A lot of websites make claims about the ability of bentonite (montmorillonite) and other clays to detox bad bacteria, viruses, parasites, etc. from the gut.
For example, here is a statement I saw again and again, on literally dozens of sites:
According to the Canadian Journal of Microbiology, bentonite can absorb pathogenic viruses, the mold aflatoxin and pesticides and herbicides including Paraquat and Roundup.
Now here’s the thing: I know from my own experience, discussions I’ve had with MDs and NDs, and my own readers’ experiences that this statement is true. BUT I still like to see the data. Especially if you’re going to quote a scientific source.
However, the only reference I could find for this statement (quoted on numerous websites) was: Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 1985, 31: 50-53
Looks legit, right? Who would question a reference like that? Well….. after searching that publication, I believe the article all those websites are referring to is this one (it’s the only article in that issue that is even content-related):
Specificity of virus adsorption to clay minerals, Steven M. Lipson, G. Stotzky, Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 1985, 31(1): 50-53, 10.1139/m85-011
But guess what? This paper does NOT actually support that statement!
I won’t bore you with the whole thing, but just this first sentence gives you an indication that this paper is not making the claims put forth in the statement quoted on so many websites: “Competitive adsorption studies indicated that reovirus type 3 and coliphage T1 did not share common adsorption sites on kaolinite and montmorillonite”…
Research-Backed Findings
SO, then, of course, I had to go and find legitimate scientific research to prove that bentonite clay does indeed help the gut to detox by adsorbing disease-causing bacteria, viruses, mold, parasites, etc., and carrying them out of your body via your feces (poo).
Because, I used to carry a stool softening and bulking agent called MetaCleanse in my LTYG Shoppe that contained bentonite clay (along with psyllium and flaxseed) and I want my readers to know that I’m telling them the truth about it.
Likewise, we also carry just straight bentonite clay – and I have used this myself in large amounts for a two-week cleanse and detox. Followed by lots of probiotics, of course! The manufacturer has long since stopped producing MetaCleanse, but I formulated my own stool bulking and softening product, called ColonEaze – which I highly recommend.
Intestinal Brooms
The point about bentonite and other clays used as an “intestinal broom” is that they don’t just carry out the bad bacteria in your gut. Clay cannot distinguish between species of microorganism – it just adsorbs it all and carries it out! So let’s also talk about that word “adsorb” – no it is not a spelling error and it has a different meaning to the word “absorb”.
The value of montmorillonite (the active ingredient in Bentonite) lies in its ability to adsorb (not absorb) many times its own weight and volume in a liquid medium.
It has a predominantly negative charge that is capable of attracting many kinds of positively charged particles. Bentonite Clay’s structure assists it in attracting and soaking up toxins and contaminants on its exterior wall and then drawing them into the interior center of the clay where they are held and then excreted out in your stool.
It is this sponge-like quality of the Clay that makes it a good anti-diarrhea substance whilst detoxing your body! However, since montmorillonite draws both good and bad bacteria out of the intestine, if your bacterial flora is unhealthy, this is a good thing.
But, if you’re supplementing with probiotics, trying to implant a healthy bacterial flora, then you certainly don’t want to be ingesting large amounts of a substance that’s going to pull all these good bacteria out of your gut as well!
Bentonite Clay For Detox Or To Stop Diarrhea
Therefore, I would only use large amounts (2 tablespoons or more) of pure Bentonite Clay in the short-term for detox or to stop diarrhea. And then get yourself on the high-dose probiotic supplementation that will address the root-cause of your diarrhea.
For two weeks at a time, every so often, high dose bentonite clay provides a good, but gentle detoxification. And then follow with oral probiotics and Jini’s Probiotic Retention Enema.
However, your best option for alleviating ongoing diarrhea or constipation may be to use ColonEaze FIRM or MOVE. My ideal formulas for bulking and softening stool to assist with regulating bowel movements. I formulated FIRM for people who tend towards diarrhea.
Whereas the second version MOVE was formulated for those who tend towards constipation.
You can also use a combination of psyllium, flaxseed, and bentonite clay. As long as you only use a small amount of bentonite per serving, and don’t use it continually, and of course, you would not use it together with your probiotics anyway.
A rule of thumb if you are using ANY detox, or stool bulking agent, or ‘intestinal broom’ is to take it 2 hours away from your probiotics – since you want your probiotics to implant and stick to your intestinal wall, not be carried or detoxed out!
Bentonite Clay Combination For Constipation
So here’s another important distinction: If you use just bentonite clay on its own (1 tablespoon or more), it absorbs a lot of water and so can be used to stop diarrhea, or in people with normal bowel function, it can cause constipation.
BUT, when it’s used in smaller amounts and in combination with stool bulking/softening agents like ground flaxseed, psyllium, or chia it relieves constipation because it makes your stools soft and spongy; stimulating peristalsis and making them easier to pass. Hence, in both conditions, it helps avoid hemorrhoids.
So for a powerful detox, you may want to use the bentonite, on its own, for 2 weeks or less. But for ongoing or intermittent diarrhea or constipation, or a more gentle detox, I recommend ColonEaze. This will bulk up your stools and help absorb the excess water in diarrhea.
If you suffer from constipation, it will keep your stools soft and spongy. Stimulating peristalsis and making them easier to pass. Hence, in both conditions, it helps avoid hemorrhoids.
Bentonite Clay Scientific Data
Anyway, now that you understand more about how bentonite clay works for your gut, let’s get into that hard, scientific proof I was talking about. It’s short, but sweet…
“Because of the ubiquitous and widespread occurrence of clays in soils and sediments, it is not surprising that clays were long used for the control of toxic materials albeit at a small scale or only locally. For example, ‘Lemnian earth’, known only by its location, was used medicinally in ancient Greece and Turkey to counter the effects of snake-bites and poisons, and to cure festering wounds (Robertson, 1986).
Likewise, Sudanese villagers along the Nile long used a local clay – recently identified as bentonite – to purify the river’s turbid water. As a consequence, these people suffer fewer gastrointestinal disturbances than other communities nearby. Experiments showed that viruses (Lund and Nissen, 1986), parasites (Olsen, 1987) and many types of bacteria (Madsen and Schlundt, 1989) are removed from the water through addition of the clay, probably acting as both an adsorbent and a flocculant for the disease-bearing organisms.”(1)
So there you have it: viruses, parasites, bacteria, poisons – pretty great stuff eh? But wait, there’s more…
“Clay therapy is based on the ability of clays and clay minerals to adsorb and retain harmful and toxic substances. The beneficial effects of these materials to human health, notably in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, were recognized. Indeed the eating of clay (‘geophagy’) was practiced since antiquity in all parts of the world.
Examination of the diets of certain tribes in the high Andes of South America and central Africa, and those of Australian aborigines, showed that these people use clay to avoid getting stomach-ache, dysentery, and food infections.
Although recent research confirmed that clays and clay minerals possess general curative properties, it is the treatment of disorders that remains the focus of attention. By adsorbing ‘aggressors’ (infectious factors) of the gastrointestinal mucosa barrier, these materials can serve as both prophylactic and therapeutic agents.”(2)
In addition, clay can also be used externally (on the skin, in a bath, in a poultice, etc.) for a variety of therapeutic purposes, but that’s another blog post!
p.s. I’d like to offer an invitation to all the clay websites currently quoting the wrong data to please come here and copy/paste the correct stuff! And please feel free to double-check my sources… 🙂
Footnotes:
- Chapter 11.1 Clays and Clay Minerals For Pollution Control. GJ Churchman, WP Gates, BKG Theng, G Yuan, Handbook of Clay Science, 2006 Elsevier, edited by F. Bergaya, B.K.G. Theng, G. Lagaly
- Chapter 11.6 Clays And Clay Minerals As Drugs, MT Droy-Lefaix, F. Tateo, Handbook of Clay Science, 2006 Elsevier, edited by F. Bergaya, B.K.G. Theng, G. Lagaly, page 743
References:
Robertson, RHS, 1986, Fuller’s Earth: A History of Calcium Montmorillonite. Volturna Press, Hythe, Kent.
Lund, E. and B. Nissen (1986). “Low Technology Water Purification by Bentonite Clay Flocculation as Performed in Sudanese Villages: Virological Examinations.” Water Research 20:37-43.
Olsen, A. (1987). “Low Technology Water Purification by Bentonite Clay and Moringa Oleifera Seed Flocculation as Performed in Sudanese Villages: Effects on Schistosoma mansoni Cercariae.” Water Research 21(5):517-522.
Madsen, M. & Schlundt, J. ‘Low Technology Water Purification by Bentonite Clay Flocculation as performed in Sudanese Villages: Bacterial Examinations’ J. Water Research vol. 23 issue 7 July, 1989.
Hello Jini,
It’s very hard to get Natren probiotics in my country. Do you think it’s safe to do the Wild Oregano Oil Protocol with non-Natren probiotics?
after a month in the hospital on very strong antibiotics, dr. told me to go home and start using Blue Cheese dressing to put good bacteria back into my gut.
Blue cheese? That’s something I cannot eat due to gluten. The culture is started on wheat bread before making cheese. Also who eats blue cheese that often or that much? Using a good probiotic supplement is better. You can eat any sort of fermented food or drink, too. All are healthy.
Hi Tom, it should be safe, but it’s hard to find others that are potent enough to really establish that good flora. We do ship Natren worldwide though:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/shop-by-Probiotics/
please show the report that shows probiotics are adsorbed by bentonite clay.
“According to research done in the 1970’s, you would have to drink/eat an incredible amount of bentonite in order to cause a problem with the flora of the intestines ( over 20% of your total diet would need to be clay ). ”
Start with a small amount of bentonite mixed in water, taken at least two to three hours apart from taking your probiotics.”
also “Probiotics are negatively charged”
STARED – probiotics are bacteria. And bacteria are adsorbed by bentonite. The research quoted above that shows this is:
Madsen, M. & Schlundt, J. ‘Low Technology Water Purification by Bentonite Clay Flocculation as performed in Sudanese Villages: Bacterial Examinations’ J. Water Research vol. 23 issue 7 July, 1989.
However, the research you referred to from the 70’s that talks about the AMOUNT of bentonite needed to disrupt gut flora is very interesting – can you post the paper or study that supports that claim?
Bacteria can be gram positive or gram negative and much of the disease-causing bacteria are gram positive. This gives a good overview:
http://laboratory-testing.org/gram-positive-bacteria/
The article is wrong. Probiotic bacteria can’t be adsorbed nor absorbed by clays. The hydrated Bentonite has a relatively high electronegative charge. Probioticbacteria are also electronegative, by and large, so there is a repulsive force between the clay and the probiotic bacteria.
Not according to this 2018 study:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304389417306787
Also interesting to note is they found that bacterial growth inhibition relies on membrane lipopolysaccharides-clay surface interactions.
If you have studies to support what you’re saying – please post them, I’m always interested to learn more!
I’m just curious and trying to figure this out myself because I feel so much better when I take bentonite clay but couldn’t growth inhibition be different than adsorbtion? Perhaps it inhibits bacterial growth but doesn’t necessarily bind with the bacteria.. i’m hoping this is the case because I don’t want to stop taking it!
Maybe Jessica… the important thing is to listen to your gut! Your body knows what is good, how much, and when. Someday science MAY catch up to our body wisdom.
Also, Bentonite Clay is used in a poultice for pulling the venom out after a spider bite. I found the information online after my 2 year old was bitten by a brown recluse spider (we found them on glue traps) and the spot was growing larger. The Dr basically said to watch it as they only treat bites if they become infected like with Staph. We’ve all seen the horror photos! I was not going to wait on that or on the “Brown Recluse Kit” to come in the mail. I used the liquid bentonite clay and colloidal silver, reapplied 4X a day, kept the dressing moist and covered with saran wrap and bandage. That big bit shrunk with every application and my son was healed 🙂 And then we moved!
Great to know! Don’t know why I didn’t see this when you originally posted, but I have tucked this away in my “just in case” toolbox – thanks!
[…] balance while offering relief from occasional heartburn and acid indigestion. Also, you can utilize Liquid Bentonite with Psyllium Seeds to put toxins out of the digestive track. The Bentonite absorbs toxins in the […]
Question, can you take bentonite clay and collodial silver internally at the same time?
Hi Kenneth,
We do not have any information suggesting that using the two products together would have any adverse effects.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Has benonite clay healed cdiff?
Hi Deborah. Unfortunately we don’t have any kind of a recommendation on that. In this case, I would consult with the doctor for your unique situation.
However, Jini has had numerous readers heal their C. difficile using her guide to healing Gut Infection:
https://listentoyourgut.com/jinis-healing-guide-natural-treatments-for-gut-infection-ebook/
hope that helps 🙂
I actually used bentonte Clay to get rid of my c-diff in 2018!
I took 1 tsp daily for 4 months!
Within hours of taking it my severe cramping and diarrhea subsided! It was miraculous for me! I had been very ill and hospitalized with it! I used the bentonite Clay when it reoccurred after 6 weeks!
It’s a very helpful tool when used correctly. Just remember to follow usage with high dosage Natren probiotics to replenish a beneficial gut flora.
I looked up the study on the Sudanese treatment of water with clay and could only read a small section of it. From the little I read, they were saying that the clay reduced bad bacteria in the water. Nothing was said about it reducing good bacteria from the villagers’ digestive tracts. Is there some way you could post the full study or put a link up to it for us to read? I find it interesting that your post on the Sudanese use of clay said “Likewise, Sudanese villagers long the Nile long used a local clay – recently identified as bentonite – to purify the river’s turbid water. As a consequence, these people suffer fewer gastrointestinal disturbances than other communities nearby.” I would think the clay wasn’t negatively impacting the beneficial flora in the intestines of these villagers if they had fewer gastrointestinal disturbances.
Hi Gail, as you see in the Footnote, the reference is from the book – which is copyrighted. And yes, you’re correct, filtering the water with clay had a beneficial effect, NOT a negative impact.
Jini – I reread your article and realize I was misunderstanding the point you were making. I agree it isn’t a good idea to take a lot of clay all the time. I personally only take 1/2 to 1 tsp per day in a glass of water and I don’t even take what settles to the bottom. I’ve learned the hard way that with everything, less is more.
Question: I’ve been drinking a tablespoon of Bentonite Clay every day, in 8 ounces of water, followed by another 8 ounces of water. Then drinking water throughout the day. I notice my feces went from brown to almost a clay colored look, grey in color. Is this normal?
Hi Fred,
It’s an expected outcome for the consistency of your stool to change when using bentonite clay but it’s also not uncommon to experience a change in the color as well. As Jini mentions, the clay acts like a broom in your GI tract so it’s possible that the color change has to do with a purge of toxins and gut flora. Jini doesn’t recommend using bentonite clay for more than two weeks at a time and you should definitely consider supplementing with probiotics (if you aren’t already) since the clay will also sweep out good gut flora.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
I am interested in your comment with reference to clay adsorbs bacteria from your gut, good or bad. I looked at your referenced scientific report but could only find the abstract. It appeared the report was focused on purifying drinking water in a Sudanese village more than studying the health benefits of clay. I saw no place where it was inferred that clay adsorbed good bacteria. In fact the report only mentioned bad bacteria.
It seems like common sense that if clay removes bacteria with no discrimination to good or bad that a person’s immune system would cave in after years of consuming clay. I have read hundreds of testimonials and never came across that kind of outcome. It makes much more sense as stared said above that clay’s negative charge attracts positive which would not include most probiotics.
NORM – I hear you. It’s the same discussion as to whether wild oregano oil and olive leaf kill all bacteria, or just ‘bad’ species/strains. Bottom line is, until someone carries out the research, we don’t know! So I prefer to work around either scenario. For example, if you take your clay in the morning, then your probiotics 1.5 to 2 hours later, you should be fine either way.
It’s always somethin to quote Gilda? I take olive leaf too. Anyway I’m going to try your recommendation on healthy trinity. I’ve tried 3 different brands over the years that didn’t do much, at least nothing more than my homemade sauerkraut doesn’t already do.
I’ll give the trinity 3 month trial.
Since Metacleanse is no longer available, I have ordered the clay from your website and also the sprouted flax/chia powder from your link. For my son who has Crohn’s, who alternates between constipation and diarrhea, should I mix the two products together in water, or can he use the powder separately sprinkled on food, and take the clay in water? Should they be at the same time?
Thanks
Hi Annette,
You can do either one, whatever works for you. The efficacy of the two products shouldn’t be affected if taken separately.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Annette – you may also find it easiest to take the flax/chia in a shake. Here’s how I take it:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/raw-grass-fed-whey-protein/
and then you can take the clay in water or apple juice at another time. Or, if you are just using half a teaspoon or so of clay, you could add it to the same shake.
Hope that helps!
I’m pretty confused about what’s being said here. In your candida protocol, you suggest using the clay and psyllium husk purge daily every time the anti-fungals are taken. In this blogpost I’m seeing you say not to take the bentonite for more than two weeks at a time.
I’m confused – why would I want to take it long-term for candida if it’s not good to take it long term for IBS?
Hi Ann,
Sorry for the confusion! Not everyone who has IBD or IBS has an issue with candida overgrowth so the recommendation to use the bentonite + psyllium would be for 2 weeks on and 1-2 weeks off depending on the severity of your overgrowth and how your body is handling things. If you have any additional questions please let me know!
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
So, just to be clear, bentonite and psyllium should only be taken for two weeks on and then two weeks off no matter what I’m using it for? It didn’t mention that in Jini’s candida protocol, hence my confusion.
For candida, would I then continue with the oregano oil without the bentonite and psyllium? If so, what is Jini’s recommendation with regard to using something like charcoal for the die off?
Hi Ann,
Yes, that’s correct. For the candida protocol, you would continue using the wild oregano oil (and probiotics) without the bentonite and psyllium. For Jini’s thoughts on charcoal treatment, check out the link below:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/charcoal-treatment-for-crohns/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
I keep finding alternative health websites that claim that Gram-negative and Gram-positive are indicators of the ionic charge of a bacterium. They have nothing to do with charge, and thus nothing to do with the attraction or repulsion by negatively-charged clay particles. Gram-positive and Gram-negative refer only to the capacity of the bacterium to be dyed in the Gram staining protocol, because of differences in their cell wall structures. I wish this were cleared up. Although many pathogens are Gram-negative, there are also Gram-positive pathogens, such as Streptococcus, Staphylococcus and Clostridium. Everyone seems to have this confused and backwards….
Hi Jessica,
That’s a very good point, Jessica, especially when talking about these so called “intestinal brooms” like bentonite clay. The clay will attract positively charged particles as it makes its way through the GI tract but it probably won’t attract much bacteria which are negatively charged, regardless of whether they are gram positive or negative.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Good point there.
I immediately picked up the lack of understanding about the meaning of Gram +ve and Gram -ve, which is in essence a staining technique, with the presence of (+ve) and the absence of (-ve) tested criteria of bacteria.
Thanks for pointing this out
Thanks for your research. In the Canadian Journal of Microbiology (31 {1985}, 50-53) referred to, I only had access to the Abstract. If you have acquired the entire issue (includes Dr. Martin’s statement on Roundup and Paraquat) could you possibly send those pages,referenced, to me? I am assuming it would be in pages 50-53. Thanks so much.
Hi Sharon,
Sorry, no I no longer have the full article. But here are some other tidbits you may find interesting:
Handbook of Clay Science, 2006 Elsevier, edited by F. Bergaya, B.K.G. Theng, G. Lagaly
Chapter 11.1
Clays and Clay Minerals For Pollution Control, GJ Churchman, WP Gates, BKG Theng, G Yuan
Because of the ubiquitous and widespread occurrence of clays in soils and sediments, it is not surprising that clays were long used for the control of toxic materials albeit at a small scale or only locally. For example, ‘Lemnian earth’, known only by its location, was used medicinally in ancient Greece and Turkey to counter the effects of snake-bites and poisons, and to cure festering wounds (Robertson, 1986). Likewise, Sudanese villagers long the Nile long used a local clay – recently identified as bentonite – to purify the river’s turbid water. As a consequence, these people suffer fewer gastrointestinal disturbances than other communities nearby. Experiments showed that viruses (Lund and Nissen, 1986), parasites (Olsen, 1987) and many types of bacteria (Madsen and Schlundt, 1989) are removed from the water through addition of the clay, probably acting as both an adsorbent and a flocculant for the disease-bearing organisms. (pg. 625-6)
Chapter 11.6
Clays And Clay Minerals As Drugs, MT Droy-Lefaix, F. Tateo
Clay therapy is based on the ability of clays and clay minerals to adsorb and retain harmful and toxic substances. The beneficial effects of these materials to human health, notably in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, were recognized. Indeed the eating of clay (‘geophagy’) was practiced since antiquity in all parts of the world.
Examination of the diets of certain tribes in the high Andes of South America and central Africa, and those of Australian aborigines, showed that these people use clay to avoid getting stomach-ache, dysentery, and food infections.
Although recent research confirmed that clays and clay minerals possess general curative properties, it is the treatment of disorders that remains the focus of attention. By adsorbing ‘aggressors’ (infectious factors) of the gastrointestinal mucosa barrier, these materials can serve as both prophylactic and therapeutic agents. (pg. 743)
References:
Robertson, RHS, 1986, Fuller’s Earth: A History of Calcium Montmorillonite. Volturna Press, Hythe, Kent.
Lund, E. and B. Nissen (1986). “Low Technology Water Purification by Bentonite Clay Flocculation as Performed in Sudanese Villages: Virological Examinations.” Water Research 20:37-43.
Olsen, A. (1987). “Low Technology Water Purification by Bentonite Clay and Moringa Oleifera Seed Flocculation as Performed in Sudanese Villages: Effects on Schistosoma mansoni Cercariae.” Water Research 21(5):517-522.
Madsen, M. & Schlundt, J. ‘Low Technology Water Purification by Bentonite Clay Flocculation as performed in Sudanese Villages: Bacterial Examinations’ J. Water Research vol. 23 issue 7 July, 1989.
Hi, I am considering taking bentonite for SIBO caused by long standing undiagnosed fructose malabsorption. I heard it’s common for people with fructmal not to tolerate probiotics and I have had a bad reaction in the past as well. I don’t know where to find research about this but there is a small blurb in this article (see “Excess Gas”)
http://www.livestrong.com/article/447370-fructose-malabsorption-and-probiotics/
Can you make any recommendations about how to take bentonite in this case?
Hi Margo,
I’m afraid we cannot make any recommendations about how to use bentonite in your specific situation as we’re not qualified to do so but Jini recommends her wild oregano protocol to people suffering from SIBO as we’ve had some good feedback about it for that application. She outlines the protocol in both her Listen to Your Gut book/ebook and in her Natural Treatments for Gut Infection ebook which can be found here:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/books-and-ebooks/
Here’s a link to a similar protocol Jini proposes as an anti-viral:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/wild-oregano-oil-antiviral-protocol-for-swine-flu/
If you have any additional questions, feel free to reply here, email us at service@listentoyourgut.com, visit the live chat in the little blue box on the bottom right of your screen, or give us a call at 888-866-7745.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Hi I was just wondering is it advisable to use Psyllium husk and flax seed with the bentonite clay?
Hi Rob,
If you use all three together on an ongoing basis then you’ll want to use a small amount of the clay so you don’t completely wipe out your good gut flora. However, if your goal is either to stop diarrhea ASAP or short term detox then a larger amount of the clay would probably be fine. Jini recommends also supplementing with probiotics to make sure that your gut flora isn’t compromised.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Your article was very informative I still say that the proof that benzonite clay works is on the results that people have, so why go for a medical report, I just got up a 2:00 A.M to take some clay because my stomach was hurting (bad food last night). In minutes I felt relief. I know for sure it works.
I have just started using bentonite because I have tried everything. I have halitosis and I’ve tried everything I could. I don’t have hygiene problems. I went to the gastrologist and everything is fine. So I don’t know what else I could do. Can you help me.
Hi Tiffany,
Jini doesn’t have a protocol for Halitosis but one thing you may want to consider is Jini’s wild oregano protocol. If your particular case of Halitosis is being caused by bad bacteria, it’s possible that the combination of wild oregano oil (strong natural antibiotic) and Natren probiotics (good bacteria) could make an impact. Here’s a link to Jini’s symptom page for intestinal parasites:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/54/an-intestinal-parasite.html
Much of the information at the link above can also be applied to bacteria in the mouth.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
R there two dif kinds of betonite clay. I bought one and its says not for internal. Rose mountain herbs is where i got it. No instructions
Hi Judie,
There’s only one type that we’re aware of but Jini only recommends using the Great Plains brand as its the only one she has personally found to work well. For more information about that, check out this link:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/yerba-prima-great-plains-bentonite-16-fl-oz/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
My 50 lb 6 yo son has been taking 1/2 tspn of bentonite clay for 3 months and his labs just came back for the first time showing typical yeast and bacteria levels (was +4/ +4) and a typically functioning immune system. He also has begun engaging in typical pretend play and eye contact and no longer exhibits stuck play. His biomedical doctor wants him to stay on the clay because he responds so well to it (we started giving it to him to eat after finding much improved behaviors from 3 40 min clay baths a week). I am afraid to go 2 weeks off every 2 weeks because these changes are so new and wonderful. He takes probiotics 6-8 hours away from the clay and his other supplements are 90 min away and 10 hours away. Is this dangerous in the long term to continue with the clay? We were planning on keeping him on the clay for the next 4 months before making any more changes to his supplement program. Thought we were doing the right thing, but this info has me concerned.
Hi Samantha, Unfortunately, I am legally prohibited from giving personal health advice. So you are going to have to weigh up all the information and research, connect with your gut, and make your own decision. If you have a good/helpful naturopath or integrative physician to bounce ideas around with, that can be tremendously helpful.
I think you also need to take into account (in your decision making) that healing occurs in layers. So when someone has a complex, or chronic condition, you often can’t heal everything at once. But you have to prioritize and then gradually work your way down the line. That’s why my healing protocols are based upon listening to your gut! Because your body knows. And your son’s body knows. His body is speaking to you and to him, what is it saying?
CureZone is a forum that has lots of feedback from people who have used bentonite clay extensively. I suggest you also check there to see what people are saying/reporting.
All the best, and please let us know how it goes.
p.s. I have also updated this article to include specific amounts in the dosage instructions – so that can help you make a decision about the amount you are giving your son and whether that amount is typically okay for ongoing use, or best for periodic use.
Was he taking 1/2 tsp of powdered clay then mixed with water, or 1/2 tsp of previously hydrated clay like Great Plains?
Hi Jini,
I’m interested in using the Bentonite clay to improve chronic pouchitis. Can you tell me if it clumps together in the digestive system. I want to know whether it can cause a blockage. J-pouch surgery means a higher lifetime risk of bowel blockages. I have had bowel blockages and I certainly do not want to go through anything like that again. Any other advice re: chronic pouchitis is welcome.
Thank you
Kathy
(Sydney, Australia)
Hi Kathy,
Bentonite clay should firm up your stool but we haven’t had any feedback from Jini’s readers indicating any blockages. As always, if you have concerns with respect to your specific medical condition it’s a good idea to run it by your physician first to be sure. If you decide to try the product we would love to hear how it works for you!
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Does anyone have a more complete list of YES food for this cleanse? Thank you 🙂
Hi,
Should the clay be taken on a empty stomach ?
How much of the probiotics should be taken?
Thank you
Shelly
Hi Shelly,
According to the manufacturer of the brand Jini recommends, here are the usage instructions for the bentonite clay:
For daily use, take 1 tablespoon with 4 – 8 ounces of filtered water once or twice a day on an empty stomach. For short term use, take 1 tablespoonful every two hours. Drink additional fluid (8 – 10 glasses of water) during the day.
Regarding probiotics, you can either go by the suggested dosage on the bottle or, if you want to use the cautious/sensitive approach, details are on page 175 of Jini’s Listen to Your Gut book.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
My question has to do with B clay to adsorb the c-diff bacteria. I have used it for regular drtox before but now my wife has recurring c-diff that she hasn’t been able to conquer. If the clay will adsorb or absorb the bacteria and take it out in the poop, then what happens to the probiotic designed to increase good bacteria when you take the next dose of clay. It seems that if adsorb and absorb are accurate it would imply that you could take out the bad without wiping the good out with it. This might allow you to have a protocol of clay followed a couple of hours later by probiotics. Then later another dose of clay etc, etc. Could this be effective in dealing with the c-diff?
Hi Tom, no way is bentonite strong enough to deal with C. difficile infection. We find people with C. diff need a potent anti-pathogen, combined with high dose therapeutic probiotics. This eBook (also available as softcover book if you prefer) details the protocol and substances needed:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/jinis-healing-guide-natural-treatments-for-gut-infection-ebook-by-jini-patel-thompson/
Jini, I am not suggesting to trust the clay to deal with the bad bacteria. I read your eBook and I understand that the oregano oil would kill the bacteria but I thought the clay might help by absorbing the toxins and taking them out. I am in a confusing place because all of this was new to me until my wife came down with c diff. It has relapsed in her 4 times now and she is taking vancomycin. But I thought the clay along with that and follow with probiotics might be the combination she needs. With your protocol I don’t understand when to quit the oil and start the enema or if it is all at the same time. To exacerbate the problem when the diahrea starts she quickly becomes dehydrated and begins to have vertigo attacks. She has suffered enough and I won’t to get her through this the best way I can. Like I said this is the 4rh relapse. So I am grasping for anything that will help. Thanks for your response.
Tom
Oh I see what you mean Tom. Hmmm, the problem would be coordinating the timing of the 3 substances (wild oregano, bentonite, probiotics)… So I think what I would do is take a dose of bentonite, then 20 minutes later take the wild oregano (or Vancomycin), then 2 hours later take the Natren probiotic. I wouldn’t want to use the bentonite more than 2x/day. But I would take both the high dose oral probiotics and the Probiotic Retention Enema. It is also REALLY important to use only the brands of wild oregano and probiotics that I recommend, to have the same potency. The Probiotic Retention Enema will also be beneficial for diarrhea and dehydration.
I’m doing the Yeast buster cleanse, how many drop of Wild oregano oil should I be taking at each increasing interval to make the whole 10wks recommended program. Using wild oregano, as a substitute for 1 tab of Vitabiotic that is? Since the max usage daily is 25drops, the cleanse goes up to 6x tabs daily, so I figured 4 drops This Thursday I’d need to introduce the Wild oregano? From the look of it, it appears to be 1 drop per tab is that about right? thanks…
Hi Nathalie,
We aren’t familiar with the product you mentioned nor is that cleanse something that Jini recommends so I’m afraid that we can’t comment on any substitutions for it. Here’s a link to a blog post where Jini talks about another anti-yeast protocol if your current one doesn’t work out well:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/help-for-stubborn-yeast-infections-candida-albicans/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Hi Tom,
You may want to consider Fecal Matter Transplant for the C-Diff.
From what I have read it can be life saving for people with C-Diff and has a very high success rate .
Just a suggestion.
Hope your wife gets relief soon 🙂
Yes Tom, if she’s open to it, as Shelly said, fecal implant has had very high success rates with C. difficile. We have a teleseminar about that if you want to learn more. Also, if you combine the fecal implant with my gut infection protocol, you may only have to do the fecal infusion once. Otherwise, it usually requires a few implants ongoing for a while.
Wondering if you can mix bentonite clay with other drinks or is the preferred method to drink with water. My father is not a water drinker but I think he would benefit from this clay or would other drinks impact its effectiveness? I thought that Jeni mentioned apple juice in this blog?
Hi Deborah,
Absolutely! Mixing bentonite clay with apple juice shouldn’t affect its efficacy.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Hello! I’ve been taking oregano oil and bentonite clay for genital herpes. From what I’ve been reading, the virus hides in the lower spine and behind heavy metals. I’m using the oregano oil as the antiviral and the bentonite clay for the metals removal. It does sound like a great combination to me!
My question to you is: Have you had anyone take the clay and oil for genital herpes and if so, have you heard about anyone having success with this combination.
Your help in this matter is very much appreciated. Thank you.
Nick
Hi Nick,
I’m afraid that we haven’t received any feedback from anyone about using the protocol for genital herpes but we’d love to hear how it works out for you! Here’s a link to another blog post which may be of interest as it contains a few more ideas if you don’t achieve the results you’re looking for with your current protocol:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/quad-synergy-pathogen-parasite-protocol/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Coconut Oil !!!
Hello Mini, I have high levels of platinum , arsenic, aluminum and lithium . Should I do more bentonite clay ? I am currently doing a teaspoon 3 times a day and keeping it away from support herbs and probiotic at the 2 hour interval.
Hi Eddy – you could do a search on CureZone.com to see what the upper level amounts of bentonite are that people are using successfully. You could also combine your oral intake with clay baths; as this would support your detox, but not overwhelm your gut.
Mini, I have an iron gut and have no problems there at all. Looked in cure zone and cannot find any one that has platinum poisoning. This scares me as it has defiantly effected my brain. Can I detox too fast? My kidneys feel like they are working over time and drinking lots of water to move things out.
Hi Eddy,
The question of whether or not it’s possible to detox too fast would be better answered by your physician who would know more about your specific health situation. However, if you are looking for more detox options (especially for heavy metals since you mentioned platinum), check out Jini’s blog post below:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/44/detoxification.html
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Justin, Learned fast that you can over do it without supporting the liver. Woke up with sore liver so quit the clay and let liver rest. Today much better and doing all I can to support the liver and kidneys. With all this I me , my brain is just dancing.
Thanks a million
Eddy
Hi Eddy,
It’s great to hear that you’re feeling better! If you’re still concerned about the platinum, you may have better luck with some of the milder suggestions from that post I linked in my last comment.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Justin , Have been doing the clay now for just about a month and am experiencing some tingling in fore arms and feet when awaking in the morning. Is this what I should be feeling? When doing clay it goes away after a little while. Is this the toxins being pulled back out?
Regards
Eddy
Hi Eddy,
It’s possible but we’ve never heard of that symptom attributed to the usage of bentonite clay so I really can’t say for certain. If the tingling persists you may want to get your doctor’s opinion just to be sure that it’s no cause for concern.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
recently I have started to become familiar with taking bentonite clay and a probiotic as well, but I’ve noticed that the taste of my foods have changed? Is this normal? Everything almost tastes very bland and at times requires additional salt. Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Shavon,
I’m afraid that we haven’t heard of that particular symptom occurring as a result of using bentonite clay or probiotics. You may want to stop using one or the other for a while to see if either one seems to be causing the issue.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
I have had issues with constipation for years and am really suffering from the toxic fumes from gas. Let alone the family too. My colon is slow and I have Rheumatoid arthritis which seems to be effecting the insides and not the joints. I have been taking Bentonite for just over a week and probiotics 2 hours after dose. Usually 2 doses a day of 1 to 2 teaspoons. I need to get my gutt flora straight I guess. Please help me with how much to take of probiotics and are they available without going to the Dr. again? lol Please help!! Desperate!
Hi Minnie,
Jini recommends Natren probiotics and the bottles have a recommended dosage listed on the supplement facts so we generally suggest following that unless you have IBD/IBS. You can purchase Natren probiotics from our shoppe at this link:
https://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/shop-by-probiotics
You may also want to consider supplementing with wild oregano oil in conjunction with your bentonite and probiotics regimen as that may help you repopulate your gut with good flora more quickly. Jini’s wild oregano protocol outlines this and can be found in her Listen to Your Gut book or Natural Treatments For Gut Infection books (both are available in eBook format as well). You can find those at this link:
http://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/books-and-ebooks/
Please note: If you purchase a book or eBook and don’t find it useful then we’re happy to have you return it for a refund!
If you have any additional questions you can post here or email us at service@listentoyourgut.com.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
From recent labs, I just found out I have chronic sinusitis caused by toxic mold. This mold exposure, I believe, has worsened my IBS. The drugs in mainstream medicine, mainly CSM, seem really harsh. Do you know anything about how effective bentonite clay is in removing mold toxins from the body? Do you recommend Zeolite at all for detox? I have read that Zeolite does a great job of removing heavy metals, viruses, bacteria, and mold toxins with no side effects. In either case, I’m concerned because I tend towards constipation anyway, and these substances in high doses (which is what I would need to take for a period of time) can cause constipation. Any thoughts or recommendations?
Hi Heather,
Jini highly recommends bentonite clay as a detoxification agent but we can’t speak to how effective it might be against mold, specifically. However, as mentioned in the blog post above, the Canadian Journal of Microbiology claimed that bentonite can absorb mold aflatoxins.
Regarding Zeolite, I’m afraid we don’t have any experience using that product but several people discussed it in the comments over at another one of Jini’s posts so there might be some useful info:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/does-adya-clarity-black-mica-extract-work/
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
I been taking this 3 days straight once every morning on empty stomach, 1 part clay 2 part water, but I been getting diarrhea every single time after drinking the clay water. I bought sodium bentonite clay with a food grade. Should I stop, I thought it suppose to stop diarrhea, not cause it. Please help!
Hi David,
First of all, if your goal is to stop your diarrhea then you should definitely check out Jini’s symptom page for that at the link below if you haven’t already:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/16/diarrhea.html
Regarding the bentonite, Jini doesn’t recommend using products that she hasn’t personally tested with her protocols and the Yerba Prima brand is the only one she has found that fits the bill. It’s widely available so we’d suggest trying that one out to see if you experience different results.
Kind regards,
Justin
Customer Care
Yes, there is more than one type of bentonite clay. You’ll want to purchase calcium bentonjte clay for ingesting, not sodium.
Straight out. Does calcium bentonite have the ability to capture mold an fungus in the body and remove it. I am on a protocol they say is designed to do exactly that. Supposedly the mold is protecting an infection in the body and not allowing another agent I am taking to kill it. It seems to be working becaue I feel much better now. nd my blood pressure is normal for the first time without medication in the past 10 years. If not can you explain wht is happening that has such relief. I might not be able to come ack here soon. would you p lease send me an e-mail answer too. Thank you.
Hello Harold,
We do not have experience and knowledge concerning just the calcium bentonite. The Bentonite Clay we use has Calcium as well as several other minerals. We highly recommend the bentonite clay for detoxification, however we can comment on it for mold specifically. It does sound like though if you are feeling better on it it is a good chance that may be helping you. Sorry we can not be of more help. Please let us know if we can help with anything else. I sent you a email response as well.
Kind Regards,
Rachel
Customer Care
Hello,
I want to try the clay externally, specifically doing a foot bath. Ho effective is this in removing toxins from the body? Also, are there any precautions? For example, can it remove vital nutrients from my body? If so, how do you recommend going about fixing this? Drinking lots of water throughout the day while doing so? Or what? Thanks in advance
Hello Kim,
Thank you for your question. We do not have experience using the clay in a foot bath. It could be helpful in cleaning out toxins from the body. However, it may not be as effective in removing toxins as well as digesting it. Since it is cleansing out the bacteria we would highly recommend using probiotics with it when done using it to cleanse out, to help build up the good bacteria again. A lot of water is always very important when using something to detox to help cleanse out all the toxins.
If you decide to use it for a foot bath we would love to hear your results with it. Please let us know if you have any other questions.
Kind Regards,
Rachel
Customer Care
Would clay rubbed over your intestines work to adsorb bad stuff, versus drinking it? What is the recipe for a clay poutlice like this, if so?
Also, used internally, how can you be sure you have the right balance since it can cause both loose stools and constipation, if not dosed properly? I have had IBS and I don’t want it to return. Thanks.
Hello Cher,
Thank you for your interest and question. We do not have experience on if using the bentonite clay externally would be beneficial for the intestines as much as internally. If you decide to try this we would love to hear your results with it. As for the right dosage, as with any other products our bodies are all different so we can not say for certain the exact right dosage for you. However, if your bowel movements are currently regular we would recommend to not use for more than two weeks. Also we highly recommend using probiotics afterward to build the good bacteria back up after the detox. If you are concerned about the chance of diarrhea or constipation we highly recommend using 1/2 tsp. bentonite to every 1 tbsp. of chia/flax seeds. It is also very beneficial to drink a lot of water while doing any kind of detox. If you have any other questions please let us know.
Kind Regards,
Rachel
Customer Care
Thanks, Rachel! It may indeed be something I will try! My kinesiologist, who also happens to be a good friend, tested me for using a clay bath for detox-it was half Bentonite clay and half French coarse organic salt- about a cup and a half of each. When I really needed a detox, I would fill up my bath from the shower (because I have a filter on my shower) and then use a powered Bent. clay that was more easily dissolvable in water – it still takes a bit of effort to squish it all up and dissolve it and I prefer to do most of that before I get innto the tub so I would do it a measuring cup at a time with hot water and squish it up (some people just pour it in and squish it up as they soak! The water has to be reasonably hot to melt the clay, without burning you. And then you soak in it for 20 minutes a day, possibly once or twice a day, or possibly just 3 or more times a week, in a row depending on how ill you feel. Shouldn’t do for too long unless you have someone testing you, as it can draw too many things out…you can overdo any good thing! But it helped me thru some very sick feelings as I was getting over some natural cures for some health issues and worked exceptionally well. 🙂
Hi Cher,
Sounds interesting, please let us know how it works out for you!
Good luck!
Rachel
Customer Care
I meant to make it clear that I have already used the clay and salt baths to soak in, many times- at least 2 dozen times on the advice of my kinesiologist who tested me for it, and it has taken me from feeling very ill to feeling good again in usually a few days! It is very safe! Should not be overdone, of course, but a few days, 20 minutes at a time, and then see how you feel. You can probably tell if you need more. But don’t do it too often or too much, just when you really feel toxic! 🙂
Hi Cher,
That was my mistake, I did not read correctly. I apologize for that. That is great it helped in the bath! Thank you for sharing the information, great to learn of new techniques to help with products.
Have a great day,
Rachel
Customer Care
My specialist said to stay away from psyllium it causes more issues especially if you have IBS. Do you have any thoughts on this.
Hello Heather,
We have never heard of psyllium causing any problems for IBS. We often recommend it for IBS. However, if you feel your specialist is right that in your case it may be more harmful for you than you may want to avoid it for now. If you do decide to try it, we just recommend to start at a low dosage and not use for more than two weeks at a time. You can see our further recommendations for IBS here: http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/15/irritable-bowel-syndrome-ibs.html
Please let us know if you have any other questions we can help you with.
Kind Regards,
Rachel
Customer Care
Thank you for the wonderful information. I am curious about adding Bentonite Clay to the IBD Remission Diet, specifically Jini’s short sheet. I am working on curing my thirteen year old son with chronic 24/7 nausea, bloating, and cramping. Based on the above information, the IBD Remission Diet and book, and Jini’s downloadable short sheet, I am trying to coordinate the timing of every item on the short sheet plus the Bentonite Clay. I will also be adding the Probiotic Retention Enema, EFT, colonic massage, and clay baths. I have read both of Jini’s books. Thank you for your help.
Hi Jini, Thank you for the info on Clay and charcoal- great stuff! I’ve used the charcoal many times to draw out poisons from spider bites etc.
I’ve noticed you say that MetaCleanse is no longer available. I did a google search and Vitamin Planet stocks a product with the same name. Is that the product you are talking about? Maybe it is back on the market now?
Hello Jane,
That is interesting to see there is a product out again with that name. Looking at the ingredients it is a very different product than the one we used to recommend, just with the same name. The original one we used to recommend and sale had ground flaxseed, whole psyllium husks, and bentonite clay (food grade). As this article states which ingredients we recommend in place of the MetaCleanse. With all the other added ingredients, the Vitamin Planet one is not something we would recommend.
Kind Regards,
Rachel
Customer Care
At this point I would say it is a very bad strategy to be drinking clay for killing off bad gut flora. The risks of killing off the good flora are too high. If you are having problems with imbalance due to antibiotics etc the last thing you want to do is potentially make it worse by killing off the remaining populations. The fact is there are hundreds if not thousands of gut flora strains. Microbiolgists will scoff at the idea of taking a probiotic food or pill since it is like putting a bandaid on an amputation. It is really not going to do anyone any good but the pockets of those that sell it. You may glean some benefit for using Clay on a cut or scrape, but when testing the clays from the same source they have found they vary greatly. So there is no guarantee your batch will have the needed Fe2+, An2+, Cu2+ in order to kill bacteria. I wish it were that easy. As for c diff they found most of the patients were cured after a fecal transplant and the remaining needed to a combination of antiobiotics and fecal transplants for the more difficult cases. They didn’t use probiotics or any supplement. They did find you can affect the gut flora populations by what you eat. They found the high fat and salt diets made a negative impact on the good gut flora. This is from a well respected microbiologist.
My neighbour pumps concrete and another drills wells they have bentonite in 50 lb bags is this consumable.
Does Betonite Clay absorb and expell unbound iron from tissues?
Hi, I recently broke my foot and am taking a silica supplement that also has 10 mg of bentonite mineral powder, & I noticed I have very loose stools now & a lot of gurgling In my stomach/colon. Is this because of the bentonite? I normally drink a lot of water and have pretty regular stools. I take flax in my green drink every morning & other vitamins and minerals (including calcium & magnesium). I haven’t been taking my probiotic lately. Should I stop taking the silica supplement with the bentonite in it? It doesn’t seem normal to have these symptoms/side effects. Thanks!
Hi Tiffany,
Thank you for reaching out! I’m afraid we don’t have any experience using that particular supplement. You may want to stop taking it or the other for a while to see if either one seems to be causing the issue.
Kind Regards,
Cris B
Customer Care
Hello how would you suggest taking been tonight clay internally with colonial silver internally?
Hi Kenneth,
What are you using this combination of Bentonite Clay and Colloidal Silver for?
Kind Regards,
Cris B,
Customer Care
Kenneth, i would not take coloidal silver and bentonite at the same time. If you take them several hours apart , they would be fine. The clay would absorb the silver and break it down.
Hi, how many times a day should the bentonite, psyllium, and chia/flax powder be taken? I am currently doing phase 1 of the wild oregano oil protocol and am experiencing a lot of bloating and constipation, as well as some intestinal bleeding. Should I take the bentonite/psyllium/chia/flax every time I take the oregano oil and should they be taken before or after the oil? Also are any of these things not good to take while bleeding? Thank you.
Hi Katherine,
You can take them once or twice a day (first thing in the morning and before bed are usually best). Mixed with apple, pineapple, grape or cranberry juice work best; mixing with citrus juice may produce gas. They can be taken at any time of day; however, to establish a routine and promote regularity, we suggest taking them at about the same time each day. It can be taken while you have bleeding and make sure you are drinking at least 8 to 10 glasses of filtered or spring water per day. The Oregano needs to be taken on empty stomach, so maybe take the the stool softening agents 20 mins before the oil or 2 hours after.
Kind Regards,
Cris B,
Customer Care
Ok thanks. So to clarify, I can take the bentonite and psyllium at the same time and then take the oregano oil 20 minutes later – and none of them will interfere with each other? Also I have found it easiest to take the chia/flax with food or in a shake at another time (after taking the oil and waiting 20 minutes) – is this ok? (Some of the other posts mentioned taking it with food.) As long as I wait 20 minutes after taking the oil to eat and take the chia/flax, the oil will still be effective? And, the oil will still be effective if I take the bentonite and psyllium 20 minutes before the oil?
Also, I am currently taking MucosaHeal, N-A-G, and aloe vera juice as well, which I have been taking at the same time as the oregano oil – is it still ok to take these with the oil if I take the bentonite and psyllium 20 minutes before and the chia/flax at least 20-30 minutes later? Thanks – just a bit overwhelmed with the timing of everything and want to make sure I am doing it so they will all be the most effective and not interfere with/inhibit each other. (Jini’s help would be much appreciated!)
Also one other question – what dosage should be used of the psyllium? Should it be 1 rounded teaspoon as suggested on the bottle? (This is what I have been taking.)
Hi Katherine,
Yes 1 rounded teaspoon is fine. If you have intestinal stricture; proceed very slowly, starting at a small dose (1/4 tsp) and gradually building up to your tolerance level.
Kind Regards,
Cris B
Customer Care
Hi Katherine,
Yes, Between shakes on empty stomach (can all be taken together): George’s Aloe Vera Juice, MucosaHeal, NAG, Wild oregano oil (20 mins before food or 2 hours after food). Wait 10-15 minutes and then take A combination of 1 tbsp. sprouted flax and chia powder along with 1/2 tsp. bentonite clay. Wait at least 20 mins before eating.
If you’re supplementing with probiotics or trying to implant a healthy bacterial flora, then you certainly don’t want to be ingesting large amounts of Bentonite, because that’s going to pull all these good bacteria out of your gut as well! Therefore, I would only use Bentonite Clay short-term, or in small amounts and then get yourself on the high dose probiotic supplementation that will address the root-cause of your diarrhea.
Kind Regards,
Cris B
Customer Care
Shoot! I have been taking probiotics then one hour later one T of bentonite clay – seems like this is a bad idea and wasting all the probiotics!
There’s this:
‘Effects of bentonite Bgp35b-p on the gut microbiota of mice fed a
high-fat diet.’
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29412464
Only the abstract, but does not look like bentonite sucks up all the good bacteria.
Hmmm… interesting, but I’m not reassured by the fact that the study was carried out by a group of Korean scientists assessing, “Bgp35b-p bentonite produced in South Korea”. And voila! Nothing but positive results – weight loss aid and improve your gut flora in one go. Looks like there could be a pay-off somewhere. So I’d like to see more corroborating studies done. Not saying it’s not possible, but more evidence would be good. Thanks for sharing it though, I had not seen this one.
Thank you so much for this information. I wish I found it 6 years ago. So I have ulcerative colitis. ( mucus,blood) I follow the blood type diet eliminating foods. I feel about 95 percent better. I still struggle with BV. Also when I take a probiotic I get bloating, gas and constipation. So I read up on SIBO. This so sounds like me. I got unexpected food allergies, acne, constipation, etc. The only thing that has been helping for the BV and acne is the wild Oregno and then 2 hours the probiotic.
Do you recommend anything else I should consider?
Thank you
Hi Whit,
Thank you for your message! A good place to start if you want to learn more about healing your Ulcerative Colitis naturally is at Jini’s symptoms section, including the recommended products:
http://www.listentoyourgut.com/symptoms/13/ulcerative-colitis.html
Remember that it’s not the probiotics that is causing the bloat, it’s whatever the product is displacing; they try to do the most damage to the wall when you try to displace them – the bacteria retaliates which causes bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation, etc. You can try lowering the dosage to what you can tolerate then increase gradually to the recommended dose.
You can also check this blog for more information about SIBO:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/elemental-diets-are-highly-successful-with-sibo/
Kind regards,
Customer Care
Hello I have uclers and ibs n been exposed molds and what could be pericites doctors here not worry bout things can I still use this
Since my understanding is that bentonite clay is hydrous aluminum silicate, I am afraid of it due to the aluminum content. Is it absorbed into the body?
Hi Debbie,
Thank you for contacting us here. You would need to contact the manufacturer of a bentonite product to find out exactly what minerals are in it and in what amounts. A google search shows that bentonite is composed of numerous minerals, including calcium, magnesium, silica, sodium, copper, iron, potassium etc.
Here is an alternative way to detox that might suit you better:
https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/chlorophyll-and-cilantro-pesto-heavy-metal-detox
Kind regards,
Cris B
Customer Care
I strongly doubt that bentonite clay removes bacteria from our gut. Diatomaceous earth maybe, but not the clay.
I am already 3 months on twice a day tablespoon of bentonite clay with high amounts of various probiotics (s. boulardii, soil based organisms, regular lactobacillus and bifido bacterias). I achieved very good progress. I feel much better, I have very smooth twice a day stool movements. Fatigue and brain fog lowered a lot. I am having boosts of motivation and I am not angry person anymore.
Hi David,
Thank you for sharing your experiences. 3 months is definitely quite longer that the 2-week period Jini recommends, as it is meant as a short-term detox, followed by a high dose probiotic supplementation that will address the root-cause of your diarrhea.
I’m curious – are you taking the bentonite clay at the same time as your probiotics, or at least 2 hours away from your probiotics?
Best,
Savannah B
Customer Care
Wanted to share my experience with bentonite clay. I had successfully treated my SIBO and was free of it for 3 years. I bought bentonite clay to use on my skin and discovered it could also be taken internally. After using it ONCE, my SIBO came roaring back! It completely wiped out all my hard work of building good gut bacteria. Please do not use it if you have recurring SIBO.
Hi Renee. Thanks for your feedback! Unfortunately every body is different, so what works for one may not work for another – clearly your body did not tolerate the bentonite clay well. You do need to supplement with probiotics when using BC, so that may have been an issue when you took it internally.
You can find a bit more information about it in this blog post, which surrounds gut issues and SIBO: https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/help-for-ongoing-sibo-ibs-gut-issues/
Um I have been taking probiotics daily years prior to using the clay and ever since. But thanks for YOUR feedback.
That’s great! Though it could also be due the potency and quality of your probiotic. Can I ask what brand you are using?
Thanks for this great post! I need to improve my gut health, which I suspect is the cause of my inflammation problems. I’ve tried plenty of supplements and herbs and such, but nothing really helps, so I’m looking into how to best cleanse the gut. Bentonite clay seems like the way to go.
Would a combination of bentonite clay and elemental diet be beneficial? Or should one be done before the other? What do you recommend for best effect when it comes to removing unwanted stuff from the gut? Pre and pro biotics afterwards are a given, of course.
Hi Joe – are you taking any probiotics, and have you tried using Wild Oregano Oil or Olive Leaf? These are the 3 supplements Jini recommends most, as the WOO (or olive, if you cannot tolerate WOO) acts as an “intestinal broom” – basically sweeping out ALL bacteria from the gut. That’s why it’s important to supplement with a probiotic at least 2 hours after using WOO. This will replace the lost bacteria with beneficial bacteria, thus resetting your gut flora & improving your overall gut health.
If you are not taking any probiotics, here are two resources I recommend you take a look at:
How to choose a potent probiotic: https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/how-to-choose-a-potent-probiotic/
Probiotic cheat sheet: https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/probiotic-cheat-sheet/
Jini has also written on prebiotics here: https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/recent-research-on-prebiotics-and-probiotics/
I’d like to know how to dose this for a 375 lb pony. She gets intermittent diarrhea. Sometimes her stool is just liquid. In the past I have given a product called biosponge which is an intestinal adsorbent too but it’s a twice a day regiment and it doesn’t seem to completely resolve the diarrhea. It’s a large amount and I have to mix it with water and syringe feed it because it’s so chalky. Sometimes I have to give the biosponge for about 2 weeks. No fun for the little pony. I’m hoping for a better approach. I’ve also just finished giving the pony a 10 day psyllium treatment which I’m going to continue monthly. She is on a probiotic. I was working with my veterinarian to get a diagnosis but she has not been able to come up with anything. This is the second Vet I have reached out to. Although her fecal samples are negative for parasites I am considering giving her the panacur power pack for the 5 day treatment. I’d really like to get this pony well. Any advice on your bentonite recipe for our pony would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Stephanie
Hmmmm well if you applied the same dosing as for humans – I’m 125 lbs and I take 1 tbsp. So that would be 3 tbsp. for your pony. You could also just put it in a feed dish and let her eat however much she wants. We had an excavator out digging manure pits in the fall, and after scraping down to reveal the clay layers, all of my horses went into the pit and stood there for quite some time, licking the clay and scraping it up with their teeth to ingest it. Horses know what they need to heal. When they’d had enough, they climbed out. We also have a creek with a mostly-clay creekbed and both the horses and dogs will lick/eat clay from there when they need it.
I also highly recommend Natren’s Equiflora probiotic. I wouldn’t worm further unless you’ve done a fecal egg count – drug wormers are very hard on the gut and I give my horses supplements and high dose Equiflora to repair the gut after usage.
Last factor: Do you feed ANY grains? Top cause of diarrhea, so get rid of all of them. Feed low-sugar hay, available 24/7, in a haynet or slowfeeder – 1st cut is often coarser (more fiber – better for the teeth and gut). Then supplement with either flax seed or alfalfa to make up the missing amino acid profile – NO grass or hay has all the essential amino acids needed for proper protein absorption/utilization, so you need to add in the missing ones.
You can search articles on everything I mentioned above on my horse blog – just type in the topic/keyword:
https://listentoyourhorse.com/ideas-stories/
Hope that helps!
I’m drinking bentonite clay (sonnes #7) first thing in the morning and before bed to help with die-off from candida cleanse. I find it helps with that but that i’m extremely bloated and filled with water, especially in my stomach/gut – i’m essentially distended with water. This happened with other brands as well. Any thoughts on this and how to deal with it? Thanks!
Hi Frank! A few things came to mind when I read your comment – and these are just my thoughts based on my own experiences using bentonite clay. 🙂
1.) If you’re familiar with the Herxheimer effect, it’s basically a “die-off” of bad bacteria in your gut. Bloating can sometimes be a symptom of this, as the bentonite clay is pulling these dying pathogens out. I actually always experience bloating on binders.
2.) It’s important to make sure detox pathways are open. In my experience, if the toxins dying off weren’t being pulled weren’t being eliminated properly, I would have a reaction. If this is the case, what I do (still to this day) is use an infrared sauna, take quercetin, and a liver tone supplement – all products found in the shop! These helped to open my detox pathways so the bentonite clay could express the toxins properly. Here are those products I mentioned:
Liver Tone – https://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/natures-answer-liver-tone-alcohol-free-extract-1-fl-oz/
Quercetin: https://shoppe.listentoyourgut.com/olympian-labs-quercetin-500-mg-60-capsules/
3.) The bentonite could be “stuck” in your system. In this case, if it were me, I would go on a full elemental, liquid-only diet until the bloating and distillation goes down. I would not use any anti-pathogens, however, but an infrared sauna is great! Here is a fabulous blog post-Jini wrote on how to use an infrared sauna for IBD detox & healing support: https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/use-an-infrared-sauna-for-ibd-detox-healing-support/
4.) It could be your body does not tolerate bentonite clay. If this is the case, I would recommend either this activated charcoal treatment for Crohns which Jini wrote on: https://blog.listentoyourgut.com/charcoal-treatment-for-crohns/
I had great results using this GI detox: https://amzn.to/3wvMlV6
and activated charcoal: https://amzn.to/3bVb0dP
It really just depends on what you prefer.
I hope this helps!
Hi is bentonite clay safe for hydrogen sulfide SIBO? Does it have sulfur in it? Also is it safe for anemics? Will it detox and deplete iron? I tried Activated Charcoal and it had an anti-coagulant effect on my blood. So I assume if this doesnt discriminate what it pulls out, then it will be the same?
Hi June! Unfortunately, we don’t have any experience or no info on this topic, so best to speak with your health professional on this one. All of our best to you though on your journey with this 🙂
Hello,
I’m hoping you can clarify whether the statements (see below snippet) made on the below website (see below link) are true concerning the body absorbing the metals naturally found in bentonite clay, such as lead, due to ones stomach acid pulling most of the lead from the clay. Most other research I’ve performed is to the contrary.
Here is the link to the endocrinologist website:
https://www.nesaz.com/the-surprising-risks-of-using-bentonite-clay/
And below is the snippet of importance:
When you eat clay, your stomach acid pulls most of the lead out of the clay. Then, it goes right into your body.
Bentonite clay is beneficial when it comes to removing lead, zinc, nickel, and cadmium from different substances, like wastewater, because it can bond with these kinds of heavy metals.
However, in the case of eating bentonite, it has more harmful side effects than expedient ones. Inasmuch, when you consume clay, your stomach acid pulls most of the lead out of the bentonite clay, and it absorbs straight into your system.
Thanks in advance for your opinion and any contrary research you have to offer.
Scott
Scott I am going to do a blog post to answer this question. I’ll post here when it’s ready. Thanks for asking!