All About Bentonite Clay – And Why YOU Should Use It

Ever thought you’d be putting the ash that comes from volcanoes into your body? As it turns out, this is one of the most beneficial things that you could do. Bentonite clay, which also goes by the name Montmorillonite clay, is composed of ash made from volcanoes and is one of the best ways to detoxify your body out there.

That’s not all, however; this clay actually has a number of terrific health benefits that more and more people are reaping today. In doing so, they’re achieving new levels of health and feeling better than ever before.

So what can this clay do for you? How can you get it working in your own life? Let’s go over some of the key benefits that Bentonite clay has to offer so you can see more clearly why it’s a ‘must have’ to include in your overall health regime.

Detoxification Benefits

The first and primary use for Bentonite clay is detoxification. When ingested, it helps to draw out the toxins that are present in your body, helping rid them from your system.

Figure you’re toxin free? If you don’t drink or smoke, you might believe that toxins aren’t really playing a role in your life at all. That is not the case. Every single day, you are coming into contact with toxins. You are exposed to them from things like the paint drying on the wall, the cleaning supplies you use to clean your bathroom with, the whiteboard marker you used during your work presentation, the substances that are located in your own home used during the building process, and even drinking unpurified water. Toxins are everywhere, and we are all being subjected to them. This makes regular detoxification so incredibly important.

When bentonite clay helps to expel these toxins, it could save you from disease as well as other serious illnesses that come along with these.

What’s unique about this clay is that it produces an electrical charge in the body, which by nature is a negative charge. Most of the toxins in your system are positively charged, so simply by coming into contact with these, they will attack them, grab hold and then release them. Think of them as helpful scavengers out to get the ‘bad guys’ (the toxins) and escort them out of your body.

This process can actually work far better than some of the detox diets that you may have seen or even tried yourself. With a detox diet, you’re working with your body to eliminate the toxins. With bentonite clay, you add a substance already armed and ready to get those toxins out. It’s a shorter, more effective pathway.

Treats Skin Wounds

Another key benefit of bentonite clay is that it can help heal skin mishaps such as poison ivy, dermatitis, or other wounds. All you have to do is smear the clay on the skin like a mask and then let it sit there to react with the pores.
Using it regularly may help alleviate issues with acne, facial swelling, irritation, as well as allergic reactions.

It also acts as an antibiotic treatment when applied topically to the skin. This ensures it helps you calm skin infections and may even help speed up the time for a wound to heal.

Better Digestive Health

By now, you should already realize the importance of having a good quality probiotic in your diet, along with proper digestive enzyme support. Both of these products are non-negotiable items if you want to ensure that your digestive system is up and running efficiently.

For bonus points, you may want to also add bentonite clay to the mix.

Many people find that utilizing this clay can help with feelings of nausea and vomiting, along with reducing the occurrence of constipation or IBS symptoms. Pregnant women who might be experiencing morning sickness find it a safe and natural treatment for this challenging time in their pregnancy journey. As long as their doctor clears them, it could be a viable option.

Those who suffer from leaky gut syndrome (1) may also benefit from including bentonite clay in their plan as it helps to protect the gut lining from toxins, which cause irritation and can lead to a flare-up.

In addition to simply helping your digestive system function better, this clay also offers a good dose of nutrients itself. These include calcium, magnesium, silica, sodium, copper, iron, and potassium. So using it may just help you meet your daily quota for these important minerals.

Enhanced Weight Loss Results

Want to lose weight? Who doesn’t in today’s world – or so it seems? Dropping those 5-20 pounds is a goal for most of the population, so anything you can do to help steer you in the right direction is typically quite welcomed.
Most people turn to diet and exercise when their goal is weight loss, which is a smart move as these are the two most effective means of experiencing weight loss, but bentonite clay should not be overlooked.

The research on how bentonite clay helps with weight loss isn’t 100% clear because it is in the early stages. But a study published in the Scientific Reports journal had test subjects consume the clay and then monitor their reaction. They showed that the subjects experienced greater lipid excretion via bowel movements (2). So this clay could help the body better expel fatty acids, even without changes to your diet or exercise routine.

While you definitely shouldn’t write home about it being a miracle cure for weight loss just yet, it does appear to hold promise and may give you that extra edge when you are already following a good diet and exercise program.

Another way in which it may assist with weight loss indirectly is through its impact on thyroid function. Your thyroid gland is the master gland of the body that controls how quickly your body processes all the variations of reactions that occur daily. The slower your thyroid is, the lower your metabolic output will be, and the easier time you’ll have to gain weight. Those who suffer from hypothyroidism, which causes clinically low levels of thyroid hormones, often do suffer from obesity because of this.

Using bentonite clay may help you better normalize the levels of T3 and T4 hormones in the body, which are the two primary thyroid hormones in question here, ensuring that you are burning up energy at an appropriate rate for good health.

Any time your thyroid gland is not functioning optimally, whether running too slowly or too quickly, it can damage your health and needs to be remedied. A classic approach is conventional drug treatment. However, this clay may also work and is a natural approach.

Enhanced Immune System

Keeping your immune system in optimal functioning is another health objective we should all have, but it often gets overlooked. It’s easy to take immune health for granted and believe you’ll ‘always be fine. But daily stress, toxins entering your system, lack of sleep, a poor diet, and so forth all negatively impact your immune system.

The good news is that bentonite clay may help turn this around. It’s an effective way to kill off harmful bacteria in the body, which have immune-suppressing properties. The more of these harmful bacteria your body is dealing with at any given time, the more resources of the immune system are being used, leaving less left over for other purposes.

This clay may also help to keep your gut wall stronger, which protects the immune system by enhancing the interval environment and ensuring that the healthy microorganisms living inside the gut (the probiotics) can flourish.

Supports A Strong Respiratory System

Take a deep breath. Ahh, feel better? Deep breathing is a wonderful tool you can use at any point during the day to help energize your brain and body, support a healthy stress response, and help ease the tension that may be mounted in the neck and shoulders.

Don’t take for granted your ability to do this. Having a properly functioning respiratory system is key to life, so it’s important that you protect it.

One particular use for bentonite clay in terms of respiratory function is its ability to help manage paraquat poisoning, a toxic herbicide. If it’s ingested or just breathed in, it can cause serious challenges in breathing properly and lead to compromised lungs (3).

Bentonite clay may be one of the only treatment methods that currently holds promise against this.

Better Water Quality

If you live in an area where the water quality is not as it should be, or you simply can’t afford to purchase a water purification system of your own, bentonite clay may be your solution.

It’s a great way to help remove some of the fluorides found in drinking water, which can lead to serious health effects such as thyroid problems, diabetes, and even brain damage when consumed in higher dosages.

Most people don’t even stop and consider the safety of their tap water, but it could be slowly leading you to an early grave.

Simply combining the clay with the water may help to counteract the fluoride concentration, making it healthier to put into your body (4).

Improves Tooth And Gum Health

Finally, last but not least, using bentonite clay may also help to boost your dental health. The mouth is where so many toxins enter from the foods or water we eat. Therefore it’s a breeding ground for these bacteria.

When bentonite clay is ingested, it’ll bind to these unhealthy substances, helping to wash them right out of the body before they cause further damage as they travel to the digestive tract (or simply lead to tooth decay).

Many people have found great success using bentonite clay as toothpaste by mixing it with water and then smearing it onto the teeth. Alternatively, mix with more water and then use it as a daily rinse instead.

So there are some key benefits that bentonite clay can provide. It’s a beneficial product to add to your regimen and can help you go that extra mile, taking your health up another notch.

How To Use Bentonite Clay

Many people will immediately worry that this clay will taste disgusting and that they won’t be able to get it down, but not to worry, that’s typically not the case. For the amount of it you actually have to use to reap benefits, you will hardly even notice that you’re ingesting it.

To use it, you simply want to add ½ to 1 tsp. of the clay once per day to a glass of water, added to a smoothie, or even stirred into other foods like yogurt or oatmeal if desired. Most people find taking it with water is most effective, but if you do, just be sure to drink it right away after it’s dissolved. This will help ensure that it works maximally in the body.

Do note that with bentonite clay, more is not better. If you take too much, it can become very dangerous because it will expand in the body. This could seriously strain the digestive system and prevent the absorption of nutrients in the body, so stick to just one teaspoon per day as your maximum limit.

Suppose you are someone who wants to use this clay topically to improve skin health. In that case, you can either add about a ¼ cup of the clay to your bathwater and then soak in it for 15 to 20 minutes, or you can create a face mask by simply adding some clay with a small amount of water to create a paste and then smearing this over the face. Let the clay dry onto the skin for about 20 minutes, then rinse.

If you are going to bathe in the clay, be sure to do a clear water rinse once you are done to remove all the clay from your skin.

If you’ve never heard of this clay or have never had a reason to use it, now you do. It can help just about everyone, so it’s not something you ever want to overlook.

Commonly Asked Questions

What Is Bentonite Clay Good For?

This clay is great for helping remove toxins from the body and providing a wealth of important minerals to your system, such as copper, iron, magnesium, and potassium. It’s great for boosting your immune system.

Is it safe to use bentonite clay?

If you purchase a pure product and use proper dosing, you have no problem including bentonite clay in your plan. Pregnant women should speak with their doctor before using this substance.

What does bentonite clay do for your hair?

Because this substance helps to remove toxins, it can improve the health and texture of the hair by providing deep conditioning benefits. Use it once per week to improve the look of your hair.

How long do you leave on a clay mask?

After placing the clay mask on your skin, leave it on for at least 3 minutes to allow it to penetrate the pores. It’s more beneficial to leave it on for up to 20 minutes.

Is Bentonite clay safe for dogs?

Yes! Pets can reap the benefits of the bentonite clay as well. Use the same precautions that you would for humans.

What does bentonite clay do for your skin?

It can help remove acne, reduce the appearance of blemishes, help treat poison ivy, and also help to clear up dermatitis.

How do you use bentonite?

To use bentonite clay, simply mix ½ to 1 tsp. Of the clay with water, shake well until dissolved, and then drink immediately. If using as a skin mask, mix the clay with a few drops of water until it becomes paste-like, and then smear it on the skin as necessary. Then let it sit for 2-20 minutes.

References:
1. Experimental study, in the rat, on the protection of the gastric mucosa by the combination of an antacid and montmorillonite.
2. Xu, Pengfei, et al. “Preventive obesity agent montmorillonite adsorbs dietary lipids and enhances lipid excretion from the digestive tract.” Scientific Reports 6 (2016): 19659.

3. Dinis-Oliveira, R. J., et al. “Paraquat poisonings: mechanisms of lung toxicity, clinical features, and treatment.” Critical reviews in toxicology 38.1 (2008): 13-71.

4. Thakre, Dilip, et al. “Magnesium incorporated bentonite clay for defluoridation of drinking water.” Journal of Hazardous Materials 180.1-3 (2010): 122-130.