We explored the effectiveness of activated charcoal in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) through a well-structured clinical trial. This study was a double-blind, randomized, multicenter trial that involved 284 patients aged 19 to 70 years suffering from IBS. Participants were treated with either a commercial formulation of charcoal tablets known as Eucarbon or non-activated charcoal tablets (carbo ligni, CL) over 12 weeks.
After the treatment period, we found that Eucarbon provided a noticeable relief of symptoms, alleviating discomfort by about 60%. However, the difference in efficacy between Eucarbon and the CL group was just 9%. Notably, further analysis suggested that Eucarbon had a greater impact on certain subgroups, such as those experiencing constipation.
Both treatments were well tolerated with a comparable frequency of adverse events reported—22% for Eucarbon and 17% for CL—making it difficult to differentiate some side effects from IBS symptoms themselves. Overall, we concluded that Eucarbon is safe and effective for managing IBS, a condition often requiring prolonged treatment.
Quick symptom relief
Most Useful Review
A cure for IBS symptoms! It's a miracle worker. This can swiftly and safely reduce Irritable Bowel Syndrome discomfort. It's easy to swallow and leaves a detoxifying feeling after using the restroom. The price is reasonable, and it even helps with allergy or indigestion symptoms from food poisoning. However, the carbon can stain everything, including bags and hands, and requires you to drink plenty of water while taking it.