Does taking activated charcoal orally produce any harmful side effects?
Charcoal is neither digested nor absorbed in the gastro-intestinal tract. As such there are no known adverse side effects to the use of activated charcoal. Taking activated charcoal orally will naturally turn the stool black. For those who have a predisposition to constipation, taking activated charcoal can have a binding affect if the patient does not drink sufficient fluids. For others, charcoal may work as a laxative.
