What is Calcium Montmorillonite?
Calcium Montmorillonite/Calcium Bentonite is a naturally occurring mineral compound that exists beneath the earth’s surface. Pronounced "mont-more-ill-o-night", it is a uniquely versatile all natural substance that has been tried, tested and studied as a nutrition and health supplement for over 100 years. It is a safe and beneficial substance for many consumer uses.
It originates from volcanic and tectonic plate activity and a slow, "quiet water" deposition & dehydration process. This amazing compound is richly deposited in pure form in only a few places in the world. Montmorillonite mineral powder comes from purified clay particles, the result of eons of natural earth processes that create a health promoting mineral substance.
Calcium Montmorillonite is a "species" of clay in the Smectite family and is sometimes called Bentonite. It is used mostly as a nutrient and skin topical care products, and is closely related to Sodium Bentonite, which is used in industrial and municipal applications. Both forms of Montmorillonite are related to Kaolin, which is also used in medicine products for ingesting.
Montmorillonite is known for its high cation "ionic" absorptive power, and its absorptive capacity due to its molecular structure. The extremely fine particles provide benefits in many health, environment, and material markets.
The instance of Calcium Montmorillonite that comes from our mine in the Southern California, Colorodo Desert is called ION-MIN®, is a rare and premium form of Calcium Montmorillonite clay.
What is the pH of ION-MIN®?
8.3This means ION-MIN® is safe and relatively highly alkaline. The overall acidity of our environment and our bodies seems more compatible with alkaline than acid composition. High pH (anything over 7 is considered alkaline/ base) makes the mineral compound perform better and may help reduce the alkalinity of your body.
But moderation is advised here. Most living things depend on a proper pH level to sustain life. All human beings and animals rely on internal mechanisms to maintain the pH level of their blood. The blood flowing through our veins must have a pH between 7.35 and 7.45. Exceeding this range by as little as one-tenth of a pH unit could prove fatal. Note, this is your tissue pH, not saliva or urine.
The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14. It measures the acidity or basicity of a solution. A pH of 7 means it is a neutral solution. Pure water has a pH of 7. A pH of less than 7 means the solution is acidic. A pH of more than 7 means the solution is basic.
Many people think that by ingesting high-pH substances their body pH will increase and their "acidosis" will be resolved. This is a misunderstanding and a gross oversimplification of biochemistry. Even the most alkalizing foods are only 8.5 to 9.0 in pH. Most are neutral or acidic. Clearly, we were not intended to ingest highly alkaline substances on a regular basis. PH approaching 10 is caustic and may not digest well. Highly alkaline silicates my not release minerals as well as moderately alkaline silicates.
The better goal is to ingest a balance of viable amounts of electrolytes and trace minerals, and to avoid acid-causing foods. This allows your normal body pH homeostatic processes to achieve pH without going to extreme, taxing measures. That being said, with all the acid-forming foods we eat, taking alkaline substances...anything over 8 is beneficial. But the key is what causes the high pH of a supplement? Is it natural? Is it due to a heavy metal that you shouldn’t be overexposed to? Find sources you trust.
What is the "Daily Value" of ION-MIN®?
First, let's understand what Daily Values are. The Daily Value, or "DV" percentage that you see on supplement labels, including our edible brands is a metric required by the FDA for food and supplement labeling. The DV reflects recommended daily consumption levels established by the FDA, which are based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet.
It is important for you to know that while the USDA and FDA are aware that at the very minimum, there are 17 minerals considered absolutely proven to be "essential", the FDA in its wisdom has established DV's for only seven of them.
Of course, the DV's are based on the static RDA's, or recommended daily allowance, which are actual amounts of various nutrients that some researchers believe people should have to remain healthy. This means these numbers are closer to minimums than maximums.
Naturally, since no two people are alike, and because the needs of various people can vary tremendously based on age, sex, environmental conditions, levels of health, and amounts of exercise, these are only guidelines and should never be construed as prescribed amounts for any individual's ongoing health, or as approximations of maximum amounts that anyone should take.
Moreover, the FDA has no data on mineral types and forms that impact absorption, and the differences in individual absorption capabilities. It is widely believed that we only absorb 10-50% of the minerals from foods and supplements that we ingest. As a result, the FDA DV's are crude approximations for minimal health needs. Most people need far more mineral nutrients that the DV's suggest.
As if that is not complex enough, the federal government also uses acronyms such as RDI, DRI, USRDA, and DRV!
We feel there are many other quality nutrients packed into all of our ION-MIN® products, most of which are needed by humans and animals for healthy living. ION-MIN®naturally contains 57 minerals that we consider health promoting in balanced amounts. We do not believe that the additional "heavy metal" elements beyond those in ION-MIN® are necessarily health promoting.
We believe the Daily Values are only one set of facts out of many considerations you need to make evaluations before making dietary and supplement choices. Because we want to comply with reasonable regulatory requirements, the daily value equivalents are listed for certain minerals on our product labels.
Consult trusted sources and make judgments wisely. If you are using supplements as part of a therapy or treatment, please consult a medical practitioner.
How does the mining of ION-MIN® impact the environment?
CEMC is committed to eco-friendly production and complete sustainability.
ION-MIN® comes from our subsurface mine in the arid Colorado desert in Southern California. We extract each batch of minerals from beneath the surface, without the use of water or chemicals that can cause erosion or pollution. The minerals are carefully removed and the over-layer ("overburden") is replaced to preserve the natural state of the desert habitat. We apply good environmental and sustainability methods.
At CEMC we are very aware of the damage that many modern industrial processes can do to our environment. In fact our clays are used to cleanup toxic spills and to remove mercury from coal emissions. As part of our company mission, we strive to help preserve a healthy planet.
I read somewhere that products containing iron can be poisonous to children. Should I be concerned?
ION-MIN® contains a large amount of beneficial iron in a buffered, bio-available form. If you have a rare disorder in which your blood accumulates iron and cannot regulate its ion utilization, you should not take this or other supplements containing iron.
You need not be concerned about iron poisoning with our product or any other calcium montmorillonite clay. The reason is the FDA warning is not about iron absorption. It refers to some forms of iron that irritate the stomach lining, and an FDA reaction to a temporary fluctuation in NPCC "poison" data in the 1990's.
The FDA reaction began data at the National Poison Control Center (NPCC) in 1994, in which some children accidentally ingested too much Ferrous Sulfate (FS). While FS can be corrosive to the stomach it was never a poisoning problem either in the population generally or in the sense that it was absorbed into the bloodstream.
The problem was that the NPCC reported a temporary and slight rise in childhood deaths and sickness from overdoses of this particular compound. Yet the data shows very few children being harmed even by FS relative to many other common compounds. Recent data shows potassium overdoses are vastly more life threatening to young children than iron. By the same token, many more kids are poisoned annually, even killed by accidentally ingesting everyday household chemicals and prescription pharmaceuticals which contain no such warnings.
The iron compound FS that caused a FDA concern in the 1990's is a derivative of an industrial process. It is a classic example of "dumping" byproducts onto consumer markets. Ferrous Sulfate (Fe So4) is an unnatural, chemical form production of iron. It is a corrosive and can hurt anyone's stomach, which makes one wonder why doctors were prescribing this particular chemical in the first place.
The reason for the whole "problem" is industrial companies that produce iron byproducts are always trying to find markets for these process derivatives. In this case their marketing folks convinced doctors to prescribe this corrosive form of iron to pregnant women who are often at risk for iron deficiency. Typically these women don't finish the pills post pregnancy and they may leave them around when the babies become toddlers, enabling the kids to get into the bottles.
ION-MIN® edible products such as TERRAMIN® are nothing like this because they are a natural, safe and buffered form of iron. Our products contain Fe2O3, which is a natural iron oxide in ionic condition that can be assimilated without harming your stomach. Not only is the chemical form natural, but it resides in ionic suspension within silicate layers and won’t be easily assimilated unless the body demands it.
The human body has a powerful iron regulatory system that prevents over oxidation of the blood and organs. This is why the kids who were poisoned with the wrong form of iron were not ill from post digestive absorption of the iron. They were harmed by the corrosive as it lay in their little stomachs. However, the silica crystal delivery mechanism in ION-MIN® buffers your assimilation of the iron, and reabsorbs what the body doesn’t need in the digestive tract.
This is why iron oxide does not appear on the list of sources of poisoning in children or adults. And this is why calcium Montmorillonite products are listed by the FDA as GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe). On the contrary, many children are deficient in iron, and ION-MIN® is a terrific source of iron in a sustained-release form. But because the FDA demands that all supplements in tablet form carry the iron warning for any amount over 30 mg, we must and do comply.
The way ION-MIN® works to prevent over absorbing any minerals is remarkable and worth understanding. Once ION-MIN® silicates pass the acid conditions in the stomach where minerals are released due to cation exchange with hydrogen atoms from the hydrochloric acids, the iron or other minerals that are rejected by the body as unneeded are reabsorbed into the ionic silicate in the small intestine. In fact ION-MIN® may actually pick up more metals, minerals and chemicals on the way out that the body is excreting. It can actually act as an metal eliminator along with normal body homeostatic processes. This process is so powerful, we recommend that people wait an hour after a meal to take ION-MIN®, otherwise it could absorb some of the minerals in the food.
In 50 years of selling ION-MIN® supplements for people and animal health, we have never once received a complaint of any kind of iron overload or any sickness, actually quite the opposite. We have many testimonials of its power to detoxify and remove heavy metals that the body does not want. We know of no other iron rich montmorillonite that has caused iron or mineral overdoses.
Our advice for all parents: Don't leave any supplements or drugs around the house. Keep all drugs and supplements away from children. Keep a safe home. if you suspect any kind of poisoning call 911 and go immediately to the emergency room of your nearest hospital.
How did the clay get in its present location? How was it deposited?
Our mineral deposit comes from elements that originated in the mineral rich US Rocky Mountains. Over time, the minerals from these mountain regions were transported by water via streams and waterways, eventually ending up in the turbulent Colorado River. On the journey, the river pushed, mixed, and ground the mineral particles naturally, into finer and finer condition. Because most nutritional minerals are naturally positive ions, these nutrients became electrically bound to the colloidal silicates that comprise our Montmorillonite clay compound. These natural microscopic sediments were eventually deposited in quiet overflow regions where they settled in uncontaminated layers. The deposits quickly evaporated, so no plant or animal life could intrude, and the dry and windy desert climate locked in layer after layer of clean, fine clay. The dry desert protected the active ionic state of the silica and the other minerals that attach to it.
Over the millennia, our mine received billions of tons of this incredible material. When we extract it, the minerals are already in their original, extremely fine condition, but the clay is compacted by the weight of the layers. This is what makes ION-MIN® such a high quality product. You cannot reduce a mineral in size below what nature has provided. All we do is use mechanical technology to loosen, or separate the particles again so we can bring our fine products to you.
What is the importance of particle size in clays?
One reason ION-MIN® works better than ordinary mineral supplements, such as liquid colloidals is that it contains silicon (aka silica) platelets, the one mineral that acts as a delivery agent for vital trace minerals, and as a metabolic catalyst in combination with other minerals to support bone and tissue health.
Because of its extremely average small particle size, both the mineral payload (cationic minerals) and the delivery/catalyst mechanism (anionic silica) can reach your bloodstream through your tissue and help rejuvenate your body quickly and consistently. This capability improves the performance of clays that are ingested as well as clays that are used topically, both in terms of mineralization and detoxification.
Nevertheless, liquid clay or mineral products simply do not contain enough material to be good sources of nutrients or colonic cleansing agents. To be effective, there must be a large quantity, which is visible to the eye, such as powders or tablets. So to be practical, both fine colloidal particles and sufficient dosages of the right kind of clay are important to its performance as a nutrition and health supplement.
Are ION-MIN® particles measured in microns and nanometers? And what's the difference?
A micron is one millionth of a meter. To give that scale some perspective, a human hair is about 75 microns in diameter. The notation for a micron is the symbol: µm. A Micron on the head of a pin would be a dot too small to see with the eye.
A nanometer is 1,000 times smaller than a micron. Therefore, a nanometer is one billionth of a meter. One nanometer is about 10 atoms wide. A human hair is about 75,000 nanometers in diameter! So a nanometer is really, really small.
Between 50% and 75% of the clay particles in all of our products is less than 2 microns in size (depends on the grade). And much of that is measured only in a nanometric scale; some of it is even below a nanometer and is measured in Angstroms, the smallest unit of measure.
Aren't all clays essentially the same?
Not at all. On the basis of mineralogy and characteristics, clays are as different from each other as mammals are from amphibians. Clay species have distinct molecular arrangements and are classified as such. Clays were a bit mysterious until X-Ray microscopy in the late 1950's allowed us to understand the specific crystalline formations that define each type of clay.
Montmorillonites are the kings of the world of healing clays. Yet even within this family of clays, there are remarkable differences in properties.
Calcium Montmorillonite is a special and heavily researched clay that is used in health and beauty products. The right kind of Montmorillonite has several properties that make it useful for consumer goods:
For example, Sodium Montmorillonite is not a good clay for ingesting and remineralizing, but it is a good for certain environmental uses.
Calcium Montmorillonite clays are better, but you need to choose a source that is not contaminated by pollutants and is not over-processed by high heat or irradiation. The best clays are all natural and have been kept in a hot, arid conditions to prevent weathering and loss of ionic power.
ION-MIN® is pure, uncontaminated and very fine. It not only has strong ionic absorptive capabilities, but it also has a well proportioned balance of minerals needed to support nutrition needs of people, animals, and even soils.
The name was coined by the late Neva Jensen, Univ. of Wyoming nutritionist. It describes the properties of ION-MIN®, which complement and support life. They are:
Is Silica the same as Silicon?
Silica (Si) is a natural form of silicon that is slightly oxidized to form silicon dioxide (SiO2).
Silicon dioxide is formed when silicon is exposed to oxygen (or air). A very thin layer of so-called 'native oxide' is formed on the surface when silicon is exposed to air under ambient conditions.
Most people use the terms interchangeably because the non-oxidized element is rare.
Silica is a semiconductor. it pulses with piezo-electric energy for computer chips and wrist watches.
Silica is also one of the most abundant elements in the earth's crust, along with natural aluminum. In its clay powder form, a special form of alumina silicate comprises Montmorillonite, nature's "living clay".
I'm concerned about the aluminum in Calcium Montmorillonite.
Don't be. Aluminum poisoning and toxicity is a problem in the industrialized world. But it is caused by overexposure to man-made aluminum products and industrial environments, not the ingestion or application of clay.
There are six reasons ION-MIN® and all aluminum silicates are not toxic:
Do clay compounds contain glass?
Not ours. We cannot speak for all clay minerals, because there are thousands of clay types. However, we can tell you that ours contains no glass crystals.
This question is listed here because some people believe that silicates are the same as glass. But while all glass is primarily silicon, not all silicon sources are glass. Actually, this question is about quartz, the key silicate mineral component in glass. Quartz is a specific silicon oxide crystal that is quite different from the clay minerals, including ION-MIN.
Quartz is a hard six-sided clear crystalline compound that is common throughout the world, mainly in the form of common sand. Quartz is pure Si02 and clear. Impurities make it various colors, such as rose, smoky or milky colored. Quartz crystals are well known for their piezo-electric properties that create perfectly timed pulses to run our computers and wrist watches. Onyx, Jasper, Amethyst, and Tiger's Eye are all quartz variations.
CB/M is not quartz. While all silicates are semiconductors, our clay is a phyllosilicate with a completely different molecular structure. It is a clean, pure powder that is compatible with plant, animal and human biology. Our clay mineral compound is comprised of nanometric sized colloidal platelets that have tremendous health supporting properties. it is not only safe to consume in moderate servings, but also good for you when used as directed.
People all over the planet have for thousands of years supplemented their diets with certain types of clay, or used it medicinally. Even today, some clays like montmorillonite and kaolin are used in foods and dietary products and oral medicines.
Even animals in the wild crave this type of clay and self medicate with it. Birds, primates, lions, and many wild animals make long trips to "licks" just to ingest similar health supporting clays.
ION-MIN is very smooth to the touch, and acts to soothe the digestive tract when taken orally. It has been safely used by many thousands of people for nearly 50 years. Calcium Montmorillonite/ Bentonite is listed by the FDA as "GRAS" generally recognized as safe, and by the USDA as an ingredient allowed in foods labeled "organic".
What's the difference between Bentonite and Montmorilonite?A Bentonite is generally regarded as an impure ore of clays containing the crystalline structure Montmorillonite and other crystalline structures. The degree to which a Bentonite is free of impurities is the degree to which it approximates montmorillonite.
In the real world it is difficult to find large deposits of a mineral that are 100% pure. Moreover, almost no source of Bentonite would attempt to separate the Montmorillonite from the rest of the composite. The economics just don't support that kind of refinement.
So in practice, what you have is Bentonites and Montmorillonites competing with each other in the marketplace. It may be confusing, but the real answer is in practice they are the same thing, with minerals classified as Montmorilonites being of a more pure kind.
Perhaps the better question is what is the difference between Calcium Bentonite (Montmorillonite) and Sodium Bentonite (Montmorillonite). Sodium Bentonite is not advised for ingestion and is generally regarded as an industrial applications. And Calcium Bentonite is considered effective for use in therapeutic, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical applications. See our article in News and Media about Sodium vs. Calcium Bentonite-Montmorillonite.
Our ION-MIN® products are made from a pristine, premium Calcium Montmorillonite compound that has been tested and proven to be effective in many cleansing and remineralizing applications.
What is "Bentonite Clay"?
Bentonite clay is a natural mineral clay that contains a high ratio of montmorillonite as the key molecular/ crystalline material. Bentonite clay is a general term, especially a commercial term for a slightly impure montmorillonite-type product. It is typically mined in near-surface mines in the US near Wyoming and in the Southern US. Bentonite clay is powdered in a milling operation and sold into many markets for industrial, commercial, and consumer uses.
Bentonite clay has become popular in the last few years as a colon detoxifying agent, and there is much science to back up the claim because montmorillonite is highly negatively ionic in electrostatic charge. It therefore attracts heavy metals and positively charged toxins and pathogens.
Bentonite clay comes in two varieties:
The best Bentonite clay is montmorillonite which is what we provide, the more pure the better.
What's the difference between ION-MIN® and other products, like TERRAMIN®?
ION-MIN® is the natural, pure, premium clay mineral compound that comes from our dry desert mine. This substance is organized into five grades that are used in a variety of products, from edible mineral compounds to skin and bathing products, to environmental restoration agents. One of our products is called TERRAMIN®, which is our ingestible clay mineral source.
We sell our branded products through resellers that can help you choose the best natural products for your well being.
We also sell ION-MIN® to other manufacturers and resellers that may sell their own brands. So you will see it sold in a variety of health promoting forms from a number of good merchants.
Look for ION-MIN® wherever natural products are sold and check the label to be sure it says ION-MIN®.
If I use an ION-MIN® product as a mineral supplement, do I need to take any other supplements?
ION-MIN® is one source of nutrients. It can be used in combination with many other health product choices. It is not sufficient in most cases to supplement your diet with ION-MIN® alone. You need to eat a healthy diet and consider how your health and environment may cause you to need more of other nutrients.
The minerals in ION-MIN® are colloidal and ionic. But every person needs a different balance and amount of minerals, and the amounts needed by a person can vary over time. What ION-MIN® does is make 57 important, macro, micro, and trace minerals available to your body to help support your overall metabolism. Other nutrients are certainly needed, and a person should evaluate if they need concentrated forms of other minerals.
If you wish to use supplements to resolve a specific health issue, or prevent one, you are encouraged to consult your physician or licensed practitioner of health.
Does ION-MIN® cure or prevent any specific ailment or disease?
The makers and resellers of ION-MIN® and related products cannot by law assert that such products have passed FDA regulatory requirements for being considered a drug, and therefore cannot assert that the compound represents a cure or functions as a medicinal product.
None of the statements in this web site or in our literature should be construed as advocating the use of ION-MIN® products for curing or preventing a disease.
Even if we thought the product did cure something specific, we could not make that claim without going through costly, long-term randomized control trials and regulatory processes that would be expensive and could take years. So we make no such claim.
Only you can determine what is good for you, and what you will accept as medicine. Your doctor can prescribe medication, and your pharmaceutical company can provide information. Pharmacies can make products available, but nobody can make your health decisions for you. Do your research and find sources you can trust. Take charge of your health.
Why hasn't someone registered a patent for Montmorillonite?
Perhaps one reason nobody has yet patented any Calcium Montmorillonite product as a cure is that the substance is completely natural, and there is no opportunity to patent it as is. Perhaps the lack of any refined and synthesized form of the product is a scientific admission that there may be some substances that overall are in their best and safest form as natural compounds, and that man cannot improve them synthetically.
If all of your mineral products are made from ION-MIN®, what is the difference between them?
We believe in the purity, simplicity, and naturalness of our products. This is why we keep additives to an absolute minimum. However, our consumers often mix our clay with botanicals and other elements.
To support our different products and to keep prices as low as possible, we produce five grades of ION-MIN:
Our clay contains around 4% iron. Just as the iron in your blood makes it red, the iron content of ION-MIN® changes its color to a reddish tan. Human blood needs iron, yet it only has a couple of grams in it to create all of your blood's dramatic red color. Incredibly, an adult human has only an amount of iron inside their entire body to equal the weight of a US penny.
There are 56 other macro, micro, and trace minerals in colloidal, ionic form within this supercharged mineral compound. Most don't create much color, but they are part of your physiology and help keep your body working. Many absolutely critical micro minerals are needed in only hyper-trace amounts. Don't let the small amounts lead you to think they are less important. If you are missing some of these minerals, your health and life could be threatened. Unfortunately, the food chain is depleted of many of these trace elements and processed foods make them even less available. Most people are mineral deficient and unaware of the need for supplementation.
Be sure you get the minerals you need by using our edible and cleansing products on a daily basis.
How do I clean up TeraBathe or Terasilk?Our clay mineral compound is safe for all types of disposal. You can rinse it down the drain into municipal or mound systems. It will not damage anything. In fact, the small amounts of clay that are rinsed away will actually help cleanup toxins and bacteria.
The clay mineral is made up of ultra-small particles and the red-tan color of these tiny platelets can leave a color in white fabrics. It is not a chemical stain; ION-MIN is inert and won't react with the air or the fibers. But if a thick amount is rubbed into clothes, the fabric will need to be aggressively washed or dry cleaned to get out all of the small particles.
We recommend using the same wash cloth and towel when working with our products, so you don't need to worry about stains. It will not affect household surfaces and rinses with warm water.
Are there any warnings or contradictions for personal use of ION-MIN® products?
We advise using common sense, such as the following:
The FDA considers all Calcium Montmorillonite compounds to be "generally recognized as safe." It is one of only a few mineral materials allowed by the USDA to be used with foods labeled "organic." The US Cosmetics Review board gives it their highest safety rating. Many studies show no toxic effects even when consumed or used topically in moderate amounts over long periods of time. Quite the contrary, it will tend to detoxify and remineralize within any environment to which it is added: soil, water, and anatomy.
Why does my ION-MIN® product taste or smell different from the last time I ordered?
ION-MIN® is a highly pure, rare form of Calcium Montmorillonite that has been deposited and stored by nature in a unique low-desert, underground dry-desert deposit. As a result, it has been preserved in its pristine, pre-anthropic condition.
However, like all natural substances, our clay mineral compound is subject to slight variation, in taste, color, aroma, and average particle size. In this sense, our product is not unlike many other natural products such from wood products to oranges, marble counter tops, or hand-rolled cigars. Natural products are inherently non-uniform, and the only way to make them homogenous is to subject them to intense over-processing, which we will not do.
If the ION-MIN product that you just purchased seems slightly different than the last product you purchased, do not be alarmed. It is not an indication of a change in quality, but rather a natural variation. Any smell of flavor difference is due to natural hydrocarbons from the original deposit and mineral characteristics.
To assure you of the highest quality product, we test and control the purity of our clay mineral compound and adhere to good manufacturing practices for the grade and application of each product. ION-MIN is free of contaminants, pesticides, man-made chemicals, and additives. It is a powerful detoxing and remineralizing agent.
You can take ION-MIN as a tablet or powder, and you can mix it in water or with a juice. For maximum benefit, take 1 hour between meals and medications.
I've been told that we can get all the nutrients we need from our diets. Is this true?
No. At least not any longer. In the past--prior to about 100 years ago, mankind's health challenge was general access to food, clean water, and the ability to fight off diseases. In many parts of the world, these problems have not been overcome. But the health problems faced by contemporary mankind are a result of two things:
If the plants and botanicals are not sufficient transporters of minerals, the only way to get the critical minerals you need is from mother earth, in the form of bio-available elements and in a buffered, balanced portfolio that is ION-MIN®.
How is ION-MIN® different from liquid colloidal minerals?
There are many differences, and one should not think of them as product alternatives.
The main differences are:
Nutrition expert, Dr. Gloria Gilbère, N.D., D.A.Hom., PhD., "Because minerals are part of every cell and body fluid, they are the neurotransmitters that signal every action within the body, literally the body’s electrical system.
If I take ION-MIN® supplements regularly, will I receive too much of one mineral or another?
ION-MIN® is completely safe and will not lead to mineral overdoses.
There are several reasons for this:
1. ION-MIN® mineral supplementation has been proven safe and effective in dozens of studies on animals and lab experiments.
2. In 50 years of human and animal use of the mineral, there has never been a complaint or evidence of the occurrence of mineral overdose from using our products.
3. ION-MIN® uses a natural controlled-release mechanism to buffer the availability of minerals to the digestive tract.
4. ION-MIN®'s mineral payload is 100% ionic, colloidal minerals in sub-micronic sized molecules. As such they are highly bio-available and safe. Ionic minerals do not get over-absorbed by the body, because a) they use selective uptake pathways in the small intestine, and b) they can easily be eliminated through normal metabolic pathways.
5. ION-MIN® minerals are not salts. They do not use passive nutrient absorption channels.
6. The minerals in ION-MIN® are in balanced ratios, suitable for the maintenance of nutritional balance for most people and pets. In other words, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium electrolyte balances are preserved, and trace minerals are present in viable, but proper proportions.
7. While in the intestines, ION-MIN® begins to re-attract minerals that were distributed in the low pH conditions of the stomach. Essentially, the adsorptive power of the mineral cleans up unabsorbed nutrients and carries them away (along with digestive toxins). No other mineral supplement does this.
Statements regarding dietary supplements are provided solely to offer additional information about alternative medicine. No health claims for these products have been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), nor has the FDA approved these products to diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any course of treatment.
What is the shelf life for ION-MIN® products? I don't see an expiration date.
ION-MIN® is an "inorganic" compound. This means it has no biotic/carbon-based compounds in it. Therefore, the product is not subject to degradation over time.
In fact, we believe ION-MIN® is billions of years old, and has been deposited in a pristine subsurface condition in its open ionic state. It comes from a hot, dry region of the US desert Southwest. When we extract it from below the earth's surface, we do not need to do anything to it to trigger its performance, and nothing we do to make it available to you reduces its capacity to work as a healing and regenerative agent.
It simply does not expire! This is why for 100% ION-MIN® products, there is no expiration date.
However, ION-MIN® is sometimes used as an ingredient in other products. So please pay attention to expiration dates that may appear on any consumer packaging. If you are buying an edible powder or tablet, we do advise that you keep it in a dry place with the lid on tight. This will prevent possible contamination or moisture accumulation. For tablets and caplets, please keep out of reach of children.
Can I take edible ION-MIN® with organic foods, such as green superfoods?
We know of a number of natural health practitioners who mix the clay with green superfoods to make a cocktail and they feel that they get good results. This is consistent with the animal studies that suggest you can give it with feed (food) and the animals grow strong and healthy (bone, tissue analysis, especially young animals.
While we believe the silicate platelets compete with the intestine for nutrient uptake, a serving of clay also releases more than enough minerals (while in the stomach due to pH) to compensate for the re-adsorption in the intestine.
It's also possible that the green foods help chelate the minerals for broader uptake.
Some of our autism advocates have success with this formula to control the gut.
Nevertheless, for normal use, we still advise waiting between meals.
The beautiful thing is that once the clay gets to the colon, its powerful ionic charge detoxifies on the way out! What could be better?
Where does ION-MIN® come from?
Southern California near Arizona in an area known as the Colorado Desert, which is the original Colorado river delta.
Location is the reason our clay mineral product is so superior. ION-MIN® has been preserved in a hot, dry desert location many feet underground, protected from man's "footprint" in an open ionic state. Because the minerals originated from the pristine, nutrient-rich Colorado mountains, our compound contains a bounty of colloidal minerals in balanced proportions.
What is the average particle size of our clay?
To provide you with the finest powder possible, the mineral powder in our products undergoes a separation process into grades that meet the needs for various markets. The larger particles are removed and we keep only very fine particulate of differing levels of fineness.
It is important to remember that as with all natural products, sizes vary. Traditional measurements of grade are inadequate for sizes as small as the particles in ION-MIN®. Unfortunately traditional measures of grade only tell you the largest particle sizes that have been removed from the product. However, most of the product contains particles much smaller. And as a consumer, you should know what the ratios of fineness are for each product.
To find out how much of our material is ultra-fine, we analyzed ION-MIN® using a “Standard Test Method for Particle Size Analysis”. This standard method is issued under designation D22-63, (re-approved 1990), of the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials). The determinations of average tested clays were as follows
* 60% 2 microns or less
* 10% 5 – 15 microns
* 5% 15 – 20 microns
* 20% 20 – 250 microns
* 5% over 250 microns
What's the difference between Nutramin® and TERRAMIN®?
Nutramin® can be given safely to any pet or animal. Animals can instinctively self medicate and are able to restrict their own portions. If they don't like it, they won't eat it. Most animals seek it out because they can smell and taste the beneficial aspects of this mineral compound. In the wild, some animals make long treks just to eat analogous clays.
Nutramin® is not food grade, and is not intended for human consumption. Don't eat it...save it for your pets.
TERRAMIN® is made from a finer grade, from a deeper source in the mine. We use exceptional quality control procedures for products used by humans.
Regulatory and market expectations help guide our decision to make different products for different markets. This helps us keep prices of other grades down.
Can Nutramin® be given to baby animals?
Yes. it is good for animals of all ages. Nutramin® has been shown in numerous animal studies to help animals grow healthier and stronger. Animals using our products experience less risk of health problems, saving you anguish and money.
Sprinkle it in food or in water.
Their bodies will absorb what they need, and the clay base is very soothing to the digestive tract.
Why should humans take TERRAMIN® between meals, but animals are encouraged to take the Nutramin® supplement with meals?
The first part of your question is why an animal like a dog can take our supplement with a meal but a person should not. The answer is that our research indicates that animals (not just dogs) fed ION-MIN® with feed and foods seem to take in more minerals and grow better and healthier. This may have to do with animal vs. human physiology and the way nutrients are absorbed. Or it may be that people would be fine with this practice as well. But we want to be more cautious with supplements intended for people.
We have more animal studies than people studies that show the supplement adds minerals regardless of how it is delivered. But since we also know that ION-MIN acts as an adsorbing agent it can attract both minerals and metals. So our goal for people is to be more conservative...to allow it to function in an optimal manner as a remineralizer and as a detox by keeping it away from foods.
In addition, people can overcome any dislike they may or may not have of taking supplements and health-promoting agents by deciding to take it between meals. With animals, in case they are not naturally attracted to it, they would otherwise not perhaps choose to ingest it even if it is good for them. So mixing some into the food gets them to take it.
Finally, and unfortunately more people take mission-critical pharmaceuticals than do animals, and we want to be sure these folks get the message that we do not want our product competing with the drug.
If I were you, I'd give it to the dogs with food or water. For those that don't take it with water, give it to them with food. Like many satisfied customers, you probably won't see any difference in performance. If you do notice anything it will be that both groups improve, but the water-fed ones do a bit better because there is no competition between clay and intestines for minerals.
The Nutramin® label says it is not intended for human consumption. My animals are always fed as well as people and are part of my family. Am I feeding them a substandard product?
Nutramin® is an animal and feed-grade supplement of the highest quality. Even though it is 100% Calcium Montmorillonite from our mine and it is made in our facilities, it is not made to food-grade (human consumption) standards.
This is not meant to imply that there is something "wrong" with the animal line or standards for this industry, just that in the USA, our USDA and FDA and cosmetics standards are extremely high for personal/consumer products.
Our Montmorillonite has been compared to almost every other brand on the market and found to be a superior food and feed supplement. Regulatory and industry sanitary requirements that we follow for our human-product market are more stringent and the liability for human products is therefore reduced.
Unlike other products, because ours is a natural antitoxin, these standards is less of a concern than for other ingestible or topical products, we still want to make sure consumers don't assume Nutramin® is "food-people grade".
With our food-grade products, not only is the compound made from a finer powder, but it is made in accordance with practices intended for people. Animals have much better innate defenses and the restrictions are lower on processing and regulatory compliance. For example, if some powder on our stainless steel packing platform spills onto the formica-top table, our procedures allow us to scoop it back into the container and sell it for pets. But for people, we don't allow this.
Moreover, if we wished to add an ingredient in an animal product, it may not be tolerated well in some humans, and we would not want to set a precedent of encouraging human consumption either before or after such a product change.
An example of this difference in standards is the balanced omega-3/6/9 oils that you can buy for pets vs. for yourself at the health food store. The respective products may be identical, but the makers of the pet oils should never invite human consumption of that product.
You have our assurance that all of our products meet respective industry standards and are of the highest quality available anywhere on the market.