Many people believe that taking palm oil, milk, or charcoal can help neutralize poison, but these common remedies are often ineffective or even harmful.
- Palm Oil: It is a common belief that palm oil can induce vomiting and neutralize poison, but this is not true. Palm oil can absorb some toxins, but it may also spread them to the lungs, causing severe complications. It may increase the toxicity if the poison is oil-based, and it can worsen gastric volume, causing more harm than good. It should not be used in poisoning cases.
- Charcoal: While activated charcoal is sometimes used in hospitals for poisoning cases, regular cooking charcoal is ineffective and unsafe. Activated charcoal, which is refined to remove impurities, can trap toxins in the intestines and prevent them from entering the bloodstream. However, it should only be used within a short time frame of ingestion, and it is not effective for substances like alcohol, caustics, lithium, or petroleum products.
- Milk: Milk is not a cure for food poisoning. In fact, it can irritate the stomach lining and promote bacterial growth, potentially worsening symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.
What to Do in Case of Poisoning:
- Do not ingest anything (including milk, charcoal, or water) after poisoning.
- Seek medical attention immediately.
- Bring the substance that caused the poisoning to the hospital to help doctors determine the proper treatment.
In case of poisoning, the best course of action is to seek medical help promptly for effective treatment.
