangover is listed as having insufficient reliable evidence for activated charcoal.
Is it safe to take during pregnancy?
The data rates activated charcoal as possibly safe in pregnancy, but there isn't much research on it. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for personalized advice — don't decide on your own.
What are the side effects?
Most common are constipation, black stools, bloating, abdominal pain, and gas. Constipation is usually temporary. Rarely, it can cause a blockage in your intestines, so let your doctor know if you have severe abdominal pain or can't have a bowel movement.
Can I take this with oral contraceptives?
Activated charcoal may reduce how well birth control pills work and increase the risk of pregnancy. Talk with your doctor about whether this is safe for you, and consider spacing the doses apart if they clear it.

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

Not sure if Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 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 Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 mg’s Ingredients

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

Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Activated Coconut Shell Charcoal Powder 500 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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