There is never a good time for traveler’s diarrhea to hit you, but when is definitely not a good time?
Maybe when you’re in transit, like on a bus, train, plane, or in a car on a road trip. You either can’t get to a bathroom easily, or you’re in a public place where it can just be embarrassing.
So if you’re traveling some place where it’s not exactly uncommon for travelers to end up with diarrhea, what can you do to help out your situation if it happens to you?
One thing to maybe add to your international travel first aid kit for diarrhea treatment
You’re taking an international travel first aid kit like one of these with you, right? 😉
Activated charcoal won’t be in that kit, but you might consider adding a ziplock bag full of activated charcoal capsules to that first aid kit.
Why?
Just in case you get traveler’s diarrhea. The charcoal can be used as a way to treat it.
packing an international travel first aid kit for developing countries
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Side note!
See about the best shoes for hiking in Hawaii and what to wear snorkeling in Hawaii! And for Hawaii vacation ideas, see the best things to do in Waikiki that will give you Hawaii vibes!
Short version of using activated charcoal to treat diarrhea
Here’s what happened to me.
I experienced a little bit of diarrhea before going to bed, then again shortly after I woke up the next morning.
I got desperate, so I started taking activated charcoal tablets like these that I had brought along on my travels in India hoping I would never have to use them. After an hour or 2 passed, no more diarrhea for the rest of the day!
Was it the activated charcoal, or would the diarrhea have stopped on its own?!
This is something I was wondering throughout the day. But based on what happened the same evening, I do believe it was the charcoal that made it stop. I explain why below…
But first…
What’s the deal with using activated charcoal to treat traveler’s diarrhea?
Activated charcoal basically works to do something scientific to the toxins in your body in a way that can make you feel better. The technical term is that it adsorbs (not absorbs).
Activated charcoal can come in different forms as it has different uses. Here are some of those forms.
Hospitals use activated charcoal on drug overdose patients. It can also work in other ways, like for diarrhea or other forms of food poisoning. It’s also been reported to work well for many people with the stomach flu. It may also be more popularly known as a way to whiten teeth naturally.
But just as the charcoal does something to the toxins, it can do the same thing to the good things in your body too. The charcoal can’t distinguish between the good and the bad. This means that it can also clear your gut of the good bacteria needed to keep you healthy. (So consider eating extra yogurt timed well!)
It’s also been said to have a dehydrating effect, so be sure to stay well-hydrated as well. Diarrhea in general can cause a higher loss of fluids than normal, so whether you use charcoal or not, you want to make sure to drink up.
Activated charcoal can be seen as a natural remedy to treat diarrhea
When you’re hesitant to use standard diarrhea medications like some of these, including imodium, you may also choose to use activated charcoal because it’s more of a natural remedy to treat diarrhea.
Note: I am not a doctor or medical professional, nor do I claim to be one on the internet! 😉 I am, however, someone who knows that it’s very unfortunate to get sick, most especially if you get diarrhea when traveling! Your experience in using activated charcoal for diarrhea may vary. The internet does say that activated charcoal can have side effects (most prominently may be dehydration and constipation), so research carefully before you decide whether or not to give it a try.
Long version of using activated charcoal to treat diarrhea…
I am still wondering about what caused the diarrhea.
I didn’t eat or drink anything that I hadn’t before, and I hadn’t eaten out recently. I did go a few days without drinking the fermented drink of yakult that promotes healthy bacteria in your gut. I had been drinking it every day but when I went to buy more when I ran out, they were sold out at the market… maybe that was why I got sick. 😉 (Okay, I don’t think so.)
Yogurt daily, happy belly…! Try to eat yogurt regularly when you’re traveling for the probiotics and good bacteria! This can be even more helpful when you’re traveling in a developing country. Probiotics and good bacteria are said to be good to consume when you have diarrhea too.
Timeline of how I used activated charcoal to treat diarrhea
How much activated charcoal should you take?
I stress that this is how I used it. I can’t tell you that this is the proper way to use activated charcoal to treat diarrhea!
Night before: Hope that it would pass
So I got the earliest indication that I had diarrhea before going to bed. I was hoping that it wasn’t severe and that when I woke up it would be over.
Next morning: It wasn’t over
So after it was determined that a night’s sleep did not cure the diarrhea, I decided that I would try out these activated charcoal capsules. It’s why I brought them along, even though I was hoping I wouldn’t have to use them!
I had never used activated charcoal before to know if they actually work. Well, now I got to test them out!
So…
Morning: 10-12 activated charcoal tablets
This is where you want to do your research to decide how many you want to take. When you look at suggested dosage, make sure you differentiate between milligrams and grams. The amount of activated charcoal powder in your capsules is likely in milligrams (mg), but recommended dosage will likely be in grams (g).
I decided that I would take a big dose first, and then continue to take some more capsules throughout the day.
My first consumption was 10-12 activated charcoal tablets in the morning.
Throughout the day: 2 activated charcoal tablets every 1-2 hours
After my initial dosage, I decided that I would take 2 tablets every 1.5-2 hours. I did just that.
Throughout the day: No diarrhea!
As the day went on, I noticed that I was not having any moments of having to run to the bathroom.
GREAT!
Now…
Was there no diarrhea because of the activated charcoal, or was it naturally stopping?
Well…
Late evening: Stopped taking activated charcoal
I was leaving for the airport at 10pm, and I had my last activated charcoal capsules around 9pm.
I wasn’t diligent about keeping up my charcoal consumption at the airport. In fact, I stopped.
It was around 1am that I went to the bathroom to experience a small amount of diarrhea.
That was 4 hours without any charcoal and the diarrhea was back
And that is when I determined that it must have been the charcoal that kept the diarrhea away the entire day! Is it a coincidence that the diarrhea came back after I stopped consuming the charcoal?! I tend to think not. 😉
Do you draw the same conclusion? 😉
If so…
It might be worth adding activated charcoal tablets to your list of what to pack in your first aid kit for your next trip to a developing country!
- At the least, take a look at the mini travel first at kits like these
- And if you want a little extra, have a look to the international travel first aid kits like this one
- Then add to the first aid kit these activated charcoal tablets! (It may be easier to transfer them into a ziplock bag.)
Don’t forget your first aid kit for home too!
And be careful with the fruit you eat when traveling in a developing country! 😉
GOOD LUCK WITH DIARRHEA TREATMENT WHEN YOU TRAVEL! 😉
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🐠 Here are things you must consider packing!
- Swimsuit or swimming shirt aka rash guard
- rash guard: swim set for women and swim shirt for men
- Water shoes
- Waterproof phone case (so you can capture pictures of fishies underwater!)
- cheapo phone case OR waterproof camera
- I also have this "camera" wrist float to attach to my cheapo waterproof phone case so my phone won't sink to the bottom of the ocean in case I somehow let go of it. (Mine does stay afloat - test this for yourself before completely trusting it!)
- Swimming goggles or snorkeling mask set
- Reef-safe(r) sunscreen
- lightweight travel towel:
- walking sandals:
I also don't go snorkeling without a personal swim float buoy. Not only does it help to keep me visible, but it makes for a perfect way to rest out in deeper water! Oh, and it also serves as a dry bag so I can take stuff into the water with me.
Another way I have taken valuables into the water with me is to wear a travel money belt that I don't mind getting wet with salt water (it's not waterproof but I have several so I just use one of them) and then I put things in a ziplock freezer bag, and put that freezer bag in the money belt.
There are also designated waterproof waist pouches that you can store your valuables and take into the water with you.
see more:
- What to wear hiking
- What to wear snorkeling