Activated charcoal: is there a risk with the contraceptive pill?

Question

I took activated charcoal at the same time as my birth control pill... how long do I have to protect myself otherwise to avoid accidents? How long is the charcoal active in my system?

Karina Savoie · Accepted Answer

Hello, Activated charcoal can indeed decrease the absorption of medication. It should be taken 2 hours before or 1 hour after any medication and will not be active for very long. You can resume your contraceptive safely and effectively today as long as you respect the above-mentioned interval. As for the effectiveness of the contraceptive, normally, if the effectiveness is diminished because of the interaction, a double contraceptive protection with a barrier method (such as condom) for 7 days is recommended.