Natural zeolite clinoptilolite is part of a group of silicon and aluminum-based crystalline minerals that have a intricate small-scale repeating structure. Zeolites are of huge interest and usefulness across industrial and commercial sectors because they can purify and separate fluids. Zeolites naturally deodorize air, remove heavy metals from water, and swap out its constiuent electrolytes for contaminants.
Even though the mineral clinoptilolite was just described in 1969, supposedly it is the most abundant zeolite on Earth, forming in undersea conditions. Until that time, this mineral clinoptilite was grouped in with heulandite, a similar mineral that has a different Silicon-to-Aluminum ratio. But even heulandite was just described in 1822. Needless to say, we haven’t had much time to tap the interesting properties and characteristics of the natural zeolite clinoptilolite, but we know enough to know there is a lot to discover. NASA uses it, Big Agriculture uses it, should it be in everyone’s medicine cabinet too?
[.]
Zeolites have tetrahedra-shaped ionic bonds, which create frameworks of cages in which ions can be exchanged. They act like layers of hotel rooms, which can take on a variety of cation occupants in their vacancies, as well as swap out guests. Because clinoptilolite can absorb radioactive ions, they have been used for soil pollution. But clinoptilolite has a variety of welcome guests in its hotel-like framework structure, including heavy metals like cadmium that accumulate not only in the soil but in human bodies.
There are many companies now pushing to figure out how to use clinoptilolite as a supplement, or if there is any therapeutic benefit. Researchers have conducted a wide variety of clinical trials, motivated by enterprising supplement companies, checking for effects on gut biome, bone regeneration, and a number of other health effects under reasonable suspicion. The new research on clinoptilolite has bred some controversy due to illegally labeled products. But between the patented preparation methods, the interest from biological research teams, and robustly understood basic mechanism, it would seem likely to anyone that there are untapped benefits of clinoptilolite for humans.
Related Background Articles on Zeolites/Silicates
~~>About Tetrahedron Shape
~~>Different Types of Silicate Minerals
~~>How to read a Ternary Diagram
~~>Zeolite Crystal and Meaning
Natural Zeolite Clinoptilolite
One single gram of clinoptilolite has 26 square meters of surface area in its channels, the corridors and hallways that make up this tiny ion hotel. (In chabazite it’s 202 square meters per gram!) In clinoptilolite, the width of the channels are 7nm (3-15nm), about the size of 70 hydrogen atom widths on average. We love this zone on the order of 10s-100s of atoms, because we get semi-classical, semi-quantum regimes of physical mechanics and electrodynamics.
Natural zeolite clinoptilolite is actually crystallized volcanic glass forming in the pores of common igneous rocks. (Read about igneous rocks section.) Zeolites form in rocks that have a lot of elemental silicon, while under pressure other elements creep in and make their bonds in energetically favorable ways based on the local substrate. Aluminum is often present as a secondary substitute for silicon throughout, since aluminum can bind in a tetrahedron with oxygen just like silicon does.
[the subunit structure]
Clinoptilolite has a chemical formula of (Na,K,Ca)2–3Al3(Al,Si)2Si13O36•12H2O, and that’s indeed a lot of atoms, about 93 per repeating subunit. So, it takes about 93 atoms to make one “molecule” of clinoptilolite, which is repeated in crystal matrix fashion. But there is actually minimal regularity in clinoptilolite’s tessellation, compared to some other crystals like quartz, which has a consistent repeating subunit every 5 atoms. It is not only clinoptilolite’s inconsistent Al/Si ratio across the bulk of the material, but also its changing symmetry properties, that actually give it some anomalous versatility.
We also know through characterization studies that clinoptilolite possesses an isothermic hysteresis loop. (Read about what are hysteresis loops here.) It is .6-1 P/PO, type IV B or H3 (IUPAC class system). This effect is due to clino’s multilayer adsorption and capillary condensation. Meaning it’s a whole chemical factory with fluctuating magnetic fields, even at rest in ambience. And they say putting crystals on the shelf is just for decorations, what if it was actually having complex purification reactions with the surrounding air?
But, we also know that hysteresis properties are greatly influenced by the exact crystalline phases set by the origin and geography of the natural specimen. But how exactly does zeolite form?
Clinoptilolite’s Natural Locales & History
Clinoptilolite occurs when volcanic rocks and various fragments of other rocks react in solutions in the pores of the volcanic rock during the conversion of fine particles into bulk rock. Elemental minerals like sodium, potassium, calcium, are funneled through pores in the rock in which chemical reactions merge the rock and new bonds around those pores over time (diagenesis – sediment into sedimentary rock). High silica rocks (andesite, rhyolite) are thus vessels for formation of zeolites.
Clinoptilolite has a short history in the formal realm so far, only first being named/”discovered” in 1969 in San Bernardino, California. It forms a series (forms into/out of it depending onn temperature/pressure conditions) with another zeolite heulandite. So, before 1969, clinoptilolite was still “around” and “used,” but was indistinguishable from heulandite, and sometimes mordenite. This narrative below I summarized from the International Zeolite Association’s clinoptilolite datasheet.
In 1890, a deposit outside Yellowstone National Park, USA were identified by Louis Valentine Pirsson as mordenite via chemical analysis. Now, mordenite and heulandite are already some of the most useful zeolites, especially as fuel catalysts. It wasn’t until 1923-1932, that Waldemar Theodore Schaller declared the specimen a monoclinic dimorph of the fibrous ptilolite based on its optical properties. Meanwhile, that ptilolite, named in 1886, was later shown to be mordenite. Schaller then named it thusly, clinoptilolite in 1932, but two years later other researchers, via x-ray data, found it to have exactly the structure of heulandite, so people stopped using clinoptilolite to avoid confusion. However, there is more than sets clinoptilolite as we know it now apart from all the above relatives..
[heu/mord/clino differences/timeline]
Some specimens of these heulandite, had a higher Si/Al ratio overall, and this led to unique properties not normally of heulandite, such has stabilization after a 350º heat treatment. With many new samples analyzed, the zeolite nomenclature committee eventually kept the name clinoptilolite based on the different Si/Al ratio (clino having Si/Al=4.0). Heu goes phase change at 230C and amorphous at 450 oftentimes. Clino is stable up to 700ºC. [27]
All of clinoptilolite, heulandite, and mordenite, also have subspecies based on the dominant cation (hotel room occupant), Ca, K, Na, etc. Clinoptilolite-K was the original Yellowstone materal. clinoptilolite-Na was the Bernardino, California samples, while main deposits of clinoptilolite-Ca were found in Japan.
Already clinoptillolite may have been more suitable for in vivo health studies because of its first observed exchange properties. After the chemical engineering industry made their initial characterization rounds with it, studies beginning in the early 2000s first in cattle feed, then eventually human studies. Now we have many studies on rats and humans of the affect of oral administration of preparations of clinoptilolite on a variety of symptoms and systems.
Clinoptilolite Crystal Structure – Framework Zeolite
So from the history of clinoptilolite, we know that even zeolites with the same structure can be distinct in terms of properties. The case of heulandite and clinoptilolite is the only exception where the classification is based solely on Si/Al ratio. Heulandite is anything with that structure with Si/Al < 4, the rest is clinoptilolite.
Clinoptilolite most often has a monoclinic crystal system (three vectors of unequal length, one angle is 90º.) Its space group symmetry is 2/m, however, in some analyses its symmetry can change.
The differences are slight but precise. With less than .03 angstroms and less than a half degree angle difference in the unit cells in the different mineral substitution allotropes, these differences would not have even been distinguishable a few short decades ago.
However there is still some confusion that arises for reasearchers working with clinoptilolite samples. In Thomas Arbuster’s 2001 article, Clinoptilotite-heulandite: applications and basic research, it’s duly noted that heulandite and clinoptilolite can also have different structures while maintaining the same Si/Al ratio. [17] The problem also interests those who study the cationic (reaction) properties. On two different clinoptilolite samples, K+ and Pb2+ selectivity for exchange were different, even with the same Si/Al ratio and “cation exchange capacity” (CEC, a measure of a zeolite’s proclivity to swap current occupied hotel rooms for stragglers.) The samples were both treated to contain the same ions at the beginning of the experiments, so the researchers thought the influencing different was how the samples formed in the Earth’s crust, one having formed in a calcium rich locality, and another in a sodium rich locality. This could matter because it changes the way the silicon and aluminum are distributed at a larger scale in the material. It’s like the hotel rooms have artifacts left behind from previous occupants, the calcium-formed ones being more hospitible to Pb2+ ions, and the sodium formed ones more for K+. Armbuster states “This memory effect is imprinted by the Si, Al distribution.” He also notes in a sample of heulandite, spectroscopy showed domains of both monoclinic and triclinic symmetry.
Armbuster already states the catalytic behavior is not predictable. So why the push for supplements?
But there arises another problem: spontaneously changing symmetry properties. From this and other data, the IZA declares “symmetry lowering in heulandite can only be resolved from X-ray data when investigated in cation-exchanged samples where the distribution of non-framework cations also reflects the lower symmetry.”
//////
Uses, Risks, and Research for Natural Zeolite Clinoptilolite
Clinoptilolite is one of the top most useful zeolites surely, but researchers are still trying to find the exact ways it works and how to enhance its effects. “NASA uses it” is true – to clean NH4 from wastewater, and in zeoponics – growing plants in microgravity! It’s hard to believe clinoptilolite was discovered just a short while ago, found in natural rock alongside some of the most important rock from Roman concrete of millenia ago (tobermorite, but that’s a different post!)
Industrial and Consumer Applications
Grifasi did a lovely review in 2023 rounding up industrial applications, and brings up a word that was new to me – “zeodration”! (It’s like hydration, but zeolites.) New word just dropped, and apparently Europe/France/Belgium leads the way on exploring this application to dry/release moisture using zeolites like clinoptilolite. You know that condensation that can appear inside fresh goods packaging? One such exact application, and the coating would be completely nontoxic of course. That you can read about here (large scale business explaining how zeodratation works for clients) or here (commerical use cases of zeodratation), because there is so much more to cover with zeolite clinoptilolite applications.
Because clinoptilolite has a strong affinity with ammonium, it’s used as an enzyme based urea sensor. Because clinoptilolite can absorb heavy metals and swap them out for nutritive minerals, its also used as a livestock feed additive for feed that has radioactive contamination and cleanup at both Chernobyl and Fukishima [1, 3]. In Uranium production in nuclear energy, excess Thorium is produced, and clinoptilolite will bond and clean it up. And there are tons more applications, from absorbing ethylene in “green bags” that make produce last longer, to compressing gases for storage. Zeolites are also proposed for use in the food industry in packaging, “food nano reactors”, such as smaller batch processing and detecting contaminations. [19, 20]. Clinoptilolite removes and reacts with metals in chemical processing and water treatment. [8,9] but in animal studies the effects are a bit muddy. It can even harness fluoride from wastewater and applications are formally studied as of 2025. [25] Big agriculture uses clinoptilolite as animal bedding, and it’s currently being researching in the cat litter arts for its odor absorbancy and ammonia/urea capture.
It’s extremely useful for gas separation and storage, for example methane and nitrogen, with the K-Ca channels making “nanovalves.” In oil refinement seolites are super important, but often lab-tailored ones. Clinoptilolite was studied for this purpose most in the 80s and 90s, where it’s usefulness for reactions involving xylene, toulene, NO and more were explored, but doesn’t hold up to designer zeolites for these fine-tuned chemical industrial purposes. Thermal energy storage systems are also possible but take a lot of engineering.
[27, Grifasi]
Clinoptiolite’s Purported Therapeutic Uses
From these properties, could clinoptilolite be a “detox” cure? Importantly, preliminary toxicology studies do show clinoptilolite relatively inert in biological systems. [ Mastin notes ]
Numerous newer studies have started to show neuroprotective benefits, immune system stimulation, benefits on the liver, intestines, and bone regeneration of clinoptilolite adminsitration. [1] Clinoptilolite has even recently been studied in Alzheimer’s, and seems to be able to help based on indirect gut effects, since it doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier. [printed paper] Here’s a run down on some of its uses in biological systems based on the newer studies.
Within these studies, there are different forms/treatments of clinoptilolite used. Micronized, PMA, and PCT, for example.
Animal Studies on Heavy Metal Removal with Clinoptilolite
It is notable that clinoptilolite, despite its short history, is already approved in human studies, after demonstrating safety in animals. In one uman study, the effects of clinoptilolite administration on the relevant minerals and contaminants in the human body was observed for various time scales, up to four years [5]. The researchers found detected lead increased in the short term while decreasing long term, indicating they were freed from the tissues before being moved out of the system. Nickel, arsenic, and aluminum all decreased at various time scales. They also found sodium and calcium levels to decrease in osteoporosis patients, attributed to the bone remodeling process observed in prior studies. This means the body was picking up more minerals from the bloodstream.
Researchers found clinoptilolite administration to “alter” various heavy metal concentrations in various organs via a rat study.[7] This study had a low sample size of ten rats per group, and was funded by a supplement company, testing a more basic processing method of the zeolite against its own. The different processing methods produced mixed results of higher and lower metal concentrations in different organs. For example, there was no effect on cobalt from either, but in Nickel the PMA processing zeolite group had lowering, but only in the brain, lead was found lower in the brain for both processing. While a lower metal concentration is not always better, as elevated levels indicate active carrying out from within the tissues. They did see “altered” levels in the tested groups, but the sample size is still very small and they did not state expected spread within population groups. Most of their results did not have significant differences.
Statistical analysis almost non-existent using only a t-test and p < 0.05 They did find significant differences (reductions as well) in a handful of results but the hypothesis itself is not well substantiated, citing studies such as [x2] that are also funded by the same companies. (Side note: a good study should not have the phrase “beneficial effects”.) It was peer-reviewed though and those results … exist.[7] This introduces a problem with many supplement zeolite studies found. They are funded by companies after the product is already developed, and often showed dubious effects and didn’t have the highest academic standard of scientific analysis either. However, some studies were deinfitely more definitive.
Bone Remodelling with Clinoptilolite after Dental Treatments & In Osteoporosis
In a rat bone healing study, six diabetic rats had clinoptilolite applied locally to extracted tooth sockets and sacrificed at two different times to see progression over time. [12] This is helpful, because similar to the heavy metal results, the results with zeolite seem to at some point peak and plateau. They also divided into healthy, diabetes, and diabetes with clinoptilolite. They tested for bone surface and volume. In the first 14 days, clinoptilolite reduced the negative wound healing effects of diabetes and contributed to bone formation. It didn’t appear to continue working into the following 14 days. Researchers observed in the treatment group decreased bone surface texture and higher bone volume.
Despite the low population number, this study made no bold claims and only applied it to the area tested. Why diabetes? The diabetes model is good for studying comparison of socket healing, as the disease disrupts the remineralization process. Clinoptilolite is then noted to definitively have a detoxification effect stemming from its ion exchange in the socket. It attracts inflammatory proteins like histamine and toxic substances like heavy metals to carry them out of the socket healing environment within. One product is noted in the study, Froximun Toxaprevent Skin Powder®, as being very effictive in the dental trade for accelerating socket wound healing. This study was university funded (Sivas Cumhuriyet University Scientific Research Projects), with no business interests, unlike, as we will see, a trend otherwise.
Next let’s look at a couple of studies funded by the Austrian medical device company Panaceo in 2022. [10] Again with the same PMA mafia. Summarizing two other studies, they used for 5 years PMA zeolite with 100 human subjects with osteoporosis. There were improvements in bone mass density over 3 and 5 year administrations. Bone density temporarily recovered and then fell at a slower rate than would have been expected from control group. Betacross laps, a marker of bone tissue breaking down, decreased in the treatment groups. This followed up a rat study with similar findings.
Another study looked at topically applied clinoptilolite to acute wounds in PCT form. They found that the treatment was “safe” but no significant healing differences from standard-of-care control. [11] This study was unded by G-PUR supplelent compant. While the wound healing did not show statistical differences, the researchers did note some changes in obscure biomarkers and ultimately conclude “purified PCT could represent an attractive, cost-effective wound treatment promoting the process of healing.” And the population size was 12.
Mesothelioma, Melanomia, and other Cancers (Cause or Cure?)
It is important to not in the midst of zeolite studied for benefits that some zeolites, especially when in a very fine-powdered form, are known to cause cancers such as mesothelioma. A well-documented series of studies done in rural Turkey in the early 2000’s show exposure to the zeolite erionite, which has a similar structure to chabazite (as discussed in my zeolites main post), induced often fatal mesothelioma cancer. [13] This is a concern because while erionite causes similar effects as asbestos, it has not yet been regulated or banned in places like the USA. Like asbestos, the toxicity is marked when the particles are breathed in, causing cancers of the lung area. Importantly, erionite is not clinoptiolite. Each zeolite has drastically different uses and properties than others, though the look in bulk and chemical formulas may look similar. Small deviations in the chemical structure lead to geometric changes on the lattice scale, that changes what the zeolite will interact with and do. In this case, one zeolite can potentially reverse or mitigate the effects of another.
Now, where one zeolite acts like asbestos and damages lungs, another study looked for healing from such insults using a different zeolite [15] (clinoptilolite). This pilot study piggybacked on cell culture results showing clinoptilolite prevented “asbestos-induced cell death, reactive oxygen species, species production, DNA degradation, and overexpression of genes known to be upregulated by asbestos.” Over 30 weeks, all the mice injected with just asbestos didn’t makeit, but 7 of the 29 mice recieving the treatment containing clinoptilolite reached that same stage. The surviving mice lacked the mesothelioma tumors that the affected ones did. The ones without treatment had a supressed macrophage clearance, but the treatment group had increased phagocytosis (they were cleaning up shop.) This suggsting, mechanism-wise, that inhibiting the generation of reactive oxygen species and stimulating macrophage system may be a possible path to reverse asbestos toxicity. And clinoptilolite appears to do exactly that.
And, in another Panaceo funded study, treatments reduced toxcity symptoms in chemotherapy patients. [21] One study [14] found micronized clinoptilolite reduced melanoma in rats. They reported an antimetastatic (anti-cancer) and immunosimulatory effect and proposed some mechanisms as well. The effects seemed to be indirect and depended on the number of cancer cells injected. They think the mechanism increases inflammation and response similar to “superantigens”, an effect also noted in some of the metabolism studies as we’ll see. A superantigen activates T cells in the immune system orders of magnitude higher than ordinary antigens. This can lead to an undesirable immune response as well. The study notes that prior studies have shown macrophage activation and proinflammatory, while also being nontoxic. It kicks everything into high gear, but there is risk with critical effects like organ failure in such a large activation.
Kraljević Pavelić [1] details some of the possible mechanisms based on many other rat studies.
“”In addition, we hypothesize that previously observed data on antitumor properties of clinoptilolite in vitro may be due to the activation of clinoptilolite surface by acids. Even though in the majority of in vitro studies, the cells were grown in micronized clinoptilolite pre-treated growth media, no ultracentrifugation was employed, which means that a colloid system containing finest clinoptilolite particles was used for experiments (Pavelić et al., 2001b; Katic et al., 2006). For instance, it is well-known that tumor cells have increased hydrogen peroxide levels that regulate specific signaling pathways and hydrogen peroxide may modify cysteine residues on antioxidative enzymes (Lennicke et al., 2015). Enzymes are deactivated during modification. Clinoptilolite can react with hydrogen peroxide (Canli and Abali, 2016), similar to other silica particles, and, in such situations, oxidative stress is induced either through the breakdown of hydrogen peroxides to hydroxyl radicals or through the breakdown of hydrogen peroxides and production of the hydroperoxyl radicals (Rochette and Vergely, 2008). Therefore, it is possible that the contact between clinoptilolite and tumor cells with increased hydrogen peroxide concentrations induces formation of free radicals; therefore, increases in the oxidative burden occur in tumor cells, which consequently die. Tumor cells are susceptible to increased oxidative stress and in our previous experiments, this effect was not visible or was lower in normal tested fibroblasts in vitro (Katic et al., 2006). Also, it cannot be ruled out that some clinoptilolite particles enter into tumor cells in vitro, as tumor cells are inherently depolarized (Yang and Brackenbury, 2013) and can uptake particles by endocytosis (Sincai et al., 2007). Recently, a new hypothesis has been suggested on the use of lipophilic anions that target cancer cells due to their distinct electrical properties (Forrest, 2015). As clinoptilolite particles are negatively-charged polyanions, they might also target cancer cells and induce additional oxidative stress upon entrance into the cytoplasm through hydrogen peroxide activation, increased production of ROS and its consequent depletion within the cell. The depletion of hydrogen peroxide and the increased ROS production during hydrogen peroxide reaction with a clinoptilolite surface may change the redox status of the cell, e.g., through inhibition of the transcription factor Nrf2.””
Lastly regarding cancer studies, we must note that back in 2001, in vitro studies showed that plain ground clinoptilolite inhibited a protein involved in growth factors, blocking growth in cancer cell lines, and induced expression of tumor supressor proteins. [16]
Metabolism, Immune, and Gut Effects (Mechanisms still Pending)
One thing to note is that the human diarrhea drug “ENTEREX” uses clinoptilolite.
Zeolites blood sugar in mice –
“In vivo experiments in mice showed that PMA zeolite reduces blood glucose levels upon 15 min for 13% (at p < 0.05) up to 19.11% upon 120 min (without statistical significance) in clinoptilolite pre-treated mice fed by addition of d-glucose. Due to lack of explicit mechanistic knowledge on zeolite clinoptilolite interactions or adsorption with sugars in vitro and in vivo, presented study provides novel insights into these aspects for researchers in the field.” Study was funded by “University of Rijeka research support grant uniri-biomed-18-150 given to SKP. Additional funding has been provided by the Croatian government and the European Union (European Regional Development Fund—the Competitiveness and Cohesion Operational Program—KK.01.1.1.01) through the Bioprospecting of the Adriatic Sea project (KK.01.1.1.01.0002) granted to The Scientific Centre of Excellence for Marine Bioprospecting-BioProCro”..
Using “The clinoptilolite materials TMAZ-zeolite (Tribo Mechanically Activated Zeolite, fine grinded and micronized raw zeolite material disclosed in patents HR P990263 A2; US 2013/0119,174 A1; WO 2000/064,586 A1; DE 10200688 A1), PMA-zeolite material (Panaceo Micro Activation, registration according to the directive: European directive 93/42/EEC) and PMAO2-zeolite (Panaceo Micro Activation by Oxygenation) was kindly donated by Panaceo International Active Mineral Production GmbH, Austria. The
“
“We also present results on the reduction of blood glucose levels in mice pre-treated with clinoptilolite in vivo upon feeding with d-glucose. In vivo results were in line with the in vitro adsorption and/or interaction properties of tested zeolite materials for d-glucose and were quantified by UHPLC as well (11.34% for TMAZ; 10.82% for PMA and 8.76% for PMAO2). In vivo experiments in mice showed that PMA zeolite reduces blood glucose levels upon 15 min for 13% (at p < 0.05) up to 19.11% upon 120 min (without statistical significance) in clinoptilolite pre-treated mice fed by addition of d-glucose. “
[24]
There have been many studies on clinoptilolite involving livestock In one chicken study, clinoptilolite did work for affecting ammonia volatilization and other markers like intestinal length. [5] The treatment also increased the sizes of the chicken’s livers. After long term supplementation, the ammonia and related excreta pH which had also improved reached a plateau. Another chicken study found clinoptilolite increased the birds’ resistance to infection. [6] The treatments seemed to trigger pro-inflammatory cytokines in a regulated, adaptogenic way. The the trade of agriculture, clinoptilolite reduces occurrences of diarrhoeal diseases and improves the digestability of nutrients and eggshell quality. Because in 2009, researchers determined that clinoptilolite treatments in birds improved intestinal enzyme activity, gut microflora composition, and gut pH, while being non-toxic, studies were also approved to see how much this effect could carry over to humans. [22]
Clinoptilolite was suspected to improve intestinal permeability in athletes that have excess ammonia from fermentation in the gut due to high protein.They used zonulin as a marker. [2] This research was funded by supplement companies G-PUR and Panaceo GmbH. Furthermore, IBS is prone to placebo, so stronger results are necessary to continue that line of potential therapeutic benefit. There were other supplement funded studies for IBS (Petrov, 2021; Anderle 2022) that were such loose science I didn’t want to include them in the formal sources. For example, all results were subjective and self-reported, such as “bowel habits” and “quality of life”. or the food logs were not controlled (like in the athlete study.) Those studies were both under 50 people leaving the treatment group even smaller. They did get biomarkers but everything seemed inconclusive to me.
In 2023 a study on boiler chickens though, elucidate better what may happen in the gut with clinoptilolite. They reaffirmed that clinoptilolite is not absorbed nutritionally, and has no effects on blood parameters or egg quality significantly. However, the liver weight and intestinal length increases, and the ammonia volatilization in excrement decreased and plateaued. It adsorbs salts, nitrites, mycotoxins, radionuclides, and metals in the gut.
Another effect of clinoptilolite administration turns out to be selective adsorption of E.coli and Salmonella bacteria in the gut, which has been demonstrated in many studies on animals. [23] As mentioned, clinoptilolite is already used a lot in farming, treating mycotoxins and aflatoxins in cattle, and allowing chicken farmers to use less antibiotics and have more omega-3 in the eggs. Better nutritional density of the livestock overall, and protection from infections. [3] By this point it would seem clinoptilolite improves almost everything. But each study does fine tune the exact type of clinoptiloilite used, just like heat treating and setting the zeolite in the presence of certain elements make it more suitable for certain applications in industry. But in the bacteria studies and many livestock applications, plain market clinoptilolite did the trick. How? The clinoptolite just naturally loads toxins which are then excreted. “Garden variety” clinoptilolite even binds to any heavy metals that happen to fit in its hotel rooms, and even alcohol for treatment of alcohol poisoning. This is similar to the effects of activated charcoal, and the mechanism isn’t super different either. But charcoal can cause nutritional deficiencies because it doesn’t have the high degree of selectivity as clinoptolite so it binds nutrients as well, casting a wider net. The clinoptolite is often “activated.” Who remembers activated charcoal trend? Activated clinoptolite is ground into micrometer sized grains or treated with acids to increase surface area and ion exchange capacity. Stomach acid actually provides a really good environments for its activities.
A detailed review [1] presents a collection of studies from 2004-2015 addressing clinoptolile on oxidative stress alone. In 2011 rats and chickens were shown to have increased antioxidant power after supplementation with clinoptolile. In 2009 fluoride intoxicated rats were healed. 2015, E.coli, and resulting in higher lactobacillus (“good” bacteria for gut) counts. In 2014 it treated NASID gastritis and acid reflux. In 2005, herpes. In 2004, increased immunity T-cells while also decreasing another immune type more active in autoimmune responses. Adaptogenic nature strikes again. Somehow, clinoptilolite seems to just bind things we want bound.
With the aluminum in rats, another study using synthetic zeolite actually did see the increase, and this could have to do with stability, but no one knows. Have you heard about how Fiji water removes chemtrails? Well …
Controversies around Natural Zeolite Clinoptilolite as a medical substance
There are really more studies than I could ever hope to list, including numerous in agriculture sector, ones on clinoptilolite’s postive effect on the reproductive health of pregnant cows, fertilizer affect on crops, and specific formulations of supplements already on the market. Clinoptilolite cannot be patented, as it is a naturally occurring mineral, but there are plenty of patents on specific formulations and preparations, such as PMA, a type of micronized clinoptilolite licensed to Panaceo.. There are about 13,500 granted patents containing the word clinoptilolite, but this is often because the patents are listing off zeolites as potential ingredient to claim in various preparations, ranging from catalysts to supplements. Also included are patents for lab methods for modifying zeolite structure.
Toxicology in animals and humans has also been widely studied. EU cosmetic board gave the green light for inclusion in topicals, ad EFSA found very large amounts (the largest they tested, equiv to 150g/75kg for humans), had no toxicity side effects. The subjects all had better micronutrient profiles as a broad theme. It not only fixes the problems but leaves you In a better nourished state. The sorption, at least of lead and cadmium, does not reverse except in lower than 1 ph, and even then 20% of what it soaked might come back out.
Inhalation risk, broad study – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12851164/
FDA.gov drama, https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/results-rna-llc-540501-04062018
In 2018, the FDA put out a statement, regarding dozens of products making claims about Lyme disease, “Maximum Detoxification”, “Neurological Rejuventation,” making claims such as ““Proven to kill pathogens . . . remove toxic heavy metals . . . Proven to kill disease causing microorganisms . . . Detoxifies the entire body . . .”
In 2003, Int J Toxicology published Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate, sodium magnesium silicate, zirconium silicate, attapulgite, bentonite, Fuller’s earth, hectorite, kaolin, lithium magnesium silicate, lithium magnesium sodium silicate, montmorillonite, pyrophyllite, and zeolite [18]
Amy R Elmore; Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel stating which zeolites tested had any skin irritating, lung-irritating, or possible cancerous properties by testing in vitro. Powdered forms have long been known, through the Bulgaria studies to cause mesotheleoma in a similar way as asbestos. The Cosmetic Ingredient Reviw Panel also noted document of increased lung diseases in those working in the industries of certain powdered zeolites.
bs-worded brand funded study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31114139/
Companies that Market/Fund Clinoptilolite Studies
Sketchy or Useful Natural Zeolite Clinoptilolite
[x]
Sources:
cited crit rev 2018, early labor: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38274773/
[1] Kraljević Pavelić S, Simović Medica J, Gumbarević D, Filošević A, Pržulj N, Pavelić K. Critical Review on Zeolite Clinoptilolite Safety and Medical Applications in vivo. Front Pharmacol. 2018 Nov 27;9:1350. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01350. PMID: 30538633; PMCID: PMC6277462.
[2] Lamprecht, M., Bogner, S., Steinbauer, K., Schuetz, B., Greilberger, J. F., Leber, B., … Schippinger, G. (2015). Effects of zeolite supplementation on parameters of intestinal barrier integrity, inflammation, redoxbiology and performance in aerobically trained subjects. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-015-0101-z
[3] Mastinu A, Kumar A, Maccarinelli G, Bonini SA, Premoli M, Aria F, Gianoncelli A, Memo M. Zeolite Clinoptilolite: Therapeutic Virtues of an Ancient Mineral. Molecules. 2019 Apr 17;24(8):1517. doi: 10.3390/molecules24081517. PMID: 30999685; PMCID: PMC6515299.
[4] Kraljević Pavelić S, Saftić Martinović L, Simović Medica J, Žuvić M, Perdija Ž, Krpan D, Eisenwagen S, Orct T, Pavelić K. Clinical Evaluation of a Defined Zeolite-Clinoptilolite Supplementation Effect on the Selected Blood Parameters of Patients. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 May 27;9:851782. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.851782. PMID: 35712111; PMCID: PMC9197155.
[5] Vieira, R. B., et al. “Effect of dietary zeolite supplementation on production, egg quality, ammonia volatilization, organ morphometry and blood parameters in brown laying hens.” Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science 25.04 (2023): eRBCA-2023.
[6] Grądzki, Zbigniew, et al. “The effect of feed supplementation with Transcarpathian zeolite (clinoptilolite) on the concentrations of acute phase proteins and cytokines in the serum and hepatic tissue of chickens.” Poultry science 99.5 (2020): 2424-2437.
[x1] Petkov V, Schütz B, Eisenwagen S, Muss C, Mosgoeller W. PMA-zeolite can modulate inflammation associated markers in irritable bowel disease – an explorative randomized, double blinded, controlled pilot trial. Neuro Endocrinol Lett. 2021 Mar;42(1):1-12. PMID: 33930939.
[x2] Anderle K, Wolzt M, Moser G, Keip B, Peter J, Meisslitzer C, Gouya G, Freissmuth M, Tschegg C. Safety and efficacy of purified clinoptilolite-tuff treatment in patients with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea: Randomized controlled trial. World J Gastroenterol. 2022 Dec 14;28(46):6573-6588. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i46.6573. PMID: 36569277; PMCID: PMC9782844. This study is crap, see clino p1
[7] Dolanc I, Ferhatović Hamzić L, Orct T, Micek V, Šunić I, Jonjić A, Jurasović J, Missoni S, Čoklo M, Pavelić SK. The Impact of Long-Term Clinoptilolite Administration on the Concentration Profile of Metals in Rodent Organisms. Biology (Basel). 2023 Jan 26;12(2):193. doi: 10.3390/biology12020193. PMID: 36829471; PMCID: PMC9952783.
[8] Loizidou, Maria, and Rodney P. Townsend. “Exchange of cadmium into the sodium and ammonium forms of the natural zeolites clinoptilolite, mordenite, and ferrierite.” Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions 8 (1987): 1911-1916.
[9] Blanchard, G., M. Maunaye, and G. Martin. “Removal of heavy metals from waters by means of natural zeolites.” Water research 18.12 (1984): 1501-1507.
[10] Kraljević Pavelić S, Krpan D, Žuvić M, Eisenwagen S, Pavelić K. Clinical Parameters in Osteoporosis Patients Supplemented With PMA-Zeolite at the End of 5-Year Double-Blinded Clinical Trial. Front Med (Lausanne). 2022 Jun 27;9:870962. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.870962. PMID: 35833103; PMCID: PMC9272402.
[11] Deinsberger, Julia, et al. “Topically administered purified clinoptilolite‐tuff for the treatment of cutaneous wounds: A prospective, randomised phase I clinical trial.” Wound Repair and Regeneration 30.2 (2022): 198-209.
[12] Çelikbaş, İstemihan, Esra Mavi, and Ceylan Hepokur. “The evaluation of the effects of natural zeolite (Clinoptilolite) in diabetic rats on bone healing in dental extracting socket.” Journal of Oral Biology and Craniofacial Research 13.1 (2023): 36-40.
[13] Baris YI, Grandjean P. Prospective study of mesothelioma mortality in Turkish villages with exposure to fibrous zeolite. J Natl Cancer Inst. Mar 15 2006;98(6):414-417.
[14] Pavelic, K., et al. “Immunostimulatory effect of natural clinoptilolite as a possible mechanism of its antimetastatic ability.” Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 128 (2002): 37-44.
[15] Fan, Xiyong, et al. “Zeolites ameliorate asbestos toxicity in a transgenic model of malignant mesothelioma.” FASEB bioAdvances 1.9 (2019): 550.
[16] Pavelić, Krešimir, et al. “Natural zeolite clinoptilolite: new adjuvant in anticancer therapy.” Journal of molecular medicine 78 (2001): 708-720.
[17] Armbruster, Thomas. “Clinoptilotite-heulandite: applications and basic research.” Studies in surface science and catalysis. Vol. 135. Elsevier, 2001. 13-27
[18] Elmore, Amy R. “Final report on the safety assessment of aluminum silicate, calcium silicate, magnesium aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate, magnesium trisilicate, sodium magnesium silicate, zirconium silicate, attapulgite, bentonite, Fuller’s earth, hectorite, kaolin, lithium magnesium silicate, lithium magnesium sodium silicate, montmorillonite, pyrophyllite, and zeolite.” International journal of toxicology 22 (2003): 37-102.
[19] Villa, Cristian C., et al. “Zeolites for food applications: A review.” Food Bioscience 46 (2022): 101577.
[20] Villa, Cristian C., et al. “Molecular sieves for food applications: A review.” Trends in Food Science & Technology 102 (2020): 102-122.
[21] Vitale MG, Barbato C, Crispo A, Habetswallner F, Martino BM, Riccardi F, Maione A, Eisenwagen S, Vitale G, Cartenì G. ZeOxaNMulti Trial: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Oral PMA-zeolite to prevent Chemotherapy-Induced Side Effects, in particular, Peripheral Neuropathy. Molecules. 2020 May 13;25(10):2297. doi: 10.3390/molecules25102297. PMID: 32414185; PMCID: PMC7288011.
[22] Khambualai, O., et al. “Effects of dietary natural zeolite including plant extract on growth performance and intestinal histology in Aigamo ducks.” British Poultry Science 50.1 (2009): 123-130.
[23] Ciszewski, A.; Jarosz, Ł.S.; Kalinowski, M.; Marek, A.; Grądzki, Z.; Grabowski, S.; Hejdysz, M.; Nowaczewski, S.; Rysiak, A. Influence of Effective Microorganisms and Clinoptilolite on Gut Barrier Function, Intestinal Health and Performance of Broiler Chickens during Induced Eimeria tenella Infection. Agriculture 2022, 12, 2176. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12122176
[24] Markoska, R., Stojković, R., Filipović, M., Jurin, M., Špada, V., Piltaver, I. K., … & Pavelić, S. K. (2023). Study of zeolite clinoptilolite D-glucose adsorption properties in vitro and in vivo. Chemico-biological interactions, 382, 110641.
[25] Asare, Justice Annor, et al. “Harnessing the potential of zeolites for effective fluoride removal from wastewater: a review.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2025): 1-32.
[26] Vieira, R. B., et al. “Effect of dietary zeolite supplementation on production, egg quality, ammonia volatilization, organ morphometry and blood parameters in brown laying hens.” Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science 25.04 (2023): eRBCA-2023.
[27] Grifasi, Nadia, et al. “Fundamental properties and sustainable applications of the natural zeolite clinoptilolite.” Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2024): 1-36.
