The FDA is warning consumers not to use “Best Bentonite Clay,” made by Best Bentonite of Oklahoma, because it has elevated lead levels. Testing at FDA laboratories discovered the elevated levels of lead. Exposure to lead, a heavy metal, can cause serious damage and injury, including reduced IQ, brain damage, behavioral problems, and damage to the kidneys, immune system, and central nervous system.
Best Bentonite Clay is sold as a fine powder on Amazon and on the Best Bentonite website. You mix the powder with water and eat it or apply it to the skin. No confirmed cases of lead poisoning have been associated with this product.
Symptoms of lead poisoning in children include irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness and fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and hearing loss. The symptoms of lead poisoning in adults include high blood pressure, abdominal pain, constipation, joint pain, decline in mental functioning, muscle pain, numbness or tingling of the extremities, headache, memory loss, and mood disorders. This heavy metal can also cause miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women.
Do not buy or use this product. If you have purchased it, throw it away immediately, or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
If you have given this product to a child, to eat or use on their skin, see a doctor immediately. You can report adverse events or side effects using the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program.
