Activated charcoal tablets
This remedy is not only applicable for Crohn’s disease. Please continue reading at the end of the article to learn how this also applies to colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.
I’ll also introduce you to the protocols I like to use the most and we’ll talk a little about using bentonite clay as an alternative to activated carbon.
But first let’s look at Dr. Kenigsberg’s amazing experiment with rats and activated carbon on…
Testing charcoal as a Crohn’s remedy
By Jamie Talan, Staff Writer
A pill containing activated charcoal is being tested to treat Crohn’s disease in a clinical trial led largely by Dr. Kenneth Kenigsberg, a retired pediatric surgeon at North Shore University Hospital.
Kenigsberg, 76, likes to say that he has spent 45 years as a plumber navigating the complex terrain of the young human body and troubleshooting problems. Instead of retiring, he went to work in the laboratory at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, part of the North Shore University-Long Island Jewish Health System.
Three years ago, a lab colleague studying tubular cells in the liver noticed high levels of tumor necrosis factor, a protein produced by immune cells that target tumors and inflammation.
Kenigsberg used his “plumber” skills to help his colleague. He induced sepsis, a life-threatening infection, in a rat, inserted a tube into the liver and removed the bile, where he found an accumulation of the tumor necrosis factor TNF. He knew that the liver drains into the intestines and that too much TNF could be toxic. Then he came up with the idea of using charcoal. Charcoal is an ancient remedy for treating poisoning and absorbs toxins. He took rats and mice, made them septic and fed charcoal to half of his subjects. Those who were fed charcoal lived. The others died.
People with Crohn’s disease have high TNF levels when they are sick. The disease, which affects 500,000 Americans, is characterized by intestinal inflammation. It gets worse and goes into remission like other so-called autoimmune diseases. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, fatigue and vomiting.
Treatments for Crohn’s disease, which has no cure, include antibiotics and corticosteroids. The latest treatment is an expensive drug called Remicade, an antibody against TNF. The infusion is done every few months for $5,000 per treatment.
What if charcoal did the trick? Kenigsberg received permission to conduct a clinical trial from both his hospital and the Food and Drug Administration. He recruits patients over 18 years old who are in the active phase of the disease. He draws blood to test immune markers associated with Crohn’s disease. Then, after three weeks without treatment, patients take six charcoal tablets each morning and evening for three weeks.
January 20, 2006
Copyright 2006 Newsday Inc.
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This article is very interesting, but it is still a treatment aimed at relieving a symptom – not addressing the root cause. Why are TNF levels elevated in people with Crohn’s disease? Why does the body produce a substance that fights inflammation? Why is the intestines inflamed?
Again, the more I read and the more I hear from my readers, the more convinced I am that Crohn’s disease (and colitis) has an infectious etiology (cause). The body does not “overreact” and the immune system is inappropriately in “attack mode.” Rather, the body does everything it can to fight a legitimate intestinal infection. And the best research we have right now points to this new fungal/bacterial hybrid organism called Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP) as the infectious agent. For those of you who own my book Listen To Your Gut, you can read all about mycobacteria, why they went undetected for so long, and where to get tested in Chapter 2 of Listen To Your Gut.
Back to this article: Charcoal can also provide relief because it traps and flushes out bad bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other toxins from your body – like bentonite clay does. Bentonite clay is a remedy that I recommend as a short-term or periodic detoxification or anti-pathogen agent – it reduces infections in the gut for crucial periods of time.
Bentonite feels very fine and velvety, is odorless and leaves no stains. Bentonite clay is used primarily for two reasons: it firms stools and relieves diarrhea, and it is also an excellent detoxifier. Its unique molecular structure absorbs toxins, pathogens and poisons and transports them out of the intestines (to be excreted in the stool).
However, bentonite can also breed good bacteria (further study is needed), which is why I don’t recommend it (or charcoal) long-term. The cornerstone of long-term healing of your gut is restoring good, healthy microbiota – so cleansing needs to be balanced with taking probiotics (via supplements or homemade yogurt, fermented foods, raw milk, etc.).
Regardless of whether you use activated charcoal or bentonite clay, take your dose on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before eating or two hours after eating – this way the clay or charcoal has enough time to do its work unhindered by digestion.
Even bentonite and activated charcoal alone are not enough to eradicate intestinal infections – especially with bacterial/fungal hybrids such as Mycobacterium (MAP).
Unless ALL infectious agents are eliminated, the body will still mount an inflammatory response.
That’s why I still believe that the best treatment for Crohn’s disease, colitis, and diverticulitis (and moderate to severe irritable bowel syndrome) includes:
1. Jini’s Wild Oregano Oil Protocol* to eradicate all infectious microorganisms. New studies have now confirmed that wild oregano oil does indeed kill MAP – but as I explain in Listen To Your Gut, MAP has a dormant/active life cycle, so you’ll need to treat every 3-4 months for 2-3 years to completely eradicate it. Use olive leaf extract if you cannot tolerate wild oregano, or alternate between the two. Here you can also use bentonite clay or activated carbon to further eliminate pathogens.
2. Followed by Jini’s probiotic retention enema and a high dose oral probiotic supplement* to repopulate the gut with good, protective bacteria to ensure good digestion/absorption and prevent contracting new infections. If you can tolerate raw dairy, you should also consume large amounts of homemade raw yogurt and raw milk during this time – raw cow, goat, camel or sheep milk are all good.
3. Targeted nutritional supplements to heal and restore the mucosa and tissues of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. L-Glutamine, MucosaCalm, NAG, George’s Aloe Vera, etc.).
4. Assess the endocrine (hormone) system and restore balance/heal as needed (for anyone taking prescription medications or having the illnesses for more than 2 years).
5. Healing/balancing emotions, diet and lifestyle to promote long-term health and prevent recurrence of conditions (imbalance).
*Steps 1 and 2 may need to be repeated every 3-4 months for 2-3 years to completely eradicate pathogenic microorganisms with dormant/active life cycles, such as Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis (MAP).
Again, those of you who have Listen To Your Gut already have detailed instructions for all of these protocols and supplements – and I hope you’re working with the workbook! (in the bonus tools package).
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This article was originally published in May 2010. Updated March 2020.
Jini Patel Thompson is an internationally recognized expert in natural healing for digestive diseases. She healed herself from widespread Crohn’s disease and has been medication and surgery free for over 25 years. Jini has appeared on numerous podcasts, TV and radio shows in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, giving people hope and vision on how to heal their colitis, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) using all-natural methods. Her books on natural healing of digestive diseases have been sold in over 80 countries worldwide. Jini is married and has three children, nine sheep, 11 horses, a cat and three dogs.
