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Diatomaceous Earth Detoxing Side Effects Starting to Worry Me

Sarah (United Kingdom ) on 05/23/2016
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Hi. I am hoping somebody can give me some advise or share their experience of taking diatomaceous earth please. I've been taking 1 heaped teaspoon a day and some days 2 heaped teaspoons to help detox for about 6 weeks. I had the same initial symptoms that are frequently mentioned in the first week. Headaches and a runny nose and then my tongue got a yellow coating which I still have but it is clearing up. I was fine except for noticing a few strange things that I cannot be sure about when I went to the toilet. Until this last week when I've become quite worried. It started with back pain during the night and then I had a slightly painful tingling prickly feeling on the palms of my hands and the souls of my feet which lasted a couple of days, now my joints are painful mainly in my fingers, wrists and knees. This is worrying me but I don't want to stop taking the DE if it is a harmless side effect of my body detoxing.

I should add that I considered myself to be in good health before I started taking DE but decided to do a detox as I changed to a vegan diet about 5 months ago.

Thank you so much in advance, Sarah

Replied by Timh from Ky on 05/24/2016

S: This is a good example of "too much of a good thing". It is not wise to consider D.E. an end all for detoxification as there are many types of detoxification.

Anyway, you have gone beyond the daily limit of D.E. and so need to switch to other detox protocols. What exactly are you detoxing from, or just general detox???

For removing heavy metals, and environmental pollutants consider Detox Foot Spa and/or Detox Foot Pads. Steam Room Sweating or Saunas are good detox methods, as well as Mineral Baths. along with any of the above, there are herbs that hasten the removal of toxins in the body; one in particular is Dr Christopher's "Red Clover Combination", and maybe rotate with "Seaweed Complex".

You can easily replace the D.E. with Bentonite Clay as a gentle and effective chelator. Activated Charcoal is also used to remove toxins in the gut.

Replied by Mmsg from Somewhere, Europe on 05/24/2016

Sarah, maybe you are detoxed already and don't need any more?

Replied by Art from California on 05/24/2016

Sarah,

Are you sure it is " food grade" DE? There is non food grade which is used for pool filters and is toxic. There is another type that has added pesticide for insect control and obviously should not be taken by humans.

Art

Replied by Ali from Wales on 08/17/2021

I know it’s been some time since this comment was posted but joint pains may well be part of the DE detoxification.

Over time calcium deposits around the body inappropriately. We don’t always notice it until it’s built up enough to trigger arthritis, etc. Silica is apparently part of the nutrients that are necessary to ‘orchestrate’ calcium into the bones & teeth, etc, so it may be that the silica in the DE is pulling the inappropriate calcium deposits out of the joint tissue for transfer into the bones or anywhere else it’s needed, which may trigger temporary pain.

Replied by Carol T from Austin Tx on 10/10/2026

Maybe a heaping teaspoon is too much for some people. Just 1/2 teaspoon the first time I took it caused a pretty good clean out on that same day. I too am quite healthy and not trying to correct any issue. I had no nausea, no tummy upset or cramping at all, just a cleanse. I'll wait a day and do another 1/2 teaspoon...I'm sure you can overdo a good thing!