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Dietary supplement

Charcoal Activated 560 mg Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by Nature's Way

Charcoal Activated 560 mg 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 Charcoal Activated 560 mg 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

Charcoal Activated 560 mg is a dietary supplement by Nature's Way 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. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

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Check Your Meds Against Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way

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

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 560 mg per capsule. Activated charcoal is a form of carbon that's been treated to make it extremely porous, which gives it a large surface area for binding to other substances.

The capsule itself is made from gelatin.

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: Bind unwanted materials and gas in digestive tract.
  • We looked for evidence on: Flatulence, Dyspepsia, Poisoning, Bloating, Gas, 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 rated possibly effective for poisoning (typically acute overdose situations).

For other uses—including high blood phosphate levels, wound healing, upset stomach, hangover, and high cholesterol—the evidence is insufficient to rate. We don't have strong data showing it works for those purposes from the facts on file.

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. The most common side effects are gastrointestinal: constipation (the most frequent complaint, though usually temporary), black stools, abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.

Rare but serious side effects include bowel obstruction and aspiration into the lungs. For long-term routine use, safety data is limited, so talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, charcoal is rated possibly safe, but it's not well studied for routine use in those settings—use only under medical guidance.

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, check your medications against the list on this page. The biggest concern is oral medications in general (Major severity)—charcoal can reduce their absorption and effectiveness.

Also double-check if you take birth control pills or drink alcohol regularly (both Moderate severity interactions). Because charcoal affects so many drugs, a quick check with your pharmacist is worth your time.

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 makes sense if you're dealing with acute poisoning or overdose under medical supervision. If you take any regular medications, especially birth control, talk with your pharmacist first—charcoal can interfere with how well they work.

Space doses at least 2 hours apart from your other drugs. Be ready for constipation and black stools.

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, 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 Charcoal Activated 560 mg, straight from the product label.

Brand Nature's Way
Barcode (UPC) 033674451717
Net contents 100 Capsule(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Aug 22, 2025
DSLD ID 333711
Product type Non-nutrient/non-botanical
Supplement form Capsule
Dietary claims / uses All Other, Structure/Function
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 Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way, 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
033674451717
IngredientAmount% DV
Charcoal560 mg--

Other ingredients: Gelatin

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.
Formulation

Binds unwanted materials & gas in the digestive tract Convenient mess-free capsules Activated charcoal is made from slowly burning coconut husks Works to bind gas generated from food Made with the quality you trust

Gluten free. No salt, wheat, corn, soy, dairy, or artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives.

Bottled and tested in the USA

Reduces occasional gas Plant powered

General Statements

Explore more products at naturesway.com

Bottle made from 50% post-consumer recycled plastic

Precautions

Keep out of reach of children.

Safety sealed with inner seal. Do not use if seal is broken or missing.

Do not exceed 6 capsules daily. Take only as directed. Not for ongoing daily use.

Caution: If you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any medications, consult a healthcare professional before use. Take at least two hours before or after taking medications or other dietary supplements as activated charcoal can affect their absorption.

This product may cause dark stool, which is not harmful.

Storage

Keep tightly closed. Store at room temperature. Avoid excessive heat and direct sunlight.

Brand IP Statement(s)

Copyright 2024 Nature’s Way Brands, LLC

FDA Disclaimer Statement

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

Formula

Activated Charcoal 560 mg per 2-capsule serving

FDA Statement of Identity

Dietary Supplement

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Recommendation: Adults take 2 capsules before or after meals as needed.

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

See for yourself

Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way label

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

Charcoal Activated 560 mg 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 Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way

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.

Charcoal

Interacts with
2,027 drugs
560 mg per serving

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 monograph & interactions

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

Interaction report

Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Charcoal Activated 560 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

Charcoal 2,027

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Charcoal Activated 560 mg interact with 2,027 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

1 of the 1 ingredient in Charcoal Activated 560 mg interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible. Charcoal

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Charcoal Activated 560 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.

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
Charcoal full monograph & interactions
The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Charcoal Activated 560 mg, from the product label.

Nature's Way

See all Nature's Way products
Name
Nature's Way Brands, LLC
City
Green Bay
State
WI
ZipCode
54311
Phone Number
1-800-962-8873
Web Address
naturesway.com
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way: Common Questions

Does Charcoal Activated 560 mg by Nature's Way interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Charcoal Activated 560 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?
Charcoal Activated 560 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 charcoal with my other medications?
Activated charcoal can interfere with many oral medications by reducing how much your body absorbs. The general rule is to take charcoal at least 2 hours away from other drugs. Use the medication checker on this page to see if your specific medications interact, and talk with your pharmacist before starting.
Will charcoal affect my birth control?
Yes, it may. Activated charcoal can reduce the absorption of oral contraceptives and increase the risk of contraceptive failure. If you take birth control pills, check with your pharmacist about whether you need to adjust timing or consider an alternative.
What are the side effects?
Most side effects are gastrointestinal. Constipation is the most common complaint, though usually temporary. You may also notice black stools, abdominal pain, bloating, or gas. Rarely, it can cause bowel obstruction, so watch for severe abdominal pain or inability to have a bowel movement.
Is activated charcoal effective for hangovers or upset stomach?
The evidence isn't strong enough to say. For both hangover and upset stomach, we have insufficient reliable evidence to rate whether it works from the data we hold.
Can I take it if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
Activated charcoal is rated possibly safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but it's not well studied for routine use. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist before starting—they can weigh the benefits and risks for your situation and give you personalized advice.
Why is there so much interaction data for charcoal?
Charcoal works by binding to substances in your digestive tract. That binding action is what makes it useful for some poisonings, but it can also bind to many medications and reduce how much your body absorbs them. That's why the interaction list is long and why timing your doses matters.

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

Not sure if Charcoal Activated 560 mg is safe with your meds?

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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.

Charcoal Activated 560 mg label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Charcoal Activated 560 mg’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

Charcoal Activated 560 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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