The FDA is warning consumers not to consume “Bentonite Me Baby” clay that is used as a detox aid because it contains elevated lead levels. This product, and other like it, claim to help your body “detoxify” and remove toxins and chemicals such as fluoride, even though your liver does that automatically. While most people use it as a hair and skin treatment, the label says that the product can be ingested for “internal cleansing.” The label states you can take up to a tablespoon a day, dissolved in water.
Lead is a heavy metal that is toxic to the body. At low levels of exposure, it can cause developmental delays, decrease in IQ, brain damage, kidney damage, and damage to the nervous system.
Symptoms of lead poisoning in children include irritability, loss of appetite, weight loss, sluggishness and fatigue, abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, and hearing loss. 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. It can also cause miscarriage or premature birth in pregnant women.
The product in question is Alikay Naturals Bentonite Me Baby Bentonite Clay. Consumers should not use or purchase this product. If you have consumed this product or, especially, have given it to a child, contact a doctor immediately for treatment.
The Minnesota Department of Health tested the product and found lead. The FDA has not confirmed any cases of lead poisoning associated with this product. If you purchased this product, do not consume it or apply it to your skin or scalp. Throw it away in a sealed container, or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.
You can also report any adverse reactions to the government. Visit the MedWatch Online Voluntarily Reporting system and fill out the form.
