Diatomaceous Earth

LucyT4dieting
LucyT4dieting Posts: 284 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Has anyone heard of diatomaceous earth? My daughter told me about this supplement and I looked it up. It looks too good to be true, but I wondered if anyone on here ever heard of it or used it and what, if anything, it did?
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Replies

  • belladonna786
    belladonna786 Posts: 1,165 Member
    great for killing bugs
  • MeMyCatsandI
    MeMyCatsandI Posts: 704 Member
    Yes, I've used it to kill fleas. It also is used on horses to kill intesinal parasites. I have no idea why a person would want to ingest it (unless you have worms maybe), but if that's your thing, make sure you use the FOOD GRADE D.E. and not the stuff used in pools.
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    :noway: :noway: :noway: :noway:
  • LucyT4dieting
    LucyT4dieting Posts: 284 Member
    Oops! Sorry. I meant the Food Grade stuff.
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    It's the only thing that works well for bedbug infestations, to my knowledge. Never heard of anyone eating it!
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Poison is always a great way to lose weight...
  • keeponkickin
    keeponkickin Posts: 1,520 Member
    Has anyone heard of diatomaceous earth? My daughter told me about this supplement and I looked it up. It looks too good to be true, but I wondered if anyone on here ever heard of it or used it and what, if anything, it did?

    Works great to lining our swimming pool filter. But seriously, nothing works as good as old fashioned healthy diet and exercise.
  • HeinzPrincess
    HeinzPrincess Posts: 92
    It's already in the food you eat. They toss it in grains to kill the bugs.

    Google it! Don't know the health benefits for intentionally eating it, but it doesn't harm you.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    It looks too good to be true

    Repeat that to yourself over and over until it sinks in. :bigsmile:
  • kelgalon
    kelgalon Posts: 31 Member
    I've used it as an organic pesticide and I know you can use it as a growing medium but I've never heard of someone taking it as a supplement. That seems........odd.
  • kitigonkukoo
    kitigonkukoo Posts: 218 Member
    It has a lot of uses- pest control, filtration, absorbant (for toxic spills but also in cat litter), it used to be in toothpaste (is it still? not sure..) even...

    but to my knowledge, you don't eat it... but it won't kill you either.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    350x197px-LL-1887dde5_wait_what.gif
  • MeMyCatsandI
    MeMyCatsandI Posts: 704 Member
    Oops! Sorry. I meant the Food Grade stuff.
    Food grade D.E. is what is used on horses and cats/dogs for internal and external parasites. It can be sprinkled in carpet and pet bedding to kill fleas. It does this by cutting their exoskeleton and causing them to desiccate/dry out to death. Horses ingest it to kill internal parasites (worms). It does that by cutting the worm's skin and causing them to desiccate.

    Non-food grade D.E. is used in swimming pools and will kill you if ingested. Still, like I said, unless you have parasites, I don't know why you'd bother to eat D.E.
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    My company uses the chromatography grade in our 'packed columns' to be used in gas testing. Other than that:

    Diatomaceous earth (play /ˌdaɪ.ətəˌmeɪʃəs ˈɜrθ/) also known as D.E., diatomite, or kieselgur/kieselguhr, is a naturally occurring, soft, siliceous sedimentary rock that is easily crumbled into a fine white to off-white powder. It has a particle size ranging from less than 3 micrometre to more than 1 millimeter, but typically 10 to 200 micrometres. This powder has an abrasive feel, similar to pumice powder, and is very light as a result of its high porosity. The typical Chemical composition of oven-dried diatomaceous earth is 80 to 90% silica, with 2 to 4% alumina (attributed mostly to clay minerals) and 0.5 to 2% iron oxide.[1]

    Diatomaceous earth consists of fossilized remains of diatoms, a type of hard-shelled algae. It is used as a filtration aid, mild abrasive, mechanical insecticide, absorbent for liquids, matting agent for coatings, reinforcing filler in plastics and rubber, anti-block in plastic films, porous support for chemical catalysts, cat litter, activator in blood clotting studies, and a stabilizing component of dynamite. As it is heat-resistant, it can also be used as a thermal insulator.

    For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

    I've seen nothing about ingesting this stuff.
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
    Has anyone heard of diatomaceous earth? My daughter told me about this supplement and I looked it up. It looks too good to be true, but I wondered if anyone on here ever heard of it or used it and what, if anything, it did?
    You're already doubting it so listen to yourself.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    it's used as a filter aid for processing drinks and other liquids.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I used to farm these in Zul'Drak.
  • Krizzle4Rizzle
    Krizzle4Rizzle Posts: 2,704 Member
    I used to farm these in Zul'Drak.

    You can loot those off Icetouched Earthrager.
  • beebee0925
    beebee0925 Posts: 441 Member
    350x197px-LL-1887dde5_wait_what.gif

    This really made my day.
  • silvergurl518
    silvergurl518 Posts: 4,123 Member
    sounds like a national geographic special about the second coming of the dinosaurs!
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    It can be used for killing bugs, but it's not "poison," it kills bugs by drying out their exoskeleton.

    Food grade DE is edible, but as far as weather it will help with health, it possible, but I'd rather just eat healthy.
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    Burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight. There are no shortcuts.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    My nutritionist roommate had this in her giant cupboard of supplements. I think she's a nutterbutt. It's dirt you eat.
  • LucyT4dieting
    LucyT4dieting Posts: 284 Member
    Burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight. There are no shortcuts.
  • SugarNtheRaw
    SugarNtheRaw Posts: 191 Member
    Has anyone heard of diatomaceous earth? My daughter told me about this supplement and I looked it up. It looks too good to be true, but I wondered if anyone on here ever heard of it or used it and what, if anything, it did?

    You absolutely have to get the food grade DE, but yeah we give that to animals for intestinal parasites or rub it into the coats for fleas and whatnot. You can get food grade DE from amazon, "Good Earth" sells great products.
  • guardian419
    guardian419 Posts: 391 Member
    It's dirt used to kill parasites... why the @#$%@% do you want to eat it?

    Did you know, if you take a cyanide pill, all of your weight loss problems instantly disappear....

    Drinking bleach helps remove calories from your diet.

    Not as severe, but seems like the same principal. Instead of eating dirt, eat the stuff that grows in dirt, better (healthier) weight loss plan,
  • LucyT4dieting
    LucyT4dieting Posts: 284 Member
    Burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight. There are no shortcuts.
    I really wasn't thinking about this for losing weight. The information I read said it could help with some forms of pain (I have been experiencing hip pain after walking on my treadmill), and for detox purposes (I have been having problems with constipation).
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    It can be used for killing bugs, but it's not "poison," it kills bugs by drying out their exoskeleton.

    Food grade DE is edible, but as far as weather it will help with health, it possible, but I'd rather just eat healthy.

    Only when it snows or rains.
  • dperich1968
    dperich1968 Posts: 235 Member
    Has anyone heard of diatomaceous earth? My daughter told me about this supplement and I looked it up. It looks too good to be true, but I wondered if anyone on here ever heard of it or used it and what, if anything, it did?

    I will take when I travel to maintain my digestion function. It will interfere with any medication you take, so wait to take meds a couple hours after you have taken DE. I add to apple juice, couple of tablespoons. My sister loves this stuff.
  • gimpygramma
    gimpygramma Posts: 383 Member
    I think it is made of ground up fossils. Used to sprinkle it around my hostas to discourage the slugs.

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