Bentonite Clay and aflatoxin
What 5 graded rows on bentonite clay agree on for aflatoxin, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.
Consensus finder Rows from the Bentonite Clay page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides
What the rows agree on
Each block and row is one graded row from the Bentonite Clay page, with its PubMed record.
Your question
Bentonite Clay and aflatoxin
5 rows · 723 peopleMostly an improvement: 4 of 5 rows, and most of the people. 1 had mixed results.
- BGrade B× 1
- CGrade C× 2
- DGrade D× 2
- Rows
- 5
- Trials
- 5
- People
- 723
What the rows share
From the rowsThe best-graded row, grade B, is a randomized trial of 177 people (2008) and found an improvement.
The rows run from 49 to 234 people, published from 2008 to 2022: 5 single studies.
The rows
4 improved · 1 mixed- BGrade BBlood and urine markers of aflatoxin exposure · Improved
RCT · n 177 · 2008 · Adults in Ghana at high risk of dietary aflatoxin exposure
1.5 or 3 g/day before meals vs placebo · 3 months
At 3 months, the blood aflatoxin-albumin marker was significantly lower at both doses than placebo, and the urine metabolite AFM1 was up to 58% lower at 3 g/day. The companion paper reported rare side effects (nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, dizziness) at similar rates in all groups.
Row on the Bentonite Clay page · PubMed 18478481 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CUrine aflatoxin marker (AFM1) · Improved
Crossover RCT · n 49 · 2017 · Healthy adults in a district of Kenya with recurring aflatoxicosis outbreaks
3 g/day (1 g three times daily) vs calcium carbonate placebo · 7 days per treatment, 5-day washout
Urine AFM1 was about half as high while taking the clay as on placebo (ratio 0.49, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.75). Self-reported adverse events and ratings of taste, texture and appearance did not differ.
Row on the Bentonite Clay page · PubMed 27603954 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DSafety and urine aflatoxin marker in children (60 days) · Improved
RCT · n 200 · 2022 · Children aged 2 to 9 in Ghana with detectable urine aflatoxin
1.5 g/day vs calcium carbonate placebo · 60 days
Urine AFM1 fell 60% from baseline with clay, while it rose in the placebo group. Blood counts did not change apart from a rise in hemoglobin with clay, and blood chemistry was unchanged apart from calcium.
Row on the Bentonite Clay page · PubMed 36133399 (opens PubMed)
- DGrade DSafety and urine aflatoxin marker in children · Improved
RCT · n 63 · 2014 · Children aged 3 to 9 in Ghana
0.75 or 1.5 g/day vs calcium carbonate placebo · 14 days
Blood counts and blood chemistry did not differ from placebo and no adverse events were attributed to the clay; urine AFM1 fell at 1.5 g/day.
Row on the Bentonite Clay page · PubMed 25135766 (opens PubMed)
- CGrade CBlood aflatoxin marker (AFB-lysine) · Mixed
RCT · n 234 · 2016 · Healthy adults in south Texas
1.5 or 3 g/day vs placebo · 3 months, then 1 month off
The blood aflatoxin marker fell significantly only at 1.5 g/day, not at 3 g/day. Adverse events, blood chemistry and blood counts did not differ between groups.
Row on the Bentonite Clay page · PubMed 27321368 (opens PubMed)