Activated Charcoal for Mercury Poisoning: Benefits & Limitations

Activated charcoal is carbon that's processed to be extremely porous. With a tremendous surface area available in a very small volume, it is highly absorptive, including of mercury. Activated charcoal is not digested or absorbed when eaten, so it does not chelate (bind to and remove) mercury from the body beyond the gastrointestinal tract. The time when such ingestion is useful is right before and after getting mercury-silver tooth fillings replaced with ceramic fillings, to catch any mercury that accidentally goes down the esophagus. Mercury filling removal is important because mercury can accumulate in brain cells over time.

Instructions

• 1

  Purchase activated charcoal in tablet form at your local drug store. It is also easily found online.

• 2

  Take 5g 15 minutes before the filling-removal appointment to get ahead of any mercury to be ingested. (250mg tablets are a common size, 20 tablets of this size are needed to reach 5g.)

• 3

  Take another 5g after the appointment to mop up after any mercury that was ingested during the appointment.

• 4

  Chew on a tablet and spit it out to mop up any mercury left in your mouth.