Photo of tissue salt tablets
Tissue salts exist on the border between homeopathic and nutritional medicine

Tissue salts – nudging the body back into balance

11 November, 2013

The remedies known as tissue salts exist on the border between homeopathic and nutritional medicine.

Although they are diluted in the same way they are not diluted to the same degree. Instead they come in a decimal potency (usually  6X), as opposed to the centesimal, or C, potencies common to other homoeopathic remedies.

This means that they have been diluted six times, one part remedy to 9 parts water and alcohol. At this level of dilution there is a theoretical possibility that some of the original material remains.

Cellular healing

Your body tissues are made up, in part, of various inorganic minerals also known as biochemical cell salts.  This fact was first discovered by the German physician WH Schüssler  in the late 1800s.

Schüssler believed that the tissues or cells of the body can be broken down chemically into twelve inorganic mineral salts and that disturbances in the levels of these salts cause disease. He also believed that the body needed only very small doses to nudge it gently back into balance.

Tissue salts are believed to work at a cellular level, acting, according to Schüssler more like “supplements” than homoeopathic remedies.

During times of stress, if your diet is poor, if you have been ill, and during pregnancy the balance of tissue salts in the body may change.

Occasionally this can result in “deficiency” (a descriptive term rather than a diagnosis as true deficiency of these minerals can be difficult to assess) which can show itself as uncomfortable physical symptoms such as cramp or constipation.

Tissue salts have never been subjected to medical trials, nevertheless many people swear by them and anecdotal evidence suggest they can be gentle but effective. The individual salts are:

Calc flour (Calcium fluoride)

Found in all your body’s connective tissues. Imbalance can result in varicosities, muscle tendon strain and cracked, dry skin and deficient tooth enamel. This remedy is often recommended to prevent stretch marks.

Calc Phos (Calcium phosphate)

Constituent of bones, teeth, gastric juices. Imbalance can cause impaired digestion, teething troubles, itching, chilblains, simple anaemia.

Calc Sulph (Calcium sulphate)

A constituent of blood. Helps to relieve skin symptoms such as pimples during adolescence, sores that are slow to heal, sore lips.

Ferum phos (Iron phosphate)

A constituent of the blood and other body tissues. Imbalance may cause diarrhoea, constipation and even spontaneous nose bleeds. Useful for chills, fevers, inflammation congestion and rheumatic symptoms. Occasionally helpful in cases of anaemia.

Kali. Mur (Potassium chloride)

Blood constituent and conditioner. Used  sometimes in combination with Ferum Phos in cases of coughs, colds, respiratory ailments and children’s feverish ailments.

Kali. Phos (Potassium phosphate)

Necessary for the proper funciton of the nervous system. Thus this remedy is indicated in cases of nervous exhaustion, nervous indigestion, nervous headaches and insomnia. Eases stress due to worry or excitement.

 Kali. Sulph (Potassium sulphate)

Necessary component of healthy skin. Eases rough dry scaly skin, hastens wound healing, also useful for hair loss and nail disorders.

Mag phos (Magnesium phosphate)

A component of the teeth, bones, brain, blood, nerves and muscle cells. Deficiency can cause cramp, flatulence, neuralgia and shooting pains.

Natrum mur (Sodium chloride)

Regulates the body’s water balance and carries moisture to the cells. Imbalance may result in salt cravings, hay fever, and watery discharges from the eyes and nose. This remedy may also prevent heartburn, swollen ankles and dry skin.

Natrum Phos (Sodium phosphate)

Neutralise acid thus good for over-acidity of the blood, gastric disorders, heartburn, rheumatic symptoms.

Natrum Sulph (Sodium sulphate)

Knonw as the “liver” salt. Helps eliminate excess water, relieves liverish symptoms, bilious attacks, watery infiltrations and symptoms of flu.

Silica (Silicic acid)

Exists in all connective tissue as well as in hair, skin and nails. Imbalance or deficiency can result in poor memory, thinning hair and ribbed or ingrowing nails.

How to take them

Tissue salts can be purchased as single remedies or in combination, in most chemists and health food shops. The tablets dissolve quickly when placed under the tongue.

There is not one, simple correct dosage for mineral tissue salts, as the amount you take will reflect the type and severity of your symptoms. Tissue salts are finely balanced in the body and you may not need to take more than one tablet daily on alternate weeks to affect change. However the usual dose is 4 tablets, 3 times a day before meals.

When symptoms are very severe you might take them more frequently. Alternatively for longer-term illnesses a low daily dose, such as two tablets twice daily may be more beneficial. If unsure, consult your practitioner.