People who Partake in Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth?

[MrFluffyandGirls]

I was reading up about using food grade diatomaceous earth for chickens and saw that people actually ingest it also for health benefits. There were a wide range of opinions on adding it to chicken feed or liberally applying it to chickens and in there coops/nests so I'm not sold on it just yet for my chickens other than adding it to the dust bath dirt area.
Now, I am curious to know if any of you out there use it yourself for personal health or nutritional reasons? What has it done to improve any conditions or the benefits you get from taking it? There were so many mixed reviews now my wondering mind wants to know!

 

[dbtcowgirl]

I frequently eat a wide variety of dirt and minerals but it's just because I live on farm due to being a clumsy human fall down a lot. I'm still alive but I doubt there are any health benefits

 

[featherhead007]

I think my old college roommate used to snort it up his nose. does that count?

 

[CindyinSD]

It's perhaps benign, as long as it's pure, but DE is a mined mineral and as such very difficult to control contaminants that are naturally occurring minerals in the same mining area. I don't know what minerals might be expected to commonly accompany DE, but humans don't really benefit much from eating inorganic minerals. That's why we eat plants and animals, not pulverized rocks.

I did put some in my coop in a dust bath and regretted it. It didn't take long for everything to become covered in a film of gray dust. I have a big bag. Anyone nearby who wants it can have it.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I did some digging around on the government site, & Diatomaceous earth has been classified as a Group 3 Carcinogen.

 

[Kaarlo76]

My neighbor say that diatomaceous earth make his Asil more angry.

 

[MysteryChicken]

It's not good for anything. Food grade isn't even safe.
The truth is that it's full of carcinogens that'll cause cancer over time if continuously used.

 

[Geckolady]

I read about the supposed health benefits of DE, then went down to the health food store to buy some. The sales clerk put on gloves and the type of mask you see painters or exterminators wear before handling it. She said that her employer makes them do that because it will cause lung cancer, and told me how to handle it to keep it from going airborne so I could use it. I carefully used it for about a month and saw no health benefits. I still have a big jar full, but will not be using it around chickens, since they would stir up the dust.

Love it--she dresses up like an exterminator to handle the stuff, then tells me not to worry, just use it properly.

 

[featherhead007]

Oh My! I have not added any as of yet to their dusting area and now I don't think I will. Last thing I want to do is make my feather babies sick. Thanks for sharing. I'm defiantly wondering now if people who take this know the dangers? Or do they think the benefits outweigh the possible bad effects it can have on them.

I'm not sure if DE is even good (in any way) for chickens. Was BAD for my ladies.

 

[Isaac 0]

Pool filter DE is usually not Food Grade, which kind are you using?
DE is also used in other filter applications.

Link, please?

https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/stan...as been tested,the research conducted to date.

"Diatomaceous earth has been tested as a whole and evaluated as a Group 3 carcinogen by IARC. A Group 3 listing indicates that diatomaceous earth is not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to humans, since definitive conclusions cannot be drawn from the research conducted to date. Therefore, there is no requirement under the HCS to state a definitive finding of carcinogenicity on the label or MSDS for diatomaceous earth products containing less that 1% crystalline silica. However, the principle of "one positive study" applies here as well, and the results of any study conducted in accordance with scientific principles which shows statistical significance of carcinogenicity resulting from exposures to this product must be included for discussion on the MSDS. This enforcement policy does not apply to products containing greater than 1% crystalline silica, and cancels and supersedes all prior interpretations on this issue."