Activated carbon: the molecule, the myth, the legend. We want to make sure all you lovely people have all the facts, so we're here to set the record straight.
What It Can Remove: Acetaldehyde
The activated carbon in A-Minus is specifically designed and developed to capture acetaldehyde, a toxic byproduct of alcohol metabolism that impacts your short-term mornings and your long-term health.
Everything from next-day hangovers and “hangxiety” and long-term cancers and liver damage have been linked to this carcinogenic culprit.
The toxin builds up in your gut and liver and eventually makes its way into the bloodstream, but only after it has struggled to be processed by your metabolism over the course of a few hours.
That’s where A-Minus comes in. Acting as a lock and key, the activated carbon binds together with the acetaldehyde, adsorbing it and expelling it from the body. In fact, an independent lab study showed that A-Minus will adsorb 91% of acetaldehyde in a simulated gut environment within just 2 minutes.
What It Can’t Remove: Ethanol
The idea that activated carbon (or activated charcoal) can’t help combat the negative effects of drinking comes from its interaction with ethanol. It is absolutely true that ethanol is absorbed into the bloodstream too quickly to be combated by something like activated carbon.
Here’s the thing - ethanol isn’t the real culprit at hand. That’s acetaldehyde’s job!
The Real Deal
Activated carbon is a powerful tool when understood and used correctly. Our Chief Scientist has spent his entire career studying the properties of activated carbon and fortunately for us, is now sharing his knowledge of this highly intelligent molecule.
