▁inter f ere ▁with ▁the ▁absor ption ▁of ▁some ▁medic ations , ▁and ▁lead ▁to ▁un re li able ▁read ings ▁in ▁medical ▁tests ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁gu a iac ▁card ▁test . ▁Activ ated ▁carbon ▁is ▁also ▁used ▁for ▁bow el ▁prepar ation ▁by ▁reducing ▁int est inal ▁gas ▁content ▁before ▁ab dom inal ▁radi ography ▁to ▁visual ize ▁b ile ▁and ▁pan cre atic ▁and ▁ren al ▁stones . ▁A ▁type ▁of ▁char co al ▁bis c uit ▁has ▁also ▁been ▁market ed ▁as ▁a ▁pet ▁care ▁product . ▁ ▁Other ▁Cla ims ▁that ▁activ ated ▁char co al ▁will ▁do ▁things ▁such ▁as ▁wh iten ▁teeth , ▁c ure ▁alco hol - indu ced ▁h ango vers , ▁and ▁prevent ▁blo ating , ▁are ▁not ▁supported ▁by ▁evidence . ▁Activ ated ▁char co al ▁cle ans es ▁also ▁lack ▁evidence ▁and ▁are ▁considered ▁pseud os cience . ▁ ▁Side ▁effects ▁In correct ▁application ▁( e . g . ▁into ▁the ▁l ungs ) ▁results ▁in ▁pul mon ary ▁asp iration ▁which ▁can ▁sometimes ▁be ▁fatal ▁if ▁immediate ▁medical ▁treatment ▁is ▁not ▁initi ated . ▁The ▁use ▁of ▁activ ated ▁carbon ▁is ▁contra ind ic ated ▁when ▁the ▁ing ested ▁subst ance ▁is ▁an ▁acid , ▁an ▁alk ali , ▁or ▁a ▁pet role um ▁product . ▁ ▁Mechan ism ▁of ▁action ▁In ▁cases ▁of ▁sus pected ▁poison ing , ▁medical ▁personnel ▁admin ister ▁activ ated ▁carbon ▁on ▁the ▁scene ▁or ▁at ▁a ▁hospital ' s ▁emer gency ▁department . ▁In