Beyond the hype, and the maddening sales pitches, charcoal does appear to have many benefits, as a valid natural remedy for many minor conditions. It is incredibly hard to prove or disprove these findings without using some of these  suggestions for yourself. While I was trying to read clinical trials, (of which there are hundreds! ) I came across some very well marketed campaigns both for, and against, the effectiveness of charcoal. One prominent “de bunker” with a sciency name cited the failed results of one particular test in which the charcoal did not rid the body of  certain substances. I looked up the study, and it was only partially reporting, based on their bias, and did not disclose the entire success rate. Although charcoal can be both positively or negatively charged, most commonly, when ingested, it is negatively charged, this will attract elements that are positively charged, and scurry them toward the removal end of the body processes. The word “toxic” can apply to just about anything you can stick in your mouth, so a black and  white evaluation has lots of room to play with bias.