Every batch of Pure Clay® Calcium Bentonite Clay is tested twice by an independent laboratory for pathogenic or harmful microbes. First we test it immediately after the clay is harvested from the earth and then we test it again after packaging, to make sure there was no contamination introduced during the process. ​ We submit a sample for elemental testing once a year to confirm the mineral content consistency of the clay. We want you, our customers, to be completely confident that the clay you’re drinking and applying to your skin meets the highest quality standards for purity and content. ​ Our Material Safety Data Sheet rounds out the documentation we gladly make available to you. Check out all documentation here: Microbial Analysis | Elemental Analysis | MSDS

We encourage our customers to not take clay within two hours of taking a prescription medication. Medications can have metallic salts that could bind to the clay, so leave time for your prescription or clay to exit your stomach before taking the other. Make sure and talk with your physician about taking clay while you are on prescription medications.

No, not as long as you leave a good window of time, 2-3 hours, between taking the two. So if you are taking your antibiotic in the morning and evening, take your clay sometime in the early afternoon.

This is a great question and for good reason. No one wants to drink lead, arsenic or cadmium, or even put it on their skin. Bentonite Clay is volcanic ash harvested from the ground and all substances taken from the ground will have traces of heavy metals in them. Did you know that everything grown in dirt has trace amounts of heavy metals in it? Those fruits and vegetables you are eating, even organic ones, can contain many times the amount of lead than the legal limit under California’s Prop 65. The reason there are not Prop 65 warnings in the produce section of your California grocery store is because of a little-known scientific fact: naturally-occurring heavy metals are molecularly bonded. Just like Siamese twins, elements in clay like lead, arsenic and cadmium bond with other molecular elements and that bond is so tight that it can’t be broken. If those elements were not bonded, they would indeed be toxic. But because they are fused together with other elements, they can’t attach to anything in your body, or absorb into any of your tissues, making them harmless. ​ Scientists experimented with bentonite clay to determine whether it is effective as a heavy metal detox. Their findings, published by the National Institutes of Health, are posted below. Here’s what they said about a study done on pigs: “Supplementation of [bentonite clay] in the diet was found to significantly reduce lead concentration of tissues in blood, brain, liver, bone, kidney and hair.”¹ Similarly, another study found that introduction of clay, “…significantly reduced Pb [lead] accumulation in kidney and blood of tilapia.”² ​ So the conclusion is that if clay significantly reduced tissue lead levels, it can’t be depositing heavy metals in those same tissues. ​ Sources: ¹http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18568297 ²http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19789846

Once in a while one of our customers will report not feeling well when they take Pure Clay® Calcium Bentonite Clay . Because clay is so good at absorbing toxins, this doesn’t happen very often. But occasionally a person’s toxic load can cause what’s called a Herxheimer reaction. The most common reasons are because toxins are being released from the liver as it is cleansed, or fungus or bacteria are releasing toxins as they die off. During an intense weight loss program, fat cells (which store toxins) break down and release those toxins in the process. ​ This toxin release can sometimes cause a person to feel like they have the flu – aching muscles, low energy and/or headache. Normally symptoms are very mild but they can range from mild to severe, depending upon the toxin load. It is important to know that this is temporary, and is an indicator that your body is graduating to the next level – the garbage is getting cleaned out and there is a new plateau coming where you’ll feel better, lighter and more energized!

No. Because Pure Clay® Calcium Bentonite Clay is mined from a vein deep below the surface of the earth, it comes out of the earth naturally pure. We have it tested twice during the packaging process – once when it comes out of the ground and then again after it has been packaged. There have never been any pathogenic microbes found in Pure Clay® Calcium Bentonite Clay. Clay experts have reported that USP-grade clay or those labeled “pharmaceutical grade” have been found to not work as effectively because the cleansing process removed good bacteria and other trace elements that are beneficial to the healing process.

You can keep prepared clay water in a glass jar (with a plastic lid) in the refrigerator for several weeks. Shake well before each use. The clay water gets thicker and smoother as it “blooms.” Many people report that it works and tastes much better after sitting for a couple of days. We like it cold! Mixing up a larger batch makes it easy to add clay water to fruit juice, a smoothie or a pet dish. ​ Keep clay mixed for external use in a glass bowl (with a plastic lid) in the refrigerator. It should keep for several weeks.

Isn’t it great when you can see that your clay is working? Red skin means that the blood flow has been drawn to the surface so that toxins can be drawn out of your skin. The redness should subside in no more than a couple of hours. If your skin is sensitive, halve the amount of time you leave the mask on your face, and make sure to use apple cider vinegar as the liquid. Pure Clay® Calcium Bentonite Clay is naturally alkaline and mixing it with vinegar will give you a neutral pH mask.

If your face feels dry, you’ve probably left the mask on too long. We advise that you leave the clay on your face only until it just starts to dry; there should still be some stickiness left to most of the clay. This usually takes no more than 15 minutes. Wipe off your face with a warm wet washcloth and follow with your favorite moisturizer.

Yes! Kids can benefit from clay just as adults do. You’ll just use less. ​ For a child under 50 lbs., if you have already followed our prepared clay water instructions, use 2 Tablespoons of the prepared clay water and mix it with one cup of water, milk or juice, and give this to your child once per day. If you are using clay powder, you can mix ¾ to 1 teaspoon of clay in with water, milk or juice. Or you can mix the powder with yogurt or applesauce, making sure they drink ample liquids too. ​ If your child is over 50 lbs., double that dosage to ¼ cup mixed clay water per day or 1.5-2 teaspoons of dry powder in liquid or food, making sure they get lots of fluids. ​ If clay hits the stomach dry, there isn’t enough fluid in the stomach to fully hydrate the clay, so it won’t work as effectively. That’s why we advise hydrating clay before eating it.

YES! Clay can be used for children exactly as adults, just in smaller dosages in proportion to their size. ​ When bathing a child in clay water, use discretion and watch carefully to see if the child is reacting in any way. As with adults, the more time spent in a clay bath, and the more skin area that is exposed to the bath water, the more powerfully the clay will work. ​ For infants (under 25 pounds), pour ¼ cup of Bentonite Clay Pure Clay® powder into warm running water and dissolve thoroughly. Don’t immerse the child’s whole body; fill the water just to their navel. The first time, only let them sit (not lay) in the water for 5 minutes and see how they do. If they do well, the next time they take a bath increase it to 10 minutes and monitor their well-being. Don’t bathe infants for more than 10 minutes at a time in clay water. ​ For toddlers or children over 25 pounds, double the amount ( ½ cup) of clay and let them sit in the water for 5-10 minutes, watching carefully for any signs of dizziness or behaviour change. ​ For older children the amount of clay can be increased to 1 cup, again gauging the time (10-15 minutes) and watching carefully for detoxification symptoms. ​ Signs of intensive detoxification include dizziness, nausea and flu-like symptoms. These are actually good signs that healing is taking place but for children, they need to be minimized. It is better to take shorter baths more frequently than to take one long bath. The frequency of the bath is once again dependent upon their reaction to it. Some adults take clay baths up to 3 times a week. Always start and proceed slowly. Clay is powerful.

Absolutely! We have customers who buy Pure Clay® Calcium Bentonite Clay specifically to give to their pets. It is not uncommon for animals to eat dirt; that is their way of trying to either expel something toxic in their stomach or get minerals that their bodies need. ​ Because it’s often difficult to get pets to drink water (especially cats) we strongly advise that you mix a jar of prepared clay water, per our label and eBook instructions, and administer the clay water to your pet, instead of the dry powder. Because we’ve listed the dosages for body weight, they can be used for any pet. ​ Body Weight Amount of prepared Pure Clay® Calcium Bentonite Clay water, per day: 20-50 lbs 2 Tablespoons 50-90 lbs. 3 Tablespoons >90 lbs. ¼ Cup or 4 Tablespoons