Diatomaceous Earth

billsica

How is this not worm poop? That would be 100% organic and natural. Just. well poop.

Moonbeamlissie

I don't know anything about it but I DO recall gathering either 4 of 8 of these in Zul'Drak.

OMG!!!! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHA yes I believe i also had some of this in my invetory!!

Annette8479

I had a bed bug situation 8 months ago and had no choice but to buy a 10 pound bag. Only really used like a quarter of the bag. It IS food grade. I researched the benefits of mixing a little in your drinks and some people swear by it. I tried it and it has no taste but it does change the consistency with just the TINIEST bit. So, I stopped and now the bag is sitting in my cabinet just in case the nightmare of beg bugs comes back.

NoAdditives

Bump. I'm thoroughly grossed out and equally intrigued. Update us on your status in the morning, OP :drinker:

And to think we waste time arguing about the pros and cons of diet soda when people are drinking pest control products!

Don't be condescending.... read about it and educate yourself. It's not a chemical, I'm sure it's a hell of a lot less damaging than aspartame or McDonalds. It's more like eating dirt than a pest control product...... lol

Actually, I can't imagine it less less damaging than aspartame. The only way I could get rid of the fleas my dog picked up at the dog park, without using the poison sold in the pet stores, was to rub FOOD GRADE (since all caps seems to be important?) DE on her. It killed all the fleas. And their eggs. Never saw a flea again. So, it is eating a pest control product.

Second, I could be wrong, since I've never tried it, but I'm reasonably confident that rubbing her with aspartame would not have had the same success rate, thus making it less lethal than DE.

Third, the DE was a powdery mess that choked me up when I applied it. I inhaled some and it felt exactly like getting all that chalk dust up your nose when the teachers made you pound out the erasers. It was awful. And it seemed to coat my hands and m skin and sucked the moisture out of every part of me it touched. This does not sound like something I want to ingest.

If you try it, good luck. But it sounds sketchy and slightly dangerous to me.

"Less damaging" does not equal "healthy".

crazytreelady

Jeezus Christ, why can't people just eat FOOD anymore?

This guy ... Is awesome.

LosingLizard

I'm an esthetician and I use coffee grains as an exfolliator because of the coarseness and because the caffeine had a tightening effect. Does that mean I also drink dermal exfolliator? get a grip.

Nope. It means you're drinking coffee. This would only be an equal comparison if you said you ate the same type grounds you rub on your skin.. And I'm betting you don't. But I could be wrong. (But by the way, coffee grounds are an awesome ant-killer.)

LabRat529

I totally forgot about this thread. How funny.

To answer the OPs question, "where do you find facts" (or something like that... MFP is moving way slow and I don't want to scroll up), facts are funny things- but I find mine in text books and in scientific/medical journals. I usually don't trust any information on dietary supplements unless it's been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals AND the experiments have been replicated many times by independent researchers AND it's been tested in double blind, placebo controlled, well designed human trials.

Even then, I'd be skeptical about something like Diatomaceous Earth.

LabRat529

I remember last semester my chem professor talking a little bit about silica, how it was on the moon. I wasn't sure though, I asked my chem professor today is silica was on the moon, he said he wasn't to sure. I went to look up the moon and it's interesting....

It has everything in that powder you're taking or whatever it is.

Silica
Alumina
iron oxide(Iron(II) oxide)

just thought it was interesting how what you're taking can be found on the moon

Silica is abundant everywhere. You don't have to go to the moon for it.

If I remember correctly, silicon is the second to carbon in abundance and for a while people would write sci-fi stories about silicon based life forms (maybe they still do?) kinda like aliens always have green blood since copper works like iron to bind up O2.

However, silicon isn't 'flexible' enough to really substitute for carbon in organic molecules, so despite the interest, silicone based life forms will never come to pass (now watch, we'll be invaded by silicone-aliens by the end of 2012. Good thing I have my alien-proof 72 hour survival kit in my car).

ANYHOW. That's your nerdy pseudoscience moment of the day. It has nothing to do with eating diatomaceous earth.

LabRat529

Not knowing if the DE and Protein will interact..... any advice?

OHH. One last thing.

I can't think of any biological or biochemical reason DE would react with protein... or interact. Maybe some of the charged amino acids might bind up some of the aluminum ions... but that's not a biggy. It wouldn't be a covalent reaction, so they'd just unbind later.

LabRat529

I remember last semester my chem professor talking a little bit about silica, how it was on the moon. I wasn't sure though, I asked my chem professor today is silica was on the moon, he said he wasn't to sure. I went to look up the moon and it's interesting....

It has everything in that powder you're taking or whatever it is.

Silica
Alumina
iron oxide(Iron(II) oxide)

just thought it was interesting how what you're taking can be found on the moon

Silica is abundant everywhere. You don't have to go to the moon for it.

If I remember correctly, silicon is the second to carbon in abundance and for a while people would write sci-fi stories about silicon based life forms (maybe they still do?) kinda like aliens always have green blood since copper works like iron to bind up O2.

However, silicon isn't 'flexible' enough to really substitute for carbon in organic molecules, so despite the interest, silicone based life forms will never come to pass (now watch, we'll be invaded by silicone-aliens by the end of 2012. Good thing I have my alien-proof 72 hour survival kit in my car).

ANYHOW. That's your nerdy pseudoscience moment of the day. It has nothing to do with eating diatomaceous earth.

I was thinking of this yesterday actually. The same professor that told me about silica. Said something, "Since carbon is most abundant on earth and we breath out carbon dioxide. it would be cool ET life forms breathed out SiO2(silica)" I was trying to think why she would say that, but it's like you said about abundant I think she said silica is most abundant on the moon.

Also, take a look at where Silicone is on the periodical table. Chemically, it shares many of the same properties as carbon, but, as I said, it's not quite as good at sharing electrons... and it doesn't form the beautiful ring structures that carbon can form.

peasantgirly

Does anyone use it? I just bought some and I have a DE, Protein and Kefir smoothie waiting in the fridge for me. I'm slightly scared to drink it Not knowing if the DE and Protein will interact..... any advice?

Sorry, it's 1AM, so I only read the first page, but I wanted to reply because believe it or not I just took my first dose TODAY! So, it's too early to tell, but I will definitely let you know how it goes.

I bought it last summer to deal with an ant problem but by the time it was delivered the ants had disappeared, so it sat on a shelf all winter, unopened. Today I noticed one of my dogs seems to have worms - saw it in the poop in the yard so I don't even know which dog. I don't want to follow around 4 dogs trying to catch poop from each one and I surely don't want to pay for a fecal exam for 4 dogs, so I figured I'd just give them some of the DE (I already knew it was a wormer, and yes, it is food grade). When I googled DE dosages, lo and behold, people were talking about eating it! Well, after lots of research, I figured it wouldn't hurt to try! I mixed it with 2 tbsp of ranch dressing (pretty much swallowed the blob whole) and chased it with Crystal Light, LOL.

Then I see this thread tonight....crazy!

I can't answer your question about it interacting with the protein, but just off the top of my head I can't think of any reason why it would.

LabRat529

Also, take a look at where Silicone is on the periodical table. Chemically, it shares many of the same properties as carbon, but, as I said, it's not quite as good at sharing electrons... and it doesn't form the beautiful ring structures that carbon can form.

haha silicon is on the stair case. haha (metalloid) carbon is a non metal.

The stair case is in between the metal and the non metals... so it has interesting characteristics.

I know you know this labrat, just saying for everyone else.

Si = silicon. It's right below carbon. If I remember my basic chemistry correctly (It's been at least 15 years since Chem 101... damn I'm getting old...), it has the same configuration in it's outer-most electron shelf, which means it shares some similarities with carbon. However, you're correct that it's a metalloid while carbon is not. And so while they are similar, they are not the same. But it's the similarities that spawned the silicon-based-life ideas.

However... we are way off topic :P And I'm pretty sure we're the only two nerds interested in this off topic conversation, so another time!

nero82

I don't know anything about it but I DO recall gathering either 4 of 8 of these in Zul'Drak.

HAH! Former wow nerd here too... I lolled

cue_chik

There is a Food Grade DE you can buy, safe for use on pets, humans, and food.- versus the POOL grade.

bio_fit

And supposedly the "clay" that moves through your digestive tract after you ingest DE is negatively charged and most bacteria is positively charged so it helps to remove impurities.

What do you mean by "most bacteria is positively charged"? Do you mean this as in electric charge? If so, this is amazingly incorrect - the majority of bacteria are negatively charged due to the lipopolysaccharides in the cell membrane.

Edit - if this is the kind of info you are getting from websites promoting its use, perhaps it would be wise to take the rest of their claims with a hefty pinch of salt!

And regarding whether DE or protein will interact - well, it would depend on the type of protein.

Thriceshy

There is a Food Grade DE you can buy, safe for use on pets, humans, and food.- versus the POOL grade.

Yep, and it's meant for use as an anti-caking agent, plus it's added to some grains to kill bugs. Not sure why anyone would want to eat it, keep asking for something reputable and factual on the matter to show what benefits there may be, but . . .?

tigersword

There is a Food Grade DE you can buy, safe for use on pets, humans, and food.- versus the POOL grade.

And again, "food grade" does not mean it's food intended to be eaten. Aluminum foil is food grade, would you eat that? There's also food grade latex, I wouldn't recommend eating that, either.

JadeRabbit08

And supposedly the "clay" that moves through your digestive tract after you ingest DE is negatively charged and most bacteria is positively charged so it helps to remove impurities. Also, the particles are just jagged enough to impale the exoskeleton of parasites, which removes them in the case that you have any. But are not harmful to internal organs. I haven't read any negative reactions or side effects. I'm just nervous to try something that isn't "main stream"....

so what magical mixture do you use with it that puts back the good bacteria you also kill?

Kefir !!

But your mixing it in the same drink soooo?

marcusdimarco

I've been using it. Probably eaten 7lbs total at 1 tbsp every couple weeks. I don't want to go into all the science but you won't get sick if you start taking food grade diatomaceous earth. Suffice it to say it kills bacteria; and virus' use bacteria to infect the body.
The main things I have noticed is less gass and zero sickness in the couple years I've been using it.
The only negative is a "detox reaction" you get upon your first time taking which can be nullified by taking activated charcoal along with it. This works because the DE kills bacteria and the Activated charcoal adsorbs the baterial endotoxins that are relased from dead bacteria and which make you feel sick.

Good luck and sickness free living!

watfordjc

"Parasites" and "bugs" are not single-celled organisms, they have exoskeletons that can be sliced multiple times by DE causing water loss that can't be stopped (death from dehydration). Earthworms don't have exoskeletons and they eat diatomaceous earth just fine.

Since ~70% of internal human parasites are microscopic, how small are the slicey bits on DE? I ask because killing a microscopic parasite with DE sounds like stabbing e coli to death with a kitchen knife.

totem12

Two things about this (from earlier in thread)-

1. I always hear that bacteria are 'positively charged'. They are not. They are slightly negatively charged.
2. The bacteria that live in your digestive tract are meant to be there, if you disrupt them you do more harm than good.
3. The only thing that CAN disrupt them is antibiotics. Food intake (including probiotics) doesn't do a damn thing in a healthy adult.

Just had to get those off my chest...

moderate39

I don't know if anyone is paying attention to this thread anymore, but I thought I'd throw an actual scientific study into the mix. It's about chickens, not humans.

Effect of diatomaceous earth on parasite load, egg production, and egg quality of free-range organic laying hens.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21673156

In short, it does seem to get rid of some types of parasites. But don't count on it as a weight-loss tool: The hens fed DE were heavier.

As for my own experience, I stumbled upon DE in my lifelong search for better treatments for allergies. I've used it for several months: a rounded teaspoon a day in a full glass of water. Some alternative theories about allergies say that they're caused by "build-up" in the colon. And DE is supposed to help clean out the colon. While DE definitely keeps things moving, it doesn't have any effect on allergies. However, my hair is, without a doubt, shinier and thicker. And I have embarrassingly beautiful, shiny nails (I'm a dude). But the main reason I kept using it was the effect on my digestive system. I used to get bloated a lot, but the DE eliminates bloating problems, and my stomach is flatter.

However, I ended up here because I'm also concerned about the arsenic. Humans live a lot longer than chickens, and even if there's a small amount of arsenic in DE, it may not be worth the risk over the long haul.

In conclusion, yeesh, I don't know. If anyone finds any more scientific evidence, I hope you'll share.

tamera1964

I found this info on the DE. www.vitaletherapeutics.org/immunecf.htm It is by Galen Knight, PhD. I have found other papers by Drs. that talk about using it for cholesterol lowering that has had human trials and found it to be beneficial. hope this helps.

stumblinthrulife

Holy crud, is there anything that people can't be convinced to eat?

Care76

I actually know people that use it for a multitude of health reasons (none of them to lose weight) and they swear it works. It is very important to use human food grade, not animal or garden grade.

stumblinthrulife

Ironically I'm sure there is a large overlap between people who use this, and people who complain about the additives to Taco Bell meat not making it 'real food' anymore.

Alliwan

I don't know anything about it but I DO recall gathering either 4 of 8 of these in Zul'Drak.

As a former WoW nerd, I lol'd.

I did too! almost spit my coffee trying to tell the family why i was laughing. they got a kick out if it too

Lleldiranne

I don't know anything about it but I DO recall gathering either 4 of 8 of these in Zul'Drak.

As a former WoW nerd, I lol'd.

I did too! almost spit my coffee trying to tell the family why i was laughing. they got a kick out if it too

Yes, I got a giggle out of it … and then tried to remember if there really is Diatomaceous Earth in ZD :laugh: I may have to go check :laugh:


On a more serious note, I'd love to hear a report back from the OP. It's been a year and a half … did you keep taking it? What did it do for you?

Squidgeypaws007

I don't know anything about it but I DO recall gathering either 4 of 8 of these in Zul'Drak.

Haha, that's exactly what I thought when I saw the title :laugh:

AmykinsCatfood

Just so I'm clear, we're talking about dirt, right?