Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Before reading the highly discouraging information some reviewers have about this product and its brand, please be sure to read my testimonial and notes. Keep in mind that I'm speaking from a consumer's as well as a naturalist's point of view, and I place absolutely no trust in a product, brand, or organization. Hopefully that sounds more practical than paranoid. I've been using TMR's trace mineral products for quite some time, now, along with regular bentonite clay (sodium/calcium variety) supplementation -- for maintenance purposes. When I read some negative reviews myself, I decided that I might have made a poor decision by paying the money for something I hadn't researched. Don't get me wrong; I've been witnessing some astounding changes in my body through supplementation with the liquid ConcenTrace formula. But I had to be sure of contaminants and whatever else. So, I did some nosing around. After emailing TMR and requesting professional analytical details, I figured out that -- at least according to a government-recognized lab -- concerning contamination, ConcenTrace is just as safe to take as your common organic fruit. From experience, I'd say the levels of "contaminants" -- be they molds, metals, or chemicals -- are about the same as a double serving of wild Alaskan salmon. I'm not an expert, but it seems the amount of product tested varied between specific methods, which means I wouldn't be able to give anyone a range based on my simple understanding of the information I read. However, fish and other things seem to be tested in a very similar manner, so I made the comparison for other people who, like me, wouldn't be able to come to an exact conclusion without either a comparison or much more information of testing protocols. All "heavy metals" (as people ignorantly call them -- no offense), such as lead, mercury, and their lot, tested below and well below the screwy government safety standards. In fact, compared to about 60% of the other elements, said "heavy metals" would have an extremely difficult time making it from the stomach to the blood, ESPECIALLY considering their forms. (I'm not allowed to provide links, but there's plenty of reliable research out there on mineral composition and chemistry of ocean water. Even though this product is made from legitimate seawater, the forms will stay the same.) Now, when I say "extremely difficult time," I mean it. There are many types of poisons out there -- from arsenic to mercury to stupidity -- but one thing I've learned is that the "natural" forms (in this case, the forms that commonly appear in mineral deposits and the ocean) of these poisons are typically of little worry. For example: the arsenic present in apple seeds will not kill you, and some types of mercury have been used in ayurvedic medicine for a VERY long time, in high doses, and have not caused deaths. I admit that I've never eaten more than ten or twenty apple seeds at a time, and I've never ingested mercury prepared and purified by ancient ayurvedic procedure -- or any noticeable amount, for that matter -- but the evidence that over-hyped poisons can be very good for us or harmless to us in moderation continued to pop up during my research. The FORM, AMOUNT, and DELIVERY are all extremely important things to consider. I just can't stress it enough: the FORM, AMOUNT, and DELIVERY are things that need to be considered. Ocean Plasma, as it's been called in the past, contains small amounts of chemicals and elements people would naturally assume to be toxic. But no one has ever -- to my knowledge or the knowledge of a million authors who wrote on the subject -- died from supplementing with moderate AMOUNTS of seawater. Why is that? Why is it that no one has fallen over dead after drinking an isotonic preparation of Ocean Plasma? Not only was the AMOUNT correct -- so correct that the concentration of nearly every element matched that of human fluids -- but the FORM of whatever so-called "poisons" present were harmless, or didn't get absorbed at all. Furthermore, the DELIVERY was nothing unnatural... we eat food very often, and I'm sure the human body has mostly adapted to eating. So, if you find yourself stressing over the tiny amounts of "contaminants" in your fairly-pristine-in-comparison seawater supplement, you might try worrying more about the air you're breathing, which contains, among other things, radioactive particulars that are trying their damnedest to give you cancer. And guess what: if they're in the air, they're in everything. If you haven't fallen over dead yet, let that stand as proof that your body knows a couple handy ways to get rid of or neutralize things that could harm you. Conclusion: Email TMR and ask for the chart I did. "Chemical analysis" and "contaminant levels" are some keywords you can use to make sure you're getting the right thing. Make your own decision from there, after having researched the specific types of chemicals that make up ocean and seawater. I've been using this product, and I'm very satisfied with it -- and I have been for months. The price is fine; really, it's low for a "gourmet commodity," which is what I believe it should be called. The plastic they use is an issue, in my opinion, as the only thing that keeps this line of products from being close to (figuratively) perfect is its stylish but selfish packaging. Also, TMR is supposedly at war with a larger, older company (MRI I believe), so you might look into their products at the same time, or exclude both from your wish list based purely on the fact that they, like almost everyone else, are in a line of business where ripoffs and petty lies are very, very common. Now, before I end this review, I want to include my experiences with applying this product (ConcenTrace "Liquimins") topically and using it internally. I thought myself a healthy person before using it, but I got an ENORMOUS (no joke) boost of energy after about a week. "Cleansing effects" were noticeable over the first couple of days, even though I'd done an extensive, extreme fresh-herb, bentonite, ACV/water fast cleanse the months previous, probably for a year. The symptoms included plenty of skin eruptions and gas, some sweating, etc. HOWEVER, if you take it yourself, don't confuse cleansing symptoms with natural magnesium-salt laxative effects. Laxative effects, increased urination, increased or decreased appetite, joint sensitivity, and some other minor things are very common for first time users, as I've experienced. I attribute these effects to the following things: __Laxative effects: Magnesium chloride (and other magnesium salts present) __Increased urination: Chloride chemicals, potassium chemicals, sodium, and other ELECTROLYTES. (Chloride is -- yes -- an electrolyte, and there's plenty of it in this product.) __Fluctuation of Appetite: Chloride, which is used to produce hydrochloric acid, and, of course, the need for plant- or animal- derived nutrients to complement the proper absorption of minerals you're taking in. Laxative effects may also consequentially affect appetite. While supplementing with specific minerals, balance is required between related chemicals, and this might cause one to experience an increased need for healthy food. Last one: certain minerals open previously blocked pathways to malnourished cells, and adding an abundance of anything to the blood will do the same. This may increase the need for other nutrients. __Joint Sensitivity: "But isn't it supposed to help my joints?" Yes, AND (not "but") supplementing with high amounts of minerals, especially specific trace minerals (Strontium (Sr) I believe was one in particular) will STIMULATE osteoblasts and osteoclasts, as now-unnecessary "filler tissues" (plaqued-on fluorine-based chemicals, for example) will be removed and replaced with optimal amounts and mixtures of what your bones and bone-like tissues have craved all along. In other words: this is a temporary problem that will occur in the bodies of some -- if not most -- individuals, and I've heard of it lasting for months to years, depending on personal, underlying biological status of health and bone composition. __Other Minor Things: Little aches and pains, dry eyes, oily skin, etc are all things your body will get used to. All of these effects are decidedly temporary. As an example: the laxative effect of taking the recommended dose (40 drops) may last for a good couple weeks, and may be uncomfortable, but your body will eventually adjust. And try whatever remedies you want. For the laxative effect, I started to add drops of the ConcenTrace to my oatmeal. A good warm meal will help to offset the discomfort, and may reduce the laxative effect considerably, depending on who you are and what you're used to. Oils and fats help to reduce the unpleasant all-at-once explosiveness of the laxative effect, if you're one of the few individuals who will have that problem. Also, Psyllium Husk Powder (which is very cheap) can be one of your best friends. As you can see, there are plenty of little secrets you'll learn while taking concentrated mineral supplements. And lastly: a warning! If applying to the skin: don't apply very much. If you have to, wash it off and reapply it later on once you've kept it on for a while. If taking internally: pace yourself while working up to your own desired dosage, but DO NOT abuse the product. Why? Alkalosis, which isn't a very comfortable thing. If you begin to feel LETHARGIC (look the word up), you're taking too much! If you feel you need the higher dose and would rather suffer through the lethargic feeling, brace yourself for diseases similar to those you would get by abusing anything else. My recommendation is to stop using ConcenTrace "Liquimins" if you experience the symptoms of alkalosis, and switch to a gentler and more natural form of mineral supplementation. TMR has their original formula, which contains all of the regular amount of salt -- and therefor all the original amount of chloride. Use that instead, and make sure to mix it correctly so that you're not burdening your colon. If for whatever reason you can't use a gentler or more natural ocean or seawater or mineral complex, try combining differently: instead of taking this product (ConcenTrace) 40 drops at a time in a glass of water, take it 20 drops at a time in two glasses of water, spread out by at least 20 or 30 minutes. That should fix your over-alkaline problem. (And trust me... it's easy to overuse the ConcenTrace drops! Even their recommended amount is a little ridiculous all at once.) Oh, and if you ask for the product's analysis sheet, look up EPA (Method) 150.1, and whatever other methods of analysis you need clarification on. They tend to use confusing terms and ratings, and I was almost tricked by their pH system. Remember that pH of a substance will tend to change during and after digestion, and its been broken down and sometimes literally transmuted into different things. Test tubes are often times misleading. When it comes to applying theoretical data to a biological subject, the subject will sometimes show the folly of modern science's ignorance. Happy remineralizing!