Of all the nutritional supplements consumed, both past and present, there remains more confusion about minerals than any other. This is specifically true with regards to trace minerals. When you talk about vitamins you have either natural or synthetic and in many cases they are very similar with the exception of the fat soluble ones. Minerals on the other hand have many factors about them which will not only affect their absorption but can make a difference as to whether or not they could build up to potentially toxic levels in the blood and soft tissues. In order to fully understand what type of trace mineral product you should be taking, a discussion of these many factors is necessary. Firstly it is important to establish that the need for trace mineral supplementation is very real. Factors such as soil mineral depletion & soil erosion are well documented. These factors have reduced the available minerals in farmlands to less than 20% of what they were even 100 years ago. The concept of re-fertilizing with NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potash or potassium) has been in vogue for decades yet there is overwhelming evidence to show that while this nutrient combination produces higher yield per acre the plants grown on those soils are weak and subject to attack by varieties of pests which then have to be controlled with potentially harmful chemicals. Dr. Weston A. Price in his pioneer work entitled Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, discussed the issue of NPK fertilization and the dangers to higher forms of animals, including man, that must live on plants produced by such limited nutrients. He established the differences between truly healthy plants and NPK plants way back in the 1940's! Yet despite this long span of time nothing has been done to address the gross deficiencies of both our soils and the crops raised upon them. Until the mid 1980's most people considered good nutrition to be a multiple vitamin with the major minerals and a few isolated trace elements thrown in for good measure. Even though liquid minerals have been produced in limited amounts since the 1920's it wasn't until about 1986 that they became popular through the marketing efforts of a very few select companies. Naturally as the popularity of these liquid minerals caught on more and more companies came out with so-called 'colloidal minerals' in an attempt to try and capture some of what was rapidly becoming 'the latest craze.' And understandably so for the results that users of these liquid minerals were experiencing was nothing less than amazing. It seemed that with the addition of the mineral product people were getting better usage from the other nutrients they were taking. Further it appeared that when these liquid minerals were present the entire biochemistry of the user improved and many aches, pains, and other maladies slowly disappeared. We will explore some of the possible reasons for this phenomenal response shortly but suffice it to say that with this kind of response, every conpany in the business has tried to jump on the bandwagon with a mineral product. Unfortunately not all of these products are the same nor do they begin to have the same level of efficacy within the human biochemistry. Many of them have been adulterated in a variety of ways and as we are about to illustrate, this adulteration hampers or destroys the very 'life essence' that makes these minerals so valuable to your biochemistry.

Tissue samples from animals and humans have shown anywhere from 65 to 75 individual elements, so the first point of concern should be locating a product that provides the full spectrum of minerals. When further evaluating a mineral supplement for human use several factors come to the surface as being relevant. Such factors as pH, electromagnetic circuitry, particle size and source contribute to the final ability of the body to derive benefit from the minerals ingested.

Minerals essentially come from one of two sources, either inorganic, being from rocks, clays, seabeds etc., or organic which means that the minerals have been processed through a plant metabolism. This process alters the mineral in some subtle yet vitally important ways namely with regard to the electrical circuitry. For this reason minerals that come from plant sources containing the full spectrum of minerals would be the best source. After all, humans like all other animals, were created to eat plants, not soil!

There is a law in physical chemistry that states, the smaller the object or particle the greater the surface. This is easier understood if you picture a basketball in your mind and imagine the amount of surface around the outside. Now imagine if that basketball were filled with small marbles. If you measured all the surface around each marble it would be many times greater than that around the big basketball. The amount of surface of a mineral particle is important since the body attacks and breaks down minerals by attaching to their surface. The greater the surface the greater the absorption, hence the smaller the particle the greater the potential for absorption. Colloids are very small particles which contributes to overall absorption due to the immense surface the body has available to acidify and break them down.

PH stands for power of hydrogen and refers to how acidic or alkaline a substance is. The pH scale runs from 0 through 14. The mid point, number 7 is neutral. Everything lower than 7 is acidic and everything higher than 7 is alkaline. In order for minerals to be properly absorbed, they need to be acidic. When we consume inorganic minerals which are always quite alkaline, the body must attempt to acidify them for absorption. This is done in several ways but early acidification of minerals occurs through hydrochloric acid from the stomach. This accounts for why we have greater difficulty absorbing minerals as we grow older. The natural hydrochloric acid production decreases with age and dietary abuse. Organic colloidal minerals are naturally acidic, about 3.0 to 3.5, and this further contributes to their absorption.

We have the least data on the final factor that affects mineral absorption. Current research under way at this time will hopefully shed further light upon this mysterious property. Every element has two charges, an ionic charge which is either positive or negative and an electro-magnetic charge which is also either positive or negative. They do not necessarily have to be the same. The ionic charge of an element is always the same and never varies no matter what form the mineral may take. The electro-magnetic energy or charge however can vary with each element depending upon certain circuitry within the atom. If you picture 2 magnets, they are both made of the same material or substance yet one pole is positive and one is negative. All so called inorganic minerals are positive in their electro-magnetic circuitry. When a living plant takes these positive minerals up into its internal biochemistry the electromagnetic circuitry is somehow altered through the biochemical process of photosynthesis, making it negative. This negative electromagnetic energy has been called the 'life energy' because it is opposite of the human electromagnetic circuitry which is positive. Since opposites attract, the negative circuitry is drawn to the body like a magnet!

We can see by this discussion that if a mineral had all of these various factors in the right order, the absorption potential would be increased by many times. The ideal situation for maximum absorption from a mineral supplement would be when it is organic instead or inorganic, colloidal in size rather than just ground or powdered rock, has a naturally occurring acidic pH instead of highly alkaline and is negatively charged electromagnetically instead of positive which repels inside the body. A liquid mineral supplement that possessed all these factors in one would be almost 100% absorbable.

This brings us to a discussion of the many liquid trace mineral products that have recently made their way into the marketplace. Are they all created equal just because they are liquid? What about tablets and capsules that profess to contain bio-available minerals?

Let's address the tablet/capsule issue firstly since it is relatively easy to understand. When we refer to colloidal trace minerals we often use the term 'bio-electrical' or 'bio-available.' The prefix 'bio' in front of a word means 'life', hence life electrical or electrical circuitry that supports & nourishes the living system. All life has one thing in common, it needs moisture to survive. This is especially true when we are considering electrical potential. Any physical chemist can tell you that electro-chemical reactions occur in the presence of moisture or water. The same holds true for these 'life-electrical' minerals. If you totally remove the moisture the element would lose its bio-electrical charge and revert to the inorganic electro-magnetic charge which is positive. Therefore, at the present time, there is no way to accomplish this convenience. Several researchers are working on this but so far have failed. The encapsulated/tableted 'colloidal minerals' we have tested have not retained their bio-electrical charge.

In looking at a market that has been inundated with liquid mineral supplements in the past 24 months alone one might wonder if they are all pretty much the same. A closer examination of their makeup shows us that they are not.

The biggest single factor in evaluating a liquid mineral supplement for efficacy is NOT in the quantitative elemental amounts of mineral contained therein as much as it is how much electrical potential the product is able to impart to the living cells of the body. We live in a country of excesses, where quantity, not quality is king. When considering the delicate biochemistry of the body quality is far more important than mere bulk quantity. Organic, colloidal, bio-electrical trace minerals benefit the living system in large part because of the electrical circuitry which imparts life force energy to the body cells, making them better able to carry on their individual life functions. This electrical potential comes from and is generated by the relationship of one element to another. That is why no single mineral can ever hope to have the same benefit alone as it can have in the presence of the full spectrum of others. This electrical potential is generated by the interaction of one element with another in the sea of electromagnetic activity that is constantly taking place in an organic colloidal solution. This being the case, then the ratio of one mineral to another is of far greater importance than mere quantity alone. The more optimal the ratios of minerals to each other the greater the electrical potential and hence the greater the 'life energy' that is imparted to the living system. When these naturally occurring ratios are disturbed in any way it reduces the amount of electrical potential that may be passed on to the cells of the body. For example if you have a greater amount of one mineral than there would be present naturally, that mineral would impart a greater electrical charge than normally would be present. This in turn would suppress the electrical potential of other minerals related to it and ultimately alter the entire electrical circuitry of the aqueous solution. This altering would make the product far less bio-available than if it had not been altered. When you see liquid mineral products that show an inordinately high amount of certain minerals such as calcium, potassium and others, these minerals have likely been added to the solution in order to boost its elemental quantity. The minerals used to do this are often inorganic minerals which since they are positively charged electro-magnetically, further destroy the delicate life-giving energies that naturally occur in organics in the first place. Buyer beware! We have even seen and tested mineral products that, while they advocate having full spectrum minerals, upon examination contain only 20 to 40% pure mineral water. The rest is such things as aloe vera, fruit extracts, inorganic added minerals, flavorings etc. All these not only take away from the true electrical potential of the organic minerals but may be giving you little more than mineral-poor filler. By sheer volume alone. They deprive your body of a mineral rich solution. If you are using a liquid mineral product that purports to be good for you read the label. See what else is in the bottle besides minerals! If your liquid mineral product tastes delicious we can guarantee that it has been adulterated in some manner. Pure liquid colloidal organic trace minerals are tan to brown in color and are very bitter. Any attempt to mask these characteristics for long periods in the bottle affects both the potency and the electrical charge of the minerals. Know what you are buying.

A question of constant concern when discussing liquid trace mineral supplements frequently seems to be the presence of what are viewed as harmful or toxic minerals. Since a natural, unadulterated mineral product would contain the full spectrum of elements found in nature, it would of necessity contain those which we have come to think of as toxic. Minerals such as cadmilum, aluminum, arsenic, lead, mercury and others strike terror in our thoughts and we sometimes have difficulty in understanding why they are present in liquid mineral supplements. First we must go back to the concept that all minerals are not created equal. In their inorganic rock state ALL minerals can be potentially toxic because of the body's inability to utilize and break them down. Something as seemingly beneficial as calcium, if very alkaline, can circulate in the blood stream awaiting acidification and can contribute to the raw material that occludes the arteries. Yet properly acidified calcium is not only welcomed by the body but absolutely necessary for life. As our knowledge of human biochemistry proceeds, more and more information will come to light regarding the many micro trace elements and their biological role in the human body. Arsenic for example, was always thought of as a deadly poison and indeed in the inorganic form it certainly is, however recent studies have shown that arsenic is an essential mineral and is even being considered for the RDI list! Many minerals such as molybdenum and even selenium and chromium were, just a few years ago, considered non-essential and even dangerous. The next decade will undoubtedly bring a much greater understanding of the role of the full spectrum of elements naturally present in the human body tissues.

In the late 1980's an interesting experiment was conducted with regard to high levels of potentially toxic inorganic minerals in the body and the ability of their organic bio-electrical counterparts to naturally chelate or remove them safely. The test was conducted by Gary Price Todd, MD, author of the book Nutrition, Health & Disease. The study involved individuals with a variety of so-called heavy metal poisonings, specifically lead, mercury, cadmium and aluminum were selected and blood samples were taken to monitor the offending mineral. Dr. Todd rapidly discovered that blood analyses were not effective in monitoring this process, therefore it was decided that hair analyses would be employed. Prior to the test, base levels of the offending mineral were established via tissue hair sample. Test subjects were then placed on a program of full spectrum bio-available micro trace minerals in proportion to their body weight. In addition they were given a second product which represented the full spectrum of other nutrients such as vitamins, major minerals and amino acids. It is important to note that high amounts of vitamin C were found necessary in order to obtain an optimal response. Vitamin C was administered at 1 to 2 grams per day. During the study it was observed that several of the individuals with lower levels of toxic metals on their initial hair analysis, initially experienced a notable rise is those same substances as evidenced by their second hair analysis three months later (Figure 1.1). This appeared to indicate that there was a mobilization of the stored toxic metals from the body's soft tissues back into solution which would account for the higher concentration of these substances in the hair. Repeat hair analysis at six months all the way through sixteen months (the end of the study) demonstrated reduced levels of toxic metal in the hair as the natural chelation process took place and the toxic mineral levels were reduced. Physicians and other health care practitioners who wish to use this method on their patients should keep in mind that they will likely experience an initial rise in the offending substances for the first three to even six months depending upon the volume of heavy metal to be removed. Any professional interested in implementing this procedure in their practice may contact the institute for a protocol outline. Subsequent analysis of the results of this pioneer study seem to indicate that there is some type of ionic exchange taking place between the opposite minerals which would support the theory that organic minerals bear an opposite electro-magnetic charge referred to in other studies as the life energies. The Institute of Nutritional Science is preparing to duplicate this study under more controlled conditions, the results of which will subsequently be published in this Journal.

Based upon Dr. Todd's findings those persons suffering from the negative effects of heavy metal contamination should strongly consider the use of bio-electrical colloidal trace minerals as part of their plan to restore their health. Colloidal organic bio-electrical minerals cannot be stored in the body for longer than a few hours; they are much like the water soluble vitamins, therefore they cannot build up to toxic levels in the soft tissues and through ionic exchange. They also assist the body in removing the heavy metal counterparts which can remain in the body for decades.

Dr Michael Zimmerman, Chief of staff of the Specialized Clinic for Chronic Illnesses and Therapy Resistant Patients in Uberlingen, Germany tested a pure bio-electrical colloidal full spectrum mineral formula as part of his ongoing work with seriously ill patients. His conclusions state that, "This unique mineral formula enhances the de-poisoning ability of the body in a very positive way. It activated and speeds the healing process, especially in the case of chronic illnesses."

Ulrich Sommer, a pharmacist from Burg/Dittmarschen, Germany has also used 'life minerals' and he goes on to report, "The human body can only stay healthy when it receives the entire spectrum of natural minerals, trace mineral elements, and vitamins in the daily diet. These are the basic building blocks for all life. Vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, hormones and other substances needed by the body to build new cells depend entirely on the influx of mineral elements which especially include the micro amounts of trace elements which are very difficult to get from foods or conventional food supplements."

Biophysicist, Dr Fritz-Albert Popp of Germany conducted an extensive study of the bio-electric properties of a true unadulterated liquid colloidal mineral formula. Conclusions and findings of that study are outlined by Gottfried Lange, MD, a toxicologist from Elmshorn, Germany. In essence Dr. Popp observed that, "All living organisms emit certain electro-magnetic waves. If they are in healthy condition, they emit more. If not, they emit less. This phenomena is common to all forms of cells. These electro-magnetic emissions are called bio-photons." Any substance that is taken into the internal biochemistry of the body can potentially affect this electro-magnetic status either positively by feeding the cell life force or negatively by robbing it of precious energy.

During the test Dr Popp used a super sensitive organism know as Acetabularia Mediterranea, a certain very sensative algae from the Mediterranean Sea. This algae is so sensitive to ecological influences that there are scarcely any of these algae left in the Mediterranean. The test conducted on the liquid colloidal minerals using these organisms is a highly recognized method of determining whether or not a substance is toxic to the living cell or to what degree the substance might serve to enhance the cell's vital life functions. The following bar graph illustrates the result of Dr Popp's findings when he exposed the delicate Acetabularia to full spectrum bio-electrical colloidal trace minerals in an unadulterated form. (Figure 2.0)

1. The first two bars of the graph show the photon emission of the cells which had an optimum vitamin nutrient solution called 100%V, given to them. The black bar measures the photon emission at the start of the test. The following gray bar shows the photon emission after a period of three days without additional nutrients given to them.

2. The second set of two bars show the photon emission of cells given only a 10%V nutrient, and after the three day period, the emissions are so low that the cells are under 'great stress' and without further nutrients would die.

3. The third set of two bars were again only given the 10%V nutrient solution, but a 1.4 micro liter amount of liquid organic bio-electrical trace minerals was added to the nutrient solution. A significant improvement is shown, even though there was only a 10%V nutrient given. This would indicate that the bio-electrical colloids have an ability to spare nutrients and retain them for longer periods at the cellular level, while making them more easily available to individual cells.

4. In the fourth set of two bars, again only a 10%V nutrient solution was given and the amount of liquid colloidal bio-electrical trace minerals was reduced to only .14 ul. The improvement was slightly better showing that the benefits to the living cell come not from the quantity of the mineral present but the degree of bio-electrical activity imparted to the cell thereby increasing the cell's own energy levels.

During the 1930's, studies & applications involving various colloidal minerals alone and in concert with each other were common. At the onset of World War II much of this research ceased and after the war, the use of colloidal chemistry in health and healing became almost non-existent.

Today we are seeing a resurgence of interest in the full spectrum of micro trace elements and the thousands of living testimonials of people from all over the world who are experiencing a richer more healthful existence because of their use. It has long been a concern of this writer who, in private practice as a clinical nutritionist, frequently did not observe or obtain the results with patients through the use of vitamin, major mineral and amino acid therapies that was expected. After we began using the full spectrum of organic colloidal bio-electrical trace minerals in a highly absorbable liquid state, our efforts in every other direction were enhanced ten-fold.

How do you know if you are using the real thing? This is always a question of concern in any industry where hype and promotion often replace fact and the public's good. By reviewing this article, it is our hope that you will be able to evaluate the many mineral products available and ask the questions necessary to find one of purity. For as tests conducted all over the world continue to bear out, the real benefit of liquid colloidal minerals lies in their bio-electrical potential not just their elemental quantities. Those delicate bio-electrical potentials are generated through the interaction of various minerals with each other - therefore the ratios of those minerals are of supreme importance. Anything that alters or adulterated those bio-electrical potentials created by nature robs your living system of the vital life energies that it needs in ever increasing amounts in our polluted, toxic world.

1. Price, Weston A. Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Keats Publishing, Inc.

2. Schwarz, K. 1977 J American Medical Assoc. 288:226.

3. Passwater, Richard A. PhD et al Trace Elements, Hair Analysis and Nutrition, 1983 Keats Publishing Inc.

4. Schroeder, HA. 1965. J. Chronic Dis. 18:647.

5. Todd, Gary P., MD. unpublished observations

6. Popp, Fritz Albert. Bioelectronic Respons of Cellular Stimulation

7. Mervyn, Len PhD. Minerals And Your Health, Keats Publishing, Inc.

8. Bland, Jeffrey, PhD. Medical Applications of Clinical Nutrition, Keats Publishing, Inc.