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Colloidal minerals

Colloidal minerals are extracted from clay or shale deposits. Historically, some Native Americans have used clay as a medicine. The medicinal use of clay-based products in modern times was first suggested by a Utha farmer. Despite safety concerns, colloidal minerals are used as a supplement source of trace minerals and as a nutritional supplement to increase energy. They are also used to improve blood sugar levels in diabetics, treat arthritis symptoms, reduce blood cell clumping, cure early stage glaucoma, restore darker gray hair, flush out toxic heavy metals from the body, improve overall well-being and reduce pain.

How do colloidal minerals work?

There is not enough information about how colloidal minerals might work. Despite claims that colloidal minerals can be used by the body better than other minerals, there is no scientific data to support this idea.

How effective are colloidal minerals?

There is not enough scientific data to assess the effectiveness of colloidal minerals for mineral deficiency, low energy, diabetes and arthritis, reducing blood cell clumping, curing early stage glaucoma, darkening gray hair, flushing toxic heavy metals from the body, improving overall wellness and reducing pain. Further scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of colloidal minerals in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Colloidal min erals may not be safe and harmless. The composition of these products varies depending on the source of the clay used. Some products may contain metals such as aluminum, arsenic, lead, barium, nickel and titanium in potentially harmful amounts. There are also concerns that some products may contain radioactive metals.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: The use of colloidal minerals during pregnancy and lactation may not be safe and harmless. There are concerns about some metals that some of these products contain. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should not use such products to be on the safe side.

Too much iron in the body: Hemochromatosis is a hereditary disorder. If you suffer from this disease, colloidal minerals could aggravate this disorder. Inability to utilize copper (Wilson's disease): Wilson's disease is a hereditary disorder that could be aggravated by the use of colloidal minerals.

Interactions

At this time, there is no information on interactions of colloidal min erals with medications or supplements.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of colloidal minerals depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At the present time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for colloidal minerals. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Colloidal minerals in brief. www.colloidal.com.au/ (Accessed July 23, 1999).
  2. Schauss A. Colloidal minerals: Clinical implications of clay suspension products sold as dietary supplements. Amer J Nat Med 1997;4:5-10.
  3. Schrauzer G. An overview of liquid mineral supplements. Int J of Integrative Med 1999;1:18-22.
  4. Sposito G, Skipper NT, Sutton R, et al. Surface geochemistry of the clay minerals. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1999;96:3358-64.
  5. Wallach J. Dr. Joel Wallach's colloidal minerals. www.elementsofhealth.com/b1.html (Accessed 23 July 1999).