Activated carbon for flatulence - dosage and how to take

How it helps

Activated carbon is a strong natural sorbent that has detoxifying and antidiarrheal properties. The product stops the absorption of poisonous and toxic elements that enter the body with medications and food products, and speeds up their elimination from the body. In addition, activated carbon perfectly absorbs gases due to its porous surface.

Coal, which is intended for medical purposes, is a microporous element obtained during the processing of charcoal or coal coke. Coal, which has undergone special processing, is determined by its absorbent qualities, does not irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive tract and helps to get rid of intoxication of the body and other unpleasant symptoms that accompany diseases of the digestive system.

Coal with increased gas formation has an absorbent surface. Therapy with this remedy includes detoxification and enterosorbing actions. The drug is considered an antidote. It simply adsorbs toxins from the body before they are absorbed. For this reason, charcoal should be taken immediately after the first symptoms appear.

Activated carbon has a good effect during gas formation. The product absorbs excess gases into the porous surface. Excess air comes out through the intestines or belching. The drug does not cause any harm at all, it is not absorbed into the blood and does not develop side effects. For this reason, the main effect of the drug occurs in the intestinal tract.

What to take for bloating: folk remedies

If bloating is not a regular problem, but a one-time problem, then you can get rid of it with the help of traditional medicine. For example, dill is considered an effective remedy. A decoction prepared from its seeds copes well with increased gas formation. You can also use dill, but it is considered to be less effective.

What to take for bloating in the abdomen and intestines? Decoctions of mint and thyme and parsley seeds also help well. For flatulence, you can drink an infusion of chamomile. Millet is another effective remedy. It needs to be poured with a glass of boiling water, soaked until milky water appears and drunk before meals. Folk remedies can also be taken by children. For example, when babies have bloating, they can be given a little dill water. However, if after taking a decoction or infusion your health does not improve, then you should seek help from a specialist.

When to use activated carbon

Due to the fact that this medication is considered an excellent sorbent, it is used for any diseases of the digestive system that are accompanied by increased formation of gases. Therapy of flatulence with charcoal is possible due to the focus of its effect, which consists of binding and eliminating gases and toxins from the body.

The most common disorders that are accompanied by the accumulation of gases in the intestinal tract are:

Dysbacteriosis. With such a disease, coal helps rid the body of many pathogenic bacteria that are located in the human gastrointestinal tract and give the gases a foul aroma due to their activity.
Chronic course of pancreatitis. This disease is always a factor for excess gas formation, it causes powerful flatulence after eating food, so you need to use the tablets 30 minutes before meals.
IBS. With this disorder, charcoal removes gases that have accumulated in the human intestinal tract due to bowel problems (constipation or diarrhea).
The inflammatory process of the lining of a healthy intestinal tract can cause gas formation, which is often accompanied by diarrhea or constipation.
Activated charcoal is used for bloating and when it is caused by a lack of enzymes that create intolerance to a certain nutritional component. In particular, this is lactose, which is found in dairy products.
Obstruction of the intestinal tract due to the formation of a tumor there or the growth of polyps, which are a mechanical barrier to the removal of gases.

Many people mistakenly believe that the use of cheap coal for gas formation is irrational, and they give preference to treatment with more expensive drugs. All doctors advise using activated carbon when such a delicate difficulty arises.

"Enterosgel"

What to take for bloating not in pills? The drug “Enterosgel”, produced in the form of a white paste, helps well against flatulence; it does not have a distinct odor. It is not absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract and is excreted unchanged from the body. Doctors prescribe the drug to adults and children for the treatment of acute poisoning and intestinal infections, dysbacteriosis, food allergies and gas formation. The medicine also receives mostly positive reviews. Patients note that the form is convenient to take and is effective. Relief after taking it occurs almost instantly.

Take the paste 1-2 hours before a full meal or other medications. Before use, it can be diluted in a small amount of water. It is also recommended to take the medicine with liquid. To get rid of flatulence, you need to take 1 tablespoon of the drug 3 times a day. For children, the dosage should be reduced to 1 teaspoon of paste. You also need to take it 3 times a day. The course of treatment can vary from 3 to 10 days. Repeated appointments are carried out only under the supervision of a specialist.

Dosage

For flatulence and dyspeptic disorders, the drug is used 3-4 times a day, 250-750 mg for 3-7 days. One tablet contains 250 mg. It should be consumed an hour before meals every day. Precise dosing provides a noticeable effect gradually. The therapy has a gentle effect. In this version, the remedy does not overload the body and does not create secondary consequences.

The product should be used with short breaks. The maximum course must be no more than 7 days. Next, there is a break, which should be 5-7 days. In the opposite case, hypovitaminosis can be traced in a person. In this case, you will need to additionally take various complex vitamins. In addition to drug therapy, you need to pay attention to physical activity and selected nutrition.

The drug must be crushed before use. The resulting carbon powder must be diluted in distilled water. This type of therapy has better absorption. If the absorption of the tablet is poor, it is possible not to crush it, but to chew it and drink it with warm water. Currently, coal is produced in gelatin capsules. This form of coal acts much more slowly. For such a medicine, it takes time for the gelatin to dissolve. For this reason, the action will not be rapid, but slow.

The maximum dosage for one person should be no more than 3-4 tablets (that is, 250-750 mg). Signs of overdose include dehydration and exhaustion. At the same time, the absorption of vitamins and nutrients is impaired. A person may feel weakness, concentration, weight loss. There is a constant desire to sleep.

Note! If signs of overdose occur, use of the drug must be discontinued.

Action

This preparation contains finely porous carbon. This structure ensures effective adsorption.

Coal also has catalytic properties. Therefore, this medicine will help with the following conditions:

poisoning from spoiled food;
intoxication, including alcohol;
pain in the abdominal area;
increased gas formation in the stomach and intestines.

The porous surface of the tablet easily absorbs the poison. If you drink the drug at the first symptoms of poisoning, the toxin stops penetrating into the circulatory system. At the same time, the person’s condition noticeably improves.

We must remember that the remedy will not have an effect in such cases as:

severe nausea and repeated vomiting;
unpleasant and sharp belching, especially rotten;
heartburn;
alternating diarrhea and constipation;
lethargy;
fatigue.

All this suggests that the human body is infected with parasites. In this case, it is not necessary to take activated carbon, but special anthelmintic treatment.

Interesting! The appearance of flatulence in adults, causes and methods of treatment

How to use

Many pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract are considered indications for the use of enterosorbent. These include food poisoning, alcohol intoxication, and medication overdose. The product is used to eliminate side effects during antibiotic therapy, to eliminate toxic elements, heavy metal salts, allergens and other harmful components.

As part of complex treatment, charcoal is prescribed for the treatment of many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which are accompanied by flatulence and bloating (cholecystitis, pancreatitis, gastritis, hepatitis, colitis), as well as in situations where such a symptom is provoked by the physiological reasons listed above .

The use of this remedy alleviates the condition of alcohol withdrawal, allergies, metabolic disorders, as well as during radiation treatment and chemotherapy. To reduce the formation of gases in the intestinal tract, charcoal intake is prescribed before endoscopic and x-ray procedures.

Does the drug help with bloating?

Activated carbon, obtained by processing carbon-containing resources of organic origin (coal coke, charcoal, coconut shells, etc.), is one of the natural enterosorbents with antidiarrheal and detoxifying effects.

By preventing the absorption of poisons and toxins that enter the patient’s body along with food and medications, activated carbon preparations significantly accelerate the process of their elimination along with feces.

In addition, the porous surface of activated carbon, subjected to special treatment, allows it to adsorb (absorb) and retain most of the intestinal gases on its surface.

Activated carbon preparations, which do not irritate the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, help to quickly eliminate the consequences of intoxication of the human body, as well as relieve most of the clinical symptoms that accompany the course of many diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Bloating, caused by excessive accumulation of intestinal gases in the abdominal cavity, is always accompanied by:

the occurrence of belching and heartburn;
loud rumbling sounds in the stomach;
constant release (through the anus) of excess unpleasant-smelling gases accumulating in the intestines.

All these unpleasant symptoms can be eliminated within a short period of time by taking activated carbon preparations. This finely porous sorbent can cope with flatulence and bloating in cases where the culprits are physiological causes, represented by:

Tendency to overeat. Too much food eaten loads the organs of the gastrointestinal tract to such an extent that they cease to cope with their functions, activating the processes of rotting and fermentation in the intestines, an indispensable companion of which is the increased release of intestinal gases.
Errors in diet. Flatulence and bloating can occur due to the consumption of a number of foods that can enhance fermentation processes in the intestines. This category includes: fruits, legumes (represented by lentils, peas and beans), bread made from rye flour, products containing large amounts of coarse plant fibers (cauliflower, broccoli, buckwheat, mushrooms, seeds and nuts). The same effect can be observed with excessive consumption of beer, soda or kvass.
Incorrect behavior during meals (hasty absorption of food or the habit of talking during a meal), which provokes the swallowing of air. Once in the intestines, in search of a way out, it becomes the culprit of bloating and extremely unpleasant belching.
Eating foods containing large amounts of starch and fiber. In people suffering from lactose intolerance, consumption of fermented milk products and whole milk can provoke the onset of excess gas formation.
The entry of alkaline substances (most often baking soda, taken to relieve heartburn) into the acidic gastric environment, which is fraught with the occurrence of a violent reaction, accompanied by copious release of digestive gases.

If flatulence and bloating were caused by serious diseases of the digestive tract (such as gastritis, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic pancreatitis), the help of activated carbon alone will not be enough.

In this case, to solve the problem, you will need complex treatment, involving the use of a number of medications and a variety of therapeutic methods (depending on the complexity of the pathology).

Instructions

Flatulence, caused by excess gas inside the digestive system, causes bloating and other unpleasant symptoms. Therefore, the use of coal, which absorbs gases, allows you to normalize your well-being and eliminate unpleasant feelings.

To achieve a good effect, you need to figure out how to take charcoal if you have flatulence. It is required to accurately calculate the dosage of the product. If the dose is small, it will not be possible to relieve bloating. As a rule, the dosage when consuming coal must be calculated taking into account the person’s body weight.

The drug should be used at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. If body weight is 73 kg, then the dose is rounded up. It turns out that you need to consume 8 tablets of coal.

This dosage must be taken three times a day for 3 days. Longer use of the drug is not recommended. Before using the medicine, it is best to get advice from a doctor who will help you calculate the dosage and tell you how to drink charcoal when you have gas.

Therapy should be short-term; otherwise, with prolonged use of charcoal, along with toxins, it will also remove beneficial elements that guarantee balance in the microflora of the digestive system. Because of this, dysbacteriosis or a lack of vitamins is formed. When there is a need for longer-term treatment, the doctor additionally prescribes vitamin complexes.

Before using coal, you need to grind it, pour the powder into a small amount of cold boiled water, mix and drink immediately. In this form, the drug provides maximum absorption effect. You need to use charcoal one and a half hours before eating.

"Espumizan"

If you don’t know what to take for bloating, you can pay attention to Espumisan. It is produced in capsules and emulsions and belongs to the group of antifoam drugs. Its active substance is excreted from the body unchanged. Reviews of Espumisan most often receive positive ones. Patients like the effectiveness, lack of side effects and pleasant taste of the drug. The emulsion is very convenient to give to children. However, some people complain that the medicine did not help them.

Both adults and children can take Espumisan. It is consumed before or after meals. Sometimes, if necessary, you can take the medicine before bed. The emulsion is usually prescribed to children. The dosage of the drug should be chosen by the attending physician. As a rule, he prescribes 1-2 teaspoons or capsules of the medicine 3-5 times a day.

Activated carbon during pregnancy

Pregnancy inevitably causes compression of the intestinal tract due to the enlarged uterus. Gases accumulate in the intestines, and fermentation and putrefactive processes often form. For this reason, a woman may complain of flatulence.

It is necessary to highlight the fact that the use of any medications during pregnancy is undesirable. Activated carbon often causes constipation, which leads to increased uterine tone. The use of the sorbent is allowed only after prescription by a gynecologist. In this case, you must follow the recommended dose:

It is necessary to adjust the size of the medication by subtracting the weight of the woman, fetus and amniotic fluid from the total mass.
Next, use the usual calculation scheme. But it is worth remembering that you need to reduce the number of tablets that are taken at a time by 1 piece. For example, if a pregnant woman’s body weight is 69 kg, then according to the instructions you need to drink 7 tablets of coal. One tablet must be subtracted from this amount.

If your stomach is constantly swollen and activated charcoal does not eliminate the symptoms within 3 days, then you cannot increase the frequency of use or the number of tablets. It is necessary to consult a gynecologist.

Can pregnant women take the medicine?

The question of the possibility of using activated carbon preparations during pregnancy requires a separate discussion, since up to 75% of expectant mothers face the problem of bloating caused by increased gas formation, both in the early and late stages of pregnancy.

In the early stages

Abdominal bloating, caused by excess formation of intestinal gases, is one of the characteristic symptoms that occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy.

The cause of flatulence at this stage is hormonal changes in the body of the expectant mother, as a result of which the smooth muscles of all internal organs (including the intestines) lose their tone. As a result, intestinal peristalsis slows down, provoking a significant decrease in the rate of movement of food and feces through its various sections.
Excessive gas formation in the first trimester of pregnancy may be due to a significant decrease in the level of enzymes produced by the pancreas, observed in connection with hormonal changes in the mother's body, as well as a radical change in the taste preferences of a pregnant woman.

In the later stages

Flatulence that occurs during the last trimester of pregnancy is most often due to the fact that the steadily growing uterus, which displaces and compresses the intestines and adjacent internal organs, significantly impairs the movement of food and feces through the loops of the small and large intestines, giving impetus to the activation of fermentation processes accompanied by increased gas formation.

Flatulence in late pregnancy can provoke uterine hypertonicity, which can lead to premature birth, so the expectant mother should constantly monitor her condition, and if alarming symptoms appear, immediately contact a specialist managing the pregnancy.

Activated carbon is one of the medications approved for use during pregnancy, since it is completely safe for the health of both the expectant mother and her baby.

When determining the dosage of activated carbon for flatulence in a pregnant woman, first calculate the total number of tablets based on the standard calculation (one tablet for every 10 kg of body weight), after which one tablet is subtracted from the resulting number, since the weight of the gestating fetus and amniotic fluid does not taken into account.

In other words: if a pregnant woman weighs 70 kg, with increased gas formation during the day, she should take six (7-1) tablets of activated carbon, dividing them into three doses.

If after three days of taking charcoal tablets a pregnant woman’s condition has not improved and she continues to complain of bloating, she needs to consult a doctor.