- Edited
From the research I've done and read it says that coal that is inhaled is carcinogenic. I haven't heard about activated charcoal being carcinogenic but I have heard some people have issues with it. There are doctors on both sides of the issue from what I've seen. The difference with this product and the probiotics is that it is designed to help your body build it's own defenses and restore itself versus simply introducing something new in your body.
That said I agree that many things can harm you. I've tried supplements and even those can be harmful and damage your body if you take them too often as you can throw your other vitamins and minerals out of whack in your system.
I'm more than happy to look into what you mentioned or any other reasonable suggestions that people might have though. Keep in mind that I have a bad histamine intolerance and that trying probiotics before gave me bad side effects. That said I'm introducing them into my body slowly now as I can actually start eating different foods again.
Some of the ones you mentioned have low reviews with people having bad side effects due to other additives in them too so I would suggest anybody who is putting something into their body to look into it and start slowly.
Thanks for the feedback!
Edit: This is something I found on the coal issue.
Q: Is this product coal based?
A: Humic substances/ lignite and coal are related in that they both contain carbon. Humic substances/ lignite begins as an accumulation of partially decayed plant material, or peat. Burial by other sediments causes compaction. Thus, humic substances/ lignite is a complex of trace minerals and carbon family molecules from ancient composted soil, naturally rich in a variety of humic substances. If geological events cover the material with layers of rock, then lignite would eventually form coal. Brown coal is further down the scale of compression and metamorphosis than our source, and this is an important difference between various materials in the humate category.
The gradient from peat moss to humus, to leonardite, to lignite, to coal contains a spectrum of compounds, and the metamorphosis of carbon materials from peat soils to humic substances to fossilized soil to lignite to coal takes millions of years. The pressures and extended time that form coal create unique chemical reactions that create aromatics, some of which are carcinogenic.1 The source, the location in geological strata, the possible exposure to Mesozoic volcanic ash, and countless other variables determine the quality and safety of the source. We have concluded that the best way to test the efficacy and safety of a product is regular cell culture studies on the product in question, in this case, ION*Gut Health. 
We take the safety of our product very seriously and mass spectroscopy shows our US source of humic substances/lignite to be a very pure source. Our Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Team does regular testing for bacterial contamination, heavy metals, and overall product composition and strength. In compliance with California’s Prop 65 legislation, we test ION*Gut Health for levels of mercury, lead, arsenic, and cadmium. In addition, we continue to exceed all industry standards in the dietary supplement field with our own multi-specialty basic science laboratories onsite.
Beyond our scientific studies, ION*Gut's efficacy can be seen in its widespread use since its introduction in 2012 as RESTORE(TM). Today, over 1,500 global healthcare practitioners and many retail stores recommend it to their patients and customers.