Could cell salts transform your health?

Amid the declining nutritional value of food, Schuessler cell salts may provide another way for the body to get what it needs most. These homeopathic remedies are a form of nanomedicine that science is finally catching up to, Cate Montana reports

More than 200 years after the invention of the compound microscope, in 1838, German botanist Matthias Schleiden announced that all plants, both simple and complex, were composed of cells.

That same year, Dr Theodor Schwann expanded cellular theory—the understanding that cells provide both the structural and functional foundation of all living tissues—to include animals. Shortly thereafter, yet another German physician, Rudolf Virchow, the “founder of pathology,” determined not only that life itself is based in cellular activity but that disease likely starts at the cell level.

Into this developing mindset came German physician Wilhelm Schüssler (also spelled Schuessler, 1821–1898), who developed a healing system called Biochemie, or Biochemistry. Assuming life, disease and death originate at the cellular level, he theorized, it only makes sense that substances that nourish human cells hold the key to health and longevity.

In his medical practice, he observed that diseases and other issues were consistently associated with imbalances and deficiencies in certain inorganic minerals. Because they appeared to be foundational to the creation and health of human tissue, he referred to these minerals as tissue salts.

To determine the exact mineral components of human tissue, Dr Schuessler tested the ashes of human remains from crematoriums and discovered what he labeled the 12 essential minerals or tissue salts for optimal health. These were calcium (three forms specific to bones, elastic tissue support and digestion), potassium (three forms for nerve and brain function, mucus, and skin problems), sodium (three forms for digestive power, water balance and acidity), phosphorus, magnesium and iron.

Today we know that these are all essential minerals and that their rapid depletion from agricultural soils plus the excess of overly processed foods in our grocery stores have made them much less available to us. This deficiency is particularly evident in the rate of increased obesity in Western nations as well as the increase in chronic low-grade inflammation.¹

Mineral salts are required for structural functions including bone development, soft-tissue integrity and regulatory functions including immune response, blood clotting, oxygen transport, neuromuscular signaling and enzyme function.²

Deficiencies of macrominerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphate can lead to osteoporosis and to cardiovascular and neuromuscular issues. Deficiencies of trace or microminerals, such as iron, zinc, selenium and copper, impede oxygen transport and immune function, increasing the risk of anemia and vulnerability to infectious diseases.³

The mitochondria also need micromineral nutrients to produce ATP (energy) in the cells.⁴ Overall, mineral deficiency in cells leads to metabolic dysfunction, general poor health, fatigue and even cognitive decline.⁵

“When our cells are deficient in minerals, we experience loss of energy, unclear thinking and emotional discomfort,” says David Card, a certified homeopath, master herbalist and nutritionist in Salt Lake City, Utah (daveshealth.com). “This is where cell salts shine.

“All bodily functions and conditions are influenced on a cellular level by these essential minerals. Therefore, they can help with any condition and disease, helping us regain or maintain our health.”

Bioavailability and credibility

Unfortunately, studies show it’s questionable whether we can get sufficient minerals into our bodies even through supplementation. There is a broad lack of consistency and effectiveness in commercial multivitamin and mineral supplements; some studies recommend a shift from general supplementation to more personalized nutritional strategies to support health and longevity.⁶

Calcium supplements encounter challenges with poor water solubility and inadequate absorption. They also can inspire adverse reactions, such as gastrointestinal issues and constipation.⁷ Different forms of magnesium supplementation and their relative bioavailability are also questionable.⁸

“Schuessler called the cell salts ‘fine minerals,’ which is how I describe them, versus the crude minerals found in ordinary mineral supplements, which I call ‘chunks of rock,’” says Dr Amy Jo Howard, ND, CH, CN, director of education at the Naturopathic Institute of Therapies and Education in Michigan (naturopathicinstitute.org).

“For supplements to get through the whole process of digestion, you have to have the right pH balance, your enzymes have to be properly balanced and available, and then there’s the whole acidic digestive system to get through. Cell salts, on the other hand, because Schuessler used homeopathic principles and pre-diluted them, are easily absorbed, and the body can use them that much faster.”

Because the effectiveness of general mineral supplementation, including iron supplementation, is often uncertain, studies are currently exploring alternative and innovative delivery systems to lower side effects and satisfy the human body’s mineral needs.⁹

Directly aimed at mineral absorption and critical mineral balance in cells themselves, Schuessler cell salts would seem to be the perfect answer to this problem. However, in the medical community, their efficacy is heavily in doubt because clinical studies of Schuessler cell salts in the allopathic model are almost nonexistent—much like most of the 3,000-plus homeopathic remedies on the market.

Case in point is the number of papers dealing credibly with homeopathy in the online medical database PubMed. Out of over 40 million biomedical papers in PubMed, barely 5,000 credibly address the efficacy and safety of homeopathic remedies.

What remains as testimony for the Schuessler cell salts are anecdotes and “provings,” trials in which a homeopathically prepared substance is tested on healthy volunteers—provers—to reveal its effects.

We know that cellular health is important, that it declines as people age and (increasingly) that mineral supplementation is unreliable. However, there are more studies of the nutritional value of blueberries (which are known to supply magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, sodium, zinc, selenium and copper to the body) than of homeopathic cell salts.

Yet these remedies have been reliably used for general health and healing in alternative medical circles for over 150 years. And yet, as Howard points out, homeopathic cell salts and homeopathic remedies in general are vastly less expensive than mainstream and alternative therapies. They’re cheaper than over-the-counter supplements. (They’re also cheaper than organic blueberries.)

They’re reported to have little to no side effects. They don’t interfere or interact with other medications. And, as the patient stories included in this article attest (see below), they are highly effective.

So, what’s the issue? Why have Schuessler cell salts and homeopathic remedies in general been marginalized? Why is it the common assertion in the allopathic world that homeopathy is unscientific quackery depending solely on the placebo effect for impact?

The answer is that homeopathic medicines, most of which are diluted to the point that they contain no discernible “matter” in them whatsoever.¹⁰ In the case of a calcium phosphate cell salt remedy above the 12X potency, for example, the amount of measurable calcium would be zero.

Methodology and potency

Made through a series of dilutions and succussions (vigorous shaking), homeopathic remedies are designed to work at varying levels of depth and intensity determined by the remedy’s potency, which is determined by the number of dilutions and succussions involved.

A 3X remedy, for example, has been diluted at a ratio of 1:10 and shaken three times. A 30C remedy has been diluted at 1:100 and shaken 30 times. A 1M remedy (Hahnemann Labs, which still follows the methods of homeopathy’s creator, refers to this as 1,000C) has been diluted at a ratio of 1:100 and shaken 1,000 times.

Schuessler cell salts are specifically created and almost universally prescribed at the lowest potencies (3X, 6X and 12X) to effectively work within the realm of substance. These potencies are designed for direct cellular-level organ support, tissue repair and general deficiencies and are always referred to as “material doses” in the homeopathic lexicon.

Higher potencies starting at the C level—30C and above—are understood to address physical, mental and emotional issues. Potencies at the M level are claimed to work at the level of psyche/spirit and are specific for dealing with such things as trauma, shock and epigenetically inherited ancestral patterns.

It is precisely the lack of material substance in most remedies and the claims regarding non-physical—aka spiritual—effects that raise both hackles and doubts in the mainstream medical community. And yet a recent study is poised to seriously shift the tide.

The potencies 3X, 6X, 12X, 30C and 200C of the tissue salt Kalium Phosphoricum (potassium phosphate) were examined via UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to detect potassium phosphate nanoparticles—and researchers successfully found them in all five.¹¹

What gives specific credence to the impact of Schuessler cell salts is the fact that the lower-potency material doses (12X and below) were discovered to be more effective than higher ones (30C and 200C) in modulating levels of glycolytic enzymes. These enzymes are involved in cellular energy production.¹²

As well, they found that these potencies had a more powerful effect on antioxidant enzymes, which have complex interactions with microminerals and their cellular absorption.¹³

Final consideration

Looking at the names of the Schuessler cell salts, some people might call into question the safety of ingesting even less than microscopic amounts of calcium fluoride or potassium sulphate. But Dr Howard quickly points out that “Calcium fluoride is a natural bond in nature. The sodium fluoride you find in toothpastes, on the other hand, is a manmade chemical oil byproduct.”

The real question, she says, is what the fluoride atom or sulphate atom is bonded with. And is it a natural bond or a synthetic one?

Bottom line, we’re only as healthy as our cells are. If we can get the toxins out and the right balance of minerals and other nutrients in, our cells can properly function to make tissues and smoothly support the body’s systems.

“If you have limited finances and you’re trying to find one simple thing that would positively affect your health, take a cell salt,” says Dr Howard. “It really does make a difference.”

The 12 essential cell salts

The applications and uses of the various cell salts are exhaustive. The following list gives only the highlights.

1. Calc Fluor (calcium fluoride). Essential for connective tissue, tissue weakness, prolapse or excessive hardness. Strengthens tendons, ligaments and joints as well as tooth enamel. Good for cataracts (hardened tissue) and sagging tissue.
2. Calc Phos (calcium phosphate). Used for bone health, injuries and osteoporosis. Also useful for arthritis, backache, teeth and digestive problems.
3. Calc Sulph (calcium sulphate). Used to detoxify the body and improve digestion, clear up chronic infections, and strengthen the immune system. Found in skin (epithelial tissue) and blood (for clotting).
4. Ferrum Phos (iron phosphate). Vital for oxygenation of the blood. Reduces anemia and addresses low fevers, nosebleeds or other blood conditions, including hemorrhage.
5. Kali Mur (potassium chloride). Addresses fever conditions and mucus conditions, especially of the lungs accompanying coughs, allergies, etc.
6. Kali Phos (potassium phosphate). Supports the nerves and brain. Excellent for stress, anxiety, sleeplessness, depression, pain and paralysis, fear, suspicion, and general weakness. Aids poor memory and strengthens the central nervous system.
7. Kali Sulphate (potassium sulphate). Addresses third-stage inflammation where there is breakdown of the skin and high fevers from infections or other causes. Effective for eczema, sinusitis, asthma, psoriasis and more.
8. Mag Phos (magnesium phosphate). A nerve remedy dealing with muscular nerves and fibers. Especially effective at treating fast-onset cramping, primarily on the right side of the body. Feeds the heart and cardiovascular system and aids menstrual cramps.
9. Nat Mur (sodium chloride, or table salt). Excellent for digestion, arthritis, water distribution problems (dry mucous membranes, watery discharges), constipation, anemia and malnutrition. Grief and isolation are common accompanying symptoms.
10. Nat Phos (sodium phosphate). Balances acid/alkaline conditions in the body. Yellowish coated tongue and indigestion, Candida infections, vaginal yeast and parasites are signs of a lack of this salt.
11. Nat Sulph (sodium sulphate). Supports liver health and is specific for head trauma, especially accompanied by depression and irritability. As with all sulphates, deficiency shows up as yellow discharges. Treats all kinds of hepatitis as well as diabetes and is valuable for reducing water retention.
12. Silicea (silica). Strengthens connective tissue, dissolves scar tissue, aids skin problems and vaccination reactions. Timidity and cold extremities are symptoms of silica deficiency.

Cell salts for certain issues

Arthritis

• Nat Phos – correct acidity in the body
• Ferr Phos – relieve inflammation and fever
• Kali Mur – dissolve mucus
• Silicea – dissolve scar tissue, stop infection

Back pain (especially lower back)

• Calc Phos – support bone strength
• Ferr Phos – quench inflammation
• Nat Phos – heal muscular strains
• Silicea – strengthen connective tissue

Carpal tunnel syndrome

• Calc Fluor – strengthen connective tissue
• Calc Phos – support tendons
• Ferr Phos – quench inflammation
• Mag Phos – relieve muscular pain

Cataracts (use as long as eyes don’t worsen)

• Calc Fluor – strengthen connective tissue
• Calc Sulph – mitigate toxicity
• Nat Phos – correct acidity
• Silicea – strengthen connective tissue, heal scars

Depression (can be used with medication and counseling)

• Kali Phos – relieve nervous and depressive conditions
• Nat Mur – ease sadness and grief
• Nat Sulph – ease sadness and suicidal feelings

Diabetes (adult-onset)

• Ferr Phos – quench inflammation
• Nat Phos – regulate blood sugar and acidity
• Nat Sulph – support liver and pancreas

High blood pressure

• Calc Fluor – strengthen connective tissue
• Ferr Phos – regulate iron levels and fever
• Silicea – strengthen connective tissue
• Kali Phos – ease nervous high blood pressure

Hips (pain and joint disease)

• Calc Phos – support bone and nerve health
• Ferr Phos – quench inflammation
• Kali Mur – ease congestion
• Mag Phos – support muscle health
• Silicea – strengthen bone and connective tissue

Lungs (cough and congestion)

• Calc Phos – ease nervousness
• Ferr Phos – quench inflammation
• Kali Mur – break up mucus and congestion
• Silicea – strengthen connective tissue, fight inflammation and infection

How to use cell salts

There are varying schools of thought on how to use Schuessler cell salts. All 12 can be added to your daily health regime (the shotgun approach), or you can apply them individually or in combination to address specific complaints.

Dr Amy Jo Howard takes both approaches, saying, “You can’t go wrong doing all 12.” She recommends a bioplasma remedy that contains all 12 salts. Homeopath David Card says that although this can do no harm, he recommends a diagnostic approach and a more specific use.

The following methods of ingestion work well. All cell salts are homeopathically prepared with lactose and dissolve within seconds in the mouth. When taken with water, they can be used by those who are lactose-intolerant. The advised potency is 6X.

Oral

One pellet under the tongue (single remedy) or one pellet each of a combination three times a day. Do not touch pellets; take them directly from the bottle’s cap. Refrain from drinking or eating at least five minutes before or after taking.

In water

Add one pellet (single remedy) or one pellet each of a combination to a bottle of water and sip all day. Water chemistry creates a uniform mineral matrix that overrules the usual homeopathic protocol of avoiding drinks with or after a dosage.

Topical

To 1 oz of your favorite gel (aloe, etc.), lotion or cream, add five to 10 crushed cell-salt tablets (single remedy or combos) and mix well. Apply to skin daily. Keep container tightly closed.

Some products absorb the salts better than others. Use products with simple ingredients and avoid those with chemical-sounding names.

Poultice

Add 10 pellets of a single cell salt remedy or a combination of them to a quart of purified water (warm or cold) and shake vigorously for two minutes. Soak a cotton towel in this water and place it on the part of the body that you want to relieve, such as for menstrual cramps or a particular organ or muscle.

Bath

Add 20 pellets of any cell salt or a combination of them to bathwater and soak. For general detoxification, add 20 Bioplasma tablets (a combination remedy that includes all 12 cell salts) to hot bathwater and soak.

Patient stories

Homeopath David Card recounts the following from “thousands of patient stories” over many decades of practice using cell salts.

Megan

Megan, 35, came to see Card in a wheelchair. One of her legs had already been amputated because doctors couldn’t stem the increasing lack of tissue integrity in her legs. They were advising amputation of her other leg, and she was frightened at the prospect of living the rest of her life as a double amputee.

Card ran his usual homeopathic intake protocol, noting her medical history, physical build and body characteristics (she was extremely thin/ectomorphic), mental and emotional patterns, sleep habits, and food preferences to determine her constitutional remedy—a homeopathic remedy chosen to specifically address a person’s innate constitution on all levels.

Her constitution indicated Silicea—a cell salt. He advised her to take one 6X pellet three times a day sublingually. A month later, she came back saying the doctors had canceled the surgery because there was no longer an issue with tissue integrity.

“Thin, delicate people tend to not be able to heal, especially for things like connective tissue,” says Card. “I was so thrilled she was able to turn it around. Now she’s got an artificial leg and gets around really well.”

Tyler

Card says that the cell salt Nat Sulph (Natrum Sulphuricum) is “miraculous” for head injuries and that he’s seen a lot of positive results with it. But one case in particular stands out.

Tyler, 57, came in wearing glasses and concerned with symptoms Card says he doesn’t even recall at this point. But during the intake procedure, Card noticed that one lens of his eyeglasses was just plain glass.

When he asked about it, Tyler reported he’d fallen out of a tree at age six and hit his head on a tree root. He had been blind in that eye ever since. That was over 50 years ago.

Because cell salts are so cheap and because he knew the efficacy of Nat Sulph for head injuries, Card suggested Tyler give the remedy a try for the heck of it. Within two weeks, the patient had regained full vision in that eye.

“Apparently, what happened with him is when he hit his head, it caused some sort of brain trauma, and the cell salt reduced it,” Card says. “But if I hadn’t experienced that with him, I probably wouldn’t have believed it.”

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