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The “Higher Dose” Theory of Zeolite
-Making Sense of the Zeolite Dosing Paradox-
By Jeff Hoyt
Please note that all of the content presented here is for educational purposes only. This is not medical advice or a recommendation of any kind.
Very important note- This will not apply to all zeolite products. There are a number of qualifications that a zeolite product will need to exhibit for this theory to hold true. This theory is based on my experience with ZeoCharge™, a powdered clinoptilolite zeolite product with a range of particle sizes and a strong binding capacity.
Observation- Individuals who are considered "sensitive to detox" or other supplements often experience detox reactions (headaches, joint pain, irritability, etc.) when taking liquid zeolite supplements (usually less than 10mg per dose) or low-dose powdered zeolite supplements. When these same individuals take 10,000mg -30,000mg (10-30g) of ZeoCharge™, they don't experience detox symptoms or the detox symptoms are greatly reduced.
Theory- consuming 10mg of zeolite is more likely to cause a detox reaction than consuming 10,000mg of zeolite. Taking a higher dose of zeolite is generally gentler on your body than a low dose.
Reason- A higher zeolite dose offers a more effective and efficient detox. The key is to take a high enough dose to sop up all of the toxic elements in circulation and have extra zeolite particles present to handle additional toxins released during the detox process.
When I use the word circulation in this document it is not limited to the blood stream. I am referring to movement throughout the body including the gut.
Success Formula for Zeolite Detox:
Total binding volume (amount of zeolite) > total circulating toxins (from internal production and external exposure) + toxic stressors released in the body during the detox process (lymph drainage, toxin dumping, biofilm disruption, metabolic waste, microbial waste, histamine release, free radical production, etc.)
Simply put, the dose of zeolite has to be sufficient to bind to toxic elements in circulation along with elements dumped from body during the detox process.
The Traditional Approach
The traditional approach recommended for most detox supplements is to start with a very low dose and work your way up. Starting with a high dose of most detox supplements could result in unwanted detox reactions. This is especially important to consider with more sensitive individuals who often have strong reactions, both positive and negative when introducing new supplements. Someone on the Lyme/mold/MCAS spectrum is a prime example of this type of individual.
The Zeolite Approach
The traditional start low and slow approach to supplements does not apply with zeolite and in fact has the opposite effect. The lower the dose, the more likely a detox reaction will occur. In fact, although it seems counter-intuitive, we recommend starting with a higher dose and working down to a lower dose. The higher the dose, the less likely a detox reaction and redistribution of toxins will occur. The ideal situation while detoxing is that you either feel better or you don’t feel anything at all. Experiencing detox reactions is a sign of an inefficient detox.
Five Reasons why a Higher Dose of Zeolite Offers a More Efficient and Effective Detox:
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Prevents or reduces the redistribution of toxic elements
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Helps remove immune-stimulating substances that are released during detox such as microbes and microbial waste
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Helps prevent or remove byproducts of detox that are stressful on the body such as excess histamine and free radicals
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Cleans up your body’s “daily dose” toxins that are lowering your body’s total detox potential.
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Helps raise your body’s natural detox capacity by reducing inflammation, optimizing immune function, reducing oxidative stress, balancing pH levels, and improving nutritional status
Reason One: A Higher Dose Prevents Redistribution of Toxic Elements
Redistribution occurs when things get stirred up and the body isn’t able to remove all of the toxins from circulation. The toxins that are not expelled from the body relocate to a new home in the body.
Swap and Drop
Zeolite acts as a strong “Detox magnet” in your body with the unique ability to selectively remove toxic elements while leaving essential minerals, vitamins and nutrients alone. Opposed to just grabbing everything it comes across, zeolite works by selectively binding toxic elements through a process I call “swap and drop.” Zeolite’s unique ability to selectively detox is what makes it a “smart binder” and such an incredible detox product. Opposed to simply binding to anything with a positive charge, zeolite works by swapping it’s own positively charged elements for things it has a higher level of attraction to. Here’s how it works- Because zeolite has naturally occurring minerals held in its cage- primarily calcium, potassium, magnesium and sodium, it will leave the other essential minerals, vitamins and nutrients alone because it prefers what it already has. When it comes across something it likes better, like a heavy metal such as mercury, lead or arsenic, it will swap the minerals it has for what it prefers. For example- a zeolite particle containing magnesium comes across arsenic. The zeolite will trade the magnesium for the arsenic because it is more attracted to arsenic than to magnesium. If the zeolite comes across an essential mineral, vitamin or nutrient it will leave it alone because it prefers magnesium which it already has.
Zeolite is not limited to one exchange- this “swap and drop” process can occur repeatedly and a number of toxins can be exchanged before zeolite leaves the body with it’s element of choice. Here is where potential stress could be put on the body- Let’s say zeolite comes across a particle of mercury. It trades its magnesium for mercury and continues on. This is great! We want that toxic mercury out of the body. But wait, on its way out it comes across a particle of lead. Zeolite prefers lead over mercury so it trades the mercury for the lead. Now the mercury that was displaced from it’s resting place is floating around looking to wreak havoc on the body. If all of the zeolite particles in circulation have been used up then the mercury is free to do what it wants, and it’s never up to any good. If a higher dose of zeolite was taken then there will be extra zeolite particles present to grab the mercury before it can cause any damage. This is how redistribution of toxins can occur via zeolite’s “swap and drop” method of toxin removal- Zeolite binds a toxic element but then swaps it for a different toxic element dropping the first back into circulation.
This is why it is important to have sufficient binding volume (amount of zeolite present) to remove circulating toxins while pulling toxins out of storage. If circulating toxins are still present after zeolite grabs a toxin from storage it will swap it for anything it likes better on the way out. So while taking a low dose will always detox something from the body, other toxins are just being moved around. A sufficient dose will prevent the swap and drop from occurring because there will be empty zeolite cages available to remove the toxins that otherwise would have been available for swapping. When the circulating toxins are all bound then the zeolite that has grabbed the toxins from storage will have nothing to swap with on its way out of the body.
The Toxin Tumble
When taking zeolite things get stirred up in your body. Toxins that may have been resting in fat cells or tissues may be awakened and pushed into circulation. Things that were stuck somewhere in your body may become unstuck. Toxin clusters may be broken open. Clogged detox pathways may be opened resulting in your body dumping toxins. There are many things that happen while taking zeolite but it all results in toxins coming out of hiding and ending up in circulation where the body’s defense system has to jump into action to combat this increased load of toxins. This overload of toxins is often too much for the body to handle. The body works hard to expel as many of these toxins as possible but the remaining toxins end up redistributing and finding a new home in the body. This of course is not ideal. The good news is that taking the proper dose of zeolite can prevent this redistribution from occurring. If there are available zeolite cages present to handle all of the toxins being dumped into circulation, none will be free to float around looking for a new home. In short- if the total binding volume is too low (not enough zeolite cages available) to deal with the amount of toxins present their will be redistribution of toxins. If there are enough available zeolite cages present to handle the amount of toxins, redistribution will not occur.
Reason Two: A Higher Dose helps remove immune-stimulating toxins that are released during detox, preventing an unnecessary immune response resulting in inflammation.
As toxic elements are dumped into circulation the immune system starts attacking these elements which results in inflammation and stress on the body. Having available zeolite cages to bind to these toxic substances before the immune system attacks them will prevent inflammation and symptoms from occurring.
Biofilm Disruption
Many toxic elements cluster together in the body in biofilms. Zeolite has a strong ability to break open biofilms. Let’s suppose that zeolite encounters a biofilm and attaches itself to lead that is a component of the biofilm. The zeolite will pull the lead out and the biofilm will be disrupted. Once these biofilms are disrupted all of the toxic elements within will be released and the body will have to deal with this mess. The body’s immune system will start attacking these toxic substances which will result in inflammation and the stress of all of this could result in detox symptoms. Only a low dose of zeolite is needed to break apart biofilms, but a higher dose will be needed to sop up all of the toxic elements that are in the biofilm. If too low of a dose is taken some of the toxic elements will wreak havoc on the body before eventually being expelled or redistributing to a new home in the body.
Microbial Mayhem:
As biofilms are disrupted microbes are released which can result in major die-off reactions. As the immune system starts attacking these microbes (bacteria, parasites, yeast, etc.) they start releasing toxins that further stress the body. It is often the toxins released by microbes that cause the most undesirable symptoms, not the microbes themselves. These microbial toxins stimulate a strong immune response that results in inflammation and a very stressful experience for the body. The good news is that zeolite helps bind to many of these toxins before they cause a strong immune reaction and additional stress on the body. If too low of a dose of zeolite is taken it may be enough to break open biofilms and release microbes, but not enough to help the body deal with the microbial toxins being produced as the immune system starts attacking.
Toxic Immune Stressors:
In addition to microbial toxins, the other toxins dumped into circulation during detox can stimulate an immune response resulting in inflammation and cell damage. As toxins are dumped into circulation from biofilm disruption, lymph drainage, etc. the body will recognize these as invaders and will respond accordingly. This results in the immune system mounting an attack on these invaders that results in inflammation throughout the body. This inflammation can result in any number of undesirable symptoms. The increased stress of this event also leads to the production of excess free radicals which could lead to oxidative stress and cell damage. The good news is that taking the proper dose of zeolite can prevent all of this from happening or at least greatly reduce the stress on the body during this process. If there are available zeolite cages present to handle all of the toxins being dumped into circulation- the chain reaction of stress on the body won’t occur. The available zeolite cages will bind to the toxins and prepare to escort them from the body. Because these toxins are now bound the body won’t view them as a threat. Redistribution won’t occur and the immune system won’t have to jump into action because the zeolite has neutralized the threat. This will prevent inflammation from occurring and will prevent the formation of excess free radicals. Healing crisis averted. In summary- taking zeolite stirs things up in the body and toxins are dumped into circulation. If the total binding volume is too low (not enough zeolite cages available) to deal with the amount of toxins present the body will have to exert additional effort to handle the threat which will result in inflammation and potential oxidative stress.
Reason Three: A higher dose of zeolite helps prevent or remove byproducts of detox that are stressful on the body such as excess histamine and free radicals
Available zeolite cages will help reduce current levels of free radicals and histamine along with any histamine and free radicals produced during the detox process.
Histamine:
As the body is hard at work protecting us from a daily invasion of toxic stressors, inflammatory substances such as histamine are produced by the immune system. If there is an excess of histamine produced it could result in a number of symptoms. Many people with overactive immune systems or with conditions such as Mast Cell Activation Syndrome produce a lot of histamine and often experience symptoms such as hives, itchy skin, flushing, and headaches on a regular basis. As the immune system is stimulated during detox, histamine is often produced which could lead to detox symptoms, especially if there is already an abundance of histamine present. The good news is that zeolite binds to excess histamine. The key is to have enough available zeolite cages to help sop up excess histamine that is already present along with histamine released during the detox process. This will prevent your body from crossing over it’s histamine tolerance into a histamine flare resulting in uncomfortable detox symptoms. Taking too low of a dose of zeolite could increase your total histamine levels while taking a higher dose could lower the total histamine levels. If a low dose is taken which results in too many toxins in circulation for the body to handle on it’s own, the immune system will be overstimulated and histamine production will increase. If there are enough zeolite cages present to bind to all the toxins dumped into circulation, the immune system won’t have to jump into action and excess histamine won’t be produced. In addition, the higher dose yields more available zeolite cages to bind to excess histamine already in the body.
Free Radicals:
Free radicals are produced in everyone. They are produced from the everyday stressors of life and are produced in greater numbers when the body is exposed to toxins such as heavy metals or radiation. They become a problem when increased production leads to oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is what occurs when free radical production exceeds the body’s total antioxidant capacity (ability to handle free radicals). Oxidative stress leads to cell damage, accelerated aging and inflammation. Basically, free radicals don’t cause damage as long as they aren’t allowed to build up and cause oxidative stress which equals inflammation and cell damage. Zeolite offers incredible antioxidant support to the body because it is able to bind to free radicals along with reduce free radical formation and raise the body’s natural antioxidant capacity. It’s a trifecta for preventing oxidative stress, inflammation and cell damage.
Formula to prevent oxidative stress:
Free radical formation < Total antioxidant capacity + Available Zeolite Cages
Free radical production is increased by the stress of detox. The more stressful the detox process is on the body the more free radicals that will be formed which could lead to oxidative stress resulting in inflammation and detox symptoms. Taking the proper amount of zeolite will help prevent oxidative stress from occurring by providing a more efficient detox that is less stressful on the body which means less free radical production. If there are free radicals produced during the detox, the available zeolite cages will trap them before they are able to cause any harm to the body. Zeolite can also help lower levels of oxidative stress by binding to free radicals already being produced by the body. Zeolite combats oxidative stress in a number of ways. It directly traps free radicals in its cage rendering them inactive, it reduces free radical formation, and it enhances the body’s total antioxidant capacity which means the body can handle more free radicals before oxidative stress occurs.
Traps free radicals:
Zeolite acts as a unique antioxidant trapping free radicals in it’s cage and rendering them harmless.
Reduces free radical formation:
By removing toxic elements that result in the formation of free radicals, zeolite helps keep free radical production to a minimum.
Raises the body’s total antioxidant capacity:
The body has built-in defenses against free radical formation. The body’s natural ability to combat free radicals is referred to as total antioxidant capacity. Zeolite enhances the body’s total antioxidant capacity which means the body can handle more free radicals before oxidative stress occurs.
A low dose of zeolite could result in an inefficient and stressful detox experience for the body which will result in increased free radical production leading to potential oxidative stress, inflammation and detox symptoms. A proper dose will reduce or prevent the stress of detox from occurring resulting in no excess free radicals being produced, and will help deactivate any free radicals formed during the detox process.
Reason Four: A higher dose helps remove your “daily dose” of toxins that are lowering your body’s total detox potential. Removing these toxins allows your body to better deal with toxins dumped into circulation as things get stirred up during detox.
Your daily dose of toxins is the total amount of new toxins your body is exposed to daily. The daily dose is made up of toxins from external exposure along with internal production. Most people don’t realize that the majority of the toxins the body is exposed to are generated from within. These internally produced toxins include metabolic waste and microbial waste. When you add these to other internally produced toxic substances such as free radicals and excess histamine, the daily dose of toxins adds up fast. If your body is already having a difficult time keeping up with its daily dose of toxins, starting a detox protocol to remove stored toxins may overload the body resulting in redistribution of toxins and uncomfortable detox symptoms. The higher your daily dose of toxins, the more zeolite you will need.
Some people’s “daily dose” of toxins is more than their bodies can handle which results in daily stress on the body along with potential accumulation of toxins in organs and fatty tissue. These individuals grow more toxic each day and are often classified as “too sick to detox.” If these people try and take a detox supplement it usually increases the level of toxins in circulation and the body is overwhelmed resulting in harsh detox symptoms. They generally are not able to complete the detox protocol because it is too stressful on the body, although they are in need of detox the most. Ironically, these individuals often experience detox symptoms everyday without even taking detox supplements because their bodies aren’t able to clear the daily dose of toxins resulting in redistribution along with an overstimulated immune system, excess free radical formation and histamine production, etc.
I believe that zeolite’s ability to help remove the body’s daily dose of toxins is why so many of these “too sick to detox” individuals have been able to successfully detox with zeolite. Once again the dose is crucial. A low dose could overwhelm the system if there aren’t enough available zeolite cages to remove the daily dose toxins from circulation before additional toxins start getting stirred up.
I believe the body’s ability to handle its daily dose of toxins is a main factor that determines if detox reactions will occur when taking a detox supplement. If the body is effectively clearing all toxins coming at it every day and has energy to spare, it won’t have as much of a problem being exposed to addition toxins as things get stirred up. If someone is at or already over the threshold of what their body can handle, additional toxins will be too much for the body to handle and detox symptoms will likely result.
Let’s look at it this way- there are two levels of detox. Level one is removing circulating toxins that are primarily from daily exposure. Level two is removing stored toxins that have accumulated over time and are stuck in the body. Skipping straight to level two raises the total daily dose of toxins and is stressful on the body. The key is to address both levels for the most effective and efficient detox. The goal is to remove accumulated toxins from your body without raising your daily dose resulting in additional stress and symptoms for the body.
Two Levels of Detox
Level One: Cleaning up the daily dose of toxins our bodies are exposed to:
External exposure:
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Food, water, air
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Personal care products
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Home and work environments
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Etc.
Internally produced toxins (toxins being manufactured in our bodies):
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Metabolic waste
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Microbial waste
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Free radicals
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Excess histamine
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Etc.
Level Two: Cleaning up stored toxins that have accumulated over a lifetime:
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Toxic Metals
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Plastics
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Fluoride
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Environmental toxicants
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Etc.
Metabolic Waste:
As our bodies are hard at work day and night trying to remain in balance, toxic byproducts are produced which are known as metabolic waste. These are excreted daily through the body’s normal detox processes. These internally produced toxins aren’t a problem if your body can effectively remove them as fast as they are being produced. But what happens if your body’s natural detox processes aren’t working optimally or if the metabolic waste in combination with all of the other toxins in circulation become too much for the body to handle? Now we have a toxic situation where the usual problems occur- redistribution of toxins, immune responses resulting in inflammation, excess free radical formation, excess histamine production etc. Once the body gets to this point where it can’t handle the daily load of toxins things progressively get worse. The body has to spend a lot of its “detox energy” on metabolic waste so all of the toxins entering the body from external exposure are pushed into storage where they accumulate and the body’s toxic burden grows greater. At this point your detox organs such as your liver and kidneys become overworked and start wearing down over time. They become less efficient at removing toxins and the body continues to decline in health while growing in toxicity.
Analogy- Think of metabolic waste as car exhaust- A byproduct of running a gas-powered vehicle is exhaust. Cars have exhaust pipes so as the gas is burned the waste product is removed. As long as the exhaust pipe is functioning properly the waste isn’t building up you should be alright. If you are in a closed space like a garage and there is nowhere for the toxic waste to go then you could die from carbon monoxide poisoning. If all of the metabolic waste is leaving your body as it is designed to do, it isn’t a problem. Once it starts building up that’s another story.
Ammonia is an example of a metabolic waste product produced by the body. Ammonia is highly toxic and can wreak havoc on your body if not effectively cleared. Ammonia is produced in a number of ways in the body including during protein digestion. Your liver takes the ammonia and converts it to urea which is then filtered through the kidneys and out of your body. Urea is also toxic but not as bad as ammonia. The process in which the body converts ammonia to urea is called the urea cycle. If your body’s ability to complete this process efficiently is impaired, as is often the case with poor liver function, ammonia builds up in the blood and becomes very toxic- causing damage to the central nervous system and can even cross into the brain where it is toxic to brain cells. If kidney function is impaired urea may build up which is also toxic. The good news is that zeolite binds to both ammonia and urea. If your body is having a difficult time clearing ammonia it will have a difficult time with most other toxins as well. Simply removing excess ammonia can greatly reduce stress on the body and put the body in a better position to handle other toxins it’s exposed to.
Microbial Waste:
When microbes get out of balance in your body there is an increase in microbial waste products which can result in a constant supply of inflammation and irritation. These microbes turn in to little “toxin factories” that are constantly producing toxic waste that puts extra stress on your system often resulting in uncomfortable symptoms. These toxins make their way to the bloodstream where the immune system mounts an attack and inflammation occurs as a result. Zeolite helps bind many of these waste products and safely removes them from the body. Many of the symptoms that result from conditions associated with microbial imbalance such as Lyme Disease result from the waste products of the microbes, not the microbes themselves. Interesting, one of the waste products that microbes produce is ammonia. For example- Candida produces ammonia as a waste product, and a high-ammonia living quarters provides an optimal environment for candida to thrive. Zeolite’s ability to remove excess ammonia is one of the reasons why some people feel better immediately when starting on zeolite.
What makes people feel better right away when starting on zeolite:
Zeolite cleans up metabolic waste and microbial waste that is stimulating immune responses and causing inflammation and stress on the body. If you feel better immediately it is a sign that your body has been struggling to keep up with the daily dose of toxins. Metabolic waste, microbial waste, mycotoxins, histamine, free radicals, etc.
Recap of why a higher dose is better:
Having a higher level of binding volume (available zeolite cages) helps raise total detox potential by cleaning up your daily dose of toxins which include waste products produced in the body such as metabolic waste and microbial waste. It helps take out the trash so the body has more energy to handle toxins that are stirred up during detox.
Reason Five: A higher dose helps raise your body’s natural detox capacity by balancing pH levels, reducing inflammation, optimizing immune function, reducing oxidative stress, and improving nutritional status.
Natural Detox Capacity:
The amount of toxins each person is able to handle will be determined by what I call natural detox capacity, which is simply your body’s ability to remove toxins through natural detox functions. The healthier your body is, the higher your natural detox capacity will be. There are many factors that will lower your natural detox capacity including chronic inflammation, an overstimulated immune system, oxidative stress, pH imbalance, and nutrient deficiencies to name a few. The goal is to have a natural detox capacity high enough to effectively remove the daily dose of toxins plus have energy to remove stored toxins. Your ability to avoid accumulation of toxic elements in your body is largely determined by your natural detox capacity. The lower your body’s natural detox capacity, the faster you will accumulate toxins. The healthier you are, the higher your natural detox capacity will be which means your body can handle a higher load of toxins and accumulation will be kept to a minimum. A less healthy individual will have a lower natural detox capacity and toxin accumulation will occur at a much higher rate. The more stress your body is under the lower your natural detox capacity will be. When the body is burdened with anything that makes it work harder than normal to stay in balance its ability to detox decreases and whatever toxins the body can’t remove will be pushed into organs and fatty tissue for storage. Not only does zeolite directly bind to toxins, but it can greatly improve your natural detox capacity. Just from binding to toxins in circulation it takes a load off of the body and helps it keep up with the daily dose of toxins. Now that the body has some help it will stop accumulating toxins and will start dumping toxins from storage for elimination. Zeolite reduces the formation of free radicals and prevents oxidative stress from occurring, it helps regulate the body’s pH, calms down the immune system, lowers inflammation, helps optimize essential nutrient levels, helps repair the lining of the gut, and more. All of these things will contribute to a higher natural detox capacity. Of course it taking the proper dose of zeolite is essential to achieve this. Taking too low of a dose could lower your body’s natural detox capacity, while taking a proper dose will raise it. If a low dose of zeolite is taken which results in redistribution of toxins and stress on the body, the body’s natural detox capacity will go down. If a proper dose is taken that removes stress on the body, natural detox capacity will rise.
Balancing pH levels:
Zeolite is an alkaline mineral that has strong pH-regulating abilities. A proper pH balance in the body is crucial for optimal health. There are many factors that determine the body’s pH level. The body has a strong ability to remain in balance but when the body is put under stress for an extended period of time from toxin overload or anything that makes it work overtime, it loses the ability to remain balanced. The solution is to remove the stressors that are draining the body so it can naturally balance itself. Although it may be helpful, drinking alkaline water or eating alkaline foods is generally not an effective solution to optimize pH levels in the body as it doesn’t effectively address the underlying reason for the pH imbalance. Zeolite is unique in it’s ability to balance pH because it has both a direct and indirect effect on pH levels. Indirectly it helps by removing toxic stressors that are throwing your body off balance and causing pH imbalance. As these toxic stressors are removed your body naturally starts regaining balance. Zeolite also has a direct effect on pH. It is an alkaline mineral, but it has the unique ability to modulate pH levels. This means that if pH is too low, zeolite will help raise it. If pH is too high, zeolite can help lower it. If you put zeolite in acidic water it will raise the pH, if you put zeolite in alkaline water it will lower the pH. This is important because the optimal pH level varies throughout the body. Many people have too low of a pH in certain areas while at the same time they have too high of a pH in other areas. Raising pH levels is not always ideal- especially in the GI tract where an acidic environment is needed for proper digestion and to keep microbes at bay. If the GI tract becomes too alkaline the body will not only have problems with digestion, but it will provide an optimal environment for pathogenic microbes like Candida to thrive. So you can see how zeolite’s ability to regulate pH is absolutely incredible. By removing stressors that are throwing off the body’s pH balance along with its ability to modulate pH levels directly zeolite is an incredible product for pH balance.
Reducing Inflammation:
A proper dose of zeolite can reduce inflammation in a number of ways such as removing toxins from the body that are causing irritation and inflammation, binding to your daily dose microbial waste and metabolic waste products that are wreaking havoc and causing inflammation, and reducing free radical formation and acting as an antioxidant to lower oxidative stress that leads to inflammation.
Optimizing Immune Function:
A proper dose of zeolite can support your immune system in a profound way. Mainly because zeolite binds to toxic elements such as mycotoxins and heavy metals that keep your immune system working overtime. By binding and escorting this toxins out of the body the immune system gets a much needed break.
Reducing Oxidative Stress:
A proper dose of zeolite combats oxidative stress in a number of ways. It directly traps free radicals in its cage rendering them inactive, it reduces free radical formation, and it enhances the body’s total antioxidant capacity which means the body can handle more free radicals before oxidative stress occurs. Oxidative stress results in accelerated cell damage and causes your body a great deal of problems. Reducing oxidative stress puts your body in a much better position to handle the daily load of toxins it is exposed to.
Improving Nutritional Status: Vitamins, minerals and nutrients
Not only does zeolite not bind to essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients- it helps optimize their levels in your body. Taking an insufficient dose of zeolite that leads to a stressful detox process can negatively impact vitamin, mineral and nutrient levels, while taking a proper dose that removes stress from your body will optimize these levels. Regularly checking nutrient status is one of the best ways to determine how well your body is responding to a detox protocol.
The Higher Dose Theory does not apply to all zeolite products
The higher dose theory has only been tested on zeolite supplements like ZeoCharge™ that meet certain specifications. It has not been tested on any liquid zeolite products or zeolite products with a limited range of particle sizes.
Do not try and apply this dosing strategy to all zeolite products. It is dependent on a number of factors including the type of zeolite used, purity of the product, a diversified particle size arrangement to effectively remove a variety of toxins, manufacturing processes, and the total binding volume available in the product.
Type of Zeolite:
This theory has only been tested on clinoptilolite zeolite, which is the main type of zeolite used in supplements. In addition, the two products the theory has been tested on both have very high percentages of clinoptilolite present along with unique mineral ratios.
Purity:
Most zeolite supplements are sourced from commercial mines that are contaminated with a number of toxic elements. If the zeolite is contaminated with metals and other toxic elements it will swap the contaminants it already has for toxins it comes across in the body. So taking more will result in more contaminants being dropped in the body and there won’t be available zeolite cages to handle this mess because all of the zeolite cages coming in the body are already full. Using a contaminated zeolite product could still be beneficial for the body if the toxins in your body are worse than the toxins contained in the zeolite cages. This is not ideal and I certainly don’t recommend consuming contaminated zeolite.
Particle Size Arrangement:
Most zeolite products have a very limited particle size arrangement. They are often either very small particles, or larger particles with nothing in between. There are many toxins in our bodies and the more we can remove the better. I believe having a proper arrangement of particle sizes offers the best approach considering toxins come in all different sizes. The higher dose theory has only been tested on zeolite with a range of particle sizes.
Manufacturing Processes:
Most zeolite is mined for commercial use and manufacturing processes such as milling are used that can compromise the integrity of the zeolite structure. Many zeolite companies are selling zeolite that has been comprised due to the manufacturing processes used. Special manufacturing processes are required to ensure a high-quality zeolite supplement for human consumption.
Total Binding Volume:
The entire theory relies on the assumption that a higher dose will be able to yield a sufficient number of available zeolite cages to remove toxins from circulation along with toxins released during the detox process. This often isn’t feasible with liquid zeolite products because they contain very few zeolite particles. Taking higher doses of a liquid zeolite supplement will could increase detox reactions because a higher dose of zeolite makes a bigger mess and if there isn’t leftover zeolite cages to clean up the mess the body will be overwhelmed. It likely isn’t feasible to cross the threshold into having available zeolite cages when taking liquid zeolite products. The minimum dose I recommend starting more sensitive individuals on is 10g (10,000mg, 1,000,000mcg). Take for example a popular liquid zeolite supplement. It contains 300mcg per serving with 60 servings per container. Some quick math will tell you that the entire bottle has 18,000mcg which is only 18mg. So to get to the recommended amount for just one dose, it would require 556 bottles of the product. That is for just one dose. So please don’t try this approach with low dose liquid zeolite products as it will likely just make detox reactions worse.
This theory does not apply to all detox supplements or binders:
The reason all binders don’t act this way is because they don’t have all the requirements to make the theory work. Most binders are not selective, meaning they will grab onto whatever they come across which can result in pulling essential nutrients from your body. Many binders don’t have a strong binding force which results in a situation where the binder grabs a toxin and might not be able to hold onto it some it gets dropped and redistributes before making its way out of the body. They often lack the ability to bind to all of the toxins in circulation along with toxins released during the detox process...and the list goes on.
Do not try this approach with other detox supplements.
Most detox supplements help mobilize toxins in the body but they don’t help escort them out. This increases the body’s toxic burden short-term and puts extra stress on the body. The higher the dose of the detox supplement that is taken the more toxins that are mobilized and left for the body to deal with. Although potentially helpful, most detox supplements make a mess as they are cleaning up the body. Zeolite taken at the proper dose has the unique ability to clean up it’s own mess before the body has to deal with the stress of detox.
Remember, this entire document is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice or a recommendation.
Exceptions and important Notes Regarding the Higher Dose Theory.
Taking a higher dose will not guarantee that detox symptoms will not occur, and in some situations will increase detox symptoms.
Scenario One: Detox pathways opening. Body releasing metals from deep storage
Detox reactions could be more likely when taking a high dose if a low dose does not mobilize metals from “deep storage” in the body but a high dose does. A low dose may be helpful at removing metals and toxins from circulation but not sufficient to allow the body to open detox pathways and start releasing metals from “deep storage” into circulation.
One of my theories is that there are three levels of toxin storage in the body. The first level is toxins in circulation. These are the toxins that your body has been recently exposed to or toxins dumped into circulation from other areas of the body. Once the threshold is met for how many toxins your body can handle in circulation your body pushes some of these toxins into level two storage. Level two is a holding area where the body keeps these toxins short-term while deciding what to do with them. Ideally the body will be able to release them back into circulation and excrete them from the body. If the toxin load in level one (circulation) remains high the body will not move these level two toxins from the holding area back into circulation because that would overwhelm the system and the toxins would redistribute and cause stress on the body. Eventually the body will move these level two toxins into level three which is long-term or deep storage. These toxins that become deeply stored in organs and tissues are the most difficult to detox and often remain there forever. I believe that most detox reactions occur because level two toxins get stirred up and pushed into level one which overwhelms the body results in redistribution and a stressful detox experience. This often occurs with a low dose of zeolite and many other detox protocols. Removing deeply stored level three toxins is something that most detox protocols and low dose zeolite often don’t accomplish. If a higher dose is able to accomplish this then detox symptoms may occur due to increased detox activity. At this point you may need even more zeolite to help with this toxin dump into circulation.
Theoretical example:
This is where the dosing strategy can get tricky. Let’s say that Ron took 5 grams of ZeoCharge™ which resulted in detox symptoms because level two toxins were dumped into circulation and there wasn’t enough zeolite cages available to handle all of the toxic elements preset. Ron then raised his dose to 10 grams which provided enough available zeolite cages to handle everything going on and his detox symptoms went away and he felt great. Ron then raised his dose to 20 grams and he started experiencing detox symptoms again. This could be because neither the 5 nor 10 gram doses were able to get the body to open up detox pathways to the point of releasing level three deep storage toxins, but once Ron took 20 grams the body started releasing toxins from level three deep storage that had been stuck there for years. Ron then raised his dose to 30 grams and the detox symptoms went away. In this scenario the best dose for Ron at this time is 30 grams per day because he requires 20 grams per day to start detoxing deeply stored toxins and an extra 10 grams to help handle the extra toxins being dumped into circulation.
Sometimes no symptoms are experienced for the first few weeks on zeolite and then detox reactions start occurring such as headaches or achy joints. It is likely that in these cases after a few weeks on zeolite the body opens up detox pathways and starts dumping toxins into circulation. At this point a higher dose of zeolite is often needed to help with this increase of toxin exposure from the release of deeply stored toxins into circulation.
Interesting note: From tissue analysis of heavy metal content in the body I can confirm that many people who have been on detox protocols including zeolite for months and even years are not removing deeply stored metals from their bodies. The products are often helpful but not powerful enough to allow the body to release deeply stored metals. In many of these individuals we have been able to open detox pathways and start removing these deeply stored metals within 30 days on a ZeoCharge™, generally between 10-30 grams per day.
Scenario Two: Parasite Cleansing
While taking a higher dose is less likely to result in redistribution of toxins and detox stress on the body, it is more likely to result in parasites being expelled from the body, which could result in symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea. As toxins are rapidly removed from the body you are taking away a food source for parasites. In a more toxic individual, there are generally more parasites present. This is because parasites are opportunistic, meaning that when the opportunity presents itself parasites go to work and start multiplying and thriving in your body. A toxic internal environment provides an opportunity for parasites along with other opportunistic bugs to set up shop and go to work doing whatever it is that they do. When the zeolite comes in and starts cleaning up that environment, parasites and other bugs start heading for the exits. This could result in diarrhea or vomiting for a day or two. It could also result in a number of other symptoms as the immune system attacks these bugs on the way out. Typical die-off reactions include itching, skin irritation, aches and pains, brain fog, anxiety, and fatigue among others. Taking zeolite around a full moon is more likely to result in parasite cleansing and symptoms as parasites are more active at this time. If you suspect parasites are an issue for you it may be best to not start taking zeolite within a week of the full moon. It is not uncommon for someone to be taking zeolite and experiencing no symptoms and then once the full moon hits they suddenly experience symptoms. This is an indicator that there may be increased parasite activity in the body. Interestingly, individuals with high loads of parasites still seem to do better on a high dose of zeolite vs a low dose. A low dose often irritates the parasites and causes a number of undesirable symptoms while a high dose is often sufficient to cause them to be expelled from the body. In addition, a higher dose offers additional zeolite cages to help with parasite waste products that are produced as they are being attacked by the immune system.
The Effects of a zeolite detox on your Body:
Detox is the process of removing unnecessary or harmful substances from your body. Taking any amount of zeolite can do this to some extent, but the dose is crucial in achieving an efficient detox.
It’s possible to have an effective detox that is not efficient. The goal is to achieve an effective and efficient detox. An efficient detox is when you remove toxins from your body while simultaneously lowering the total stress level of your body. It doesn’t require feeling worse before you feel better.
Blanket statements such as “zeolite is a gentle and effective detox” are misleading because the reality is that a zeolite detox can be gentle and effective, or it could be a stressful and damaging experience for your body. Both quality and quantity have to be considered. Finding the right product is step one, step two is finding the right dose. It requires both a quality product and the proper dose achieve an efficient detox that is not only effective, but reduces stress on the body during the detox.
Formula for an Efficient Zeolite Detox:
Effective removal of toxins + reduction of stress on body
The same zeolite supplement can have opposite effects on the body based on the dose taken.
Efficient Zeolite Detox (proper dose taken):
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Improve vitamin, mineral and nutrient status
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Reduce inflammation
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Calm down the immune system
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Reduce oxidative stress
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You feel nothing or you feel better
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The body’s total workload is decreased
Inefficient Zeolite Detox (too low of a dose):
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Negatively impact vitamin, mineral and nutrient status
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Cause inflammation
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Overstimulate the immune system
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Cause oxidative stress
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You feel worse
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The body’s total workload is increased
How much should I take?
There is really no way to know the exact dose that would be ideal for each individual, but with ZeoCharge™ we have found doses ranging from 5 grams to 30 grams, taken all at once seem to work well. The general rule is to start with a single dose of 10 grams per day. If a headache or other detox symptoms occurs it is recommended to double the dose.
It is important to note that the dose theory is not for a cumulative intake of zeolite throughout the day. It is for one dose of zeolite. Taking small amounts of zeolite throughout the day will not provide the same results as taking one large dose.
The recommendation of 10 grams is for a 150 pound individual. The dose can be adjusted based on weight.
General Zeolite Dose Principles:
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The healthier you are, the less you need.
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If you experience a detox reaction take more, not less.
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More is better, within reason
The dosing really depends on the level of toxicity in your body. A healthier person won’t need as high of a dose for as long.
Dosing strategy:
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healthy people- 5 grams per day, taken all at once
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Not healthy- Between 10-30 grams per day, taken all at once
What to do if you started with too low of a dose and you are experiencing headaches or other detox reactions:
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You could take another dose right away and see if that helps. It may or may not because the redistribution of metals and toxic elements is already occurring.
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Stop taking the product and let your body reset. Once it is back in balance start again except this time with a higher dose.
Two Visuals to help understand the higher dose approach:
The Zeolite Army- Imagine each zeolite particle as a soldier preparing to fight the enemy toxin army in your body. The more toxins you have, the larger the army that will be required to defeat the army of toxicity. If the toxin camp calls for backup and more toxin soldiers are released to battle (think of toxins released as things get stirred up in the body) then more zeolite soldiers are required to battle this new group of toxin soldiers.
Your body is a construction site- There are always projects going on. You have a natural workforce to handle the projects. What happens when new projects are added? If the natural workforce of the body isn’t able to handle all the new projects it will need some help. If the workload in the body becomes too much to handle it will start piling up. The body pushes this work aside to focus on priority jobs. The work that was set aside never gets done unless extra workers are brought in to help. It can hire zeolite to help with the workload. Think of zeolite as extra workers. They come in and help with the workload. Sometimes they start working on new projects that the body has put aside for years such as removing metals from storage. Now things are stirred up and even more work is generated. If the body plus the hired help (zeolite) can’t handle the job the body becomes stressed which could lead to detox symptoms. If a high enough dose of zeolite was taken there will be workers sitting on the sideline waiting for something to do. Once toxins start getting mobilized and things are stirred up the available zeolite cages jump into action and get to work.
Thanks for reading! Please reach out with any questions or comments. Jeff@zeolitelabs.com