Eggshells Effective for Ulcers
I once suffered from duodenal bulb ulcer, with severe deformation shown by barium contrast imaging, intense pain, and acid reflux. I visited many hospitals and took numerous medications without cure. Later, a friend recommended an old remedy: using eggshells to treat ulcers. The method is: collect used eggshells, wash off the inner membrane, dry-roast them until yellow in a pan, then crush into fine powder using a rolling pin, store in a bottle. Take one small spoonful (about 5 grams) before each meal with warm water. For the first month, continue taking other anti-inflammatory drugs; starting the second month, gradually reduce dosage. By the third month, medication can largely be stopped, relying only on eggshell powder. After six months, symptoms had mostly disappeared. Subsequent barium imaging showed complete healing of the duodenal bulb ulcer.
I share this remedy to seek scientific explanation and professional guidance from experts, hoping it will benefit more patients.
Comment by Associate Chief Physician Feng Li of the Wanging Hospital, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Eggshells are a traditional Chinese medicine listed in the "Great Dictionary of Chinese Medicines." First recorded in the "Great Ming Herbal," they possess functions such as drying dampness, transforming phlegm, neutralizing stomach acid, relieving pain, strengthening kidneys and bones, arresting bleeding, and resolving abscesses. They treat conditions like fluid retention causing stomach pain, regurgitation, rickets, and ear discharge.
When eggshell powder is compared with Maalox at equal dosages, their aqueous solutions show similar pH values, both above 9, indicating alkalinity. This suggests that eggshell powder primarily works by neutralizing gastric acid. Thus, its effectiveness in treating acid reflux has scientific basis.
Dry-roasted eggshell powder has been shown to shorten clotting time in mice, consistent with its documented function of stopping bleeding. Since calcium is essential in both intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways, it is likely that the high calcium content in eggshells is responsible for accelerating blood clotting and hemostasis.
Modern experiments confirm that eggshell powder’s hemostatic and acid-neutralizing effects form the pharmacological basis for treating duodenal bulb ulcers. Therefore, Mr. Song Guilin’s complete recovery after consuming roasted eggshell powder is scientifically plausible. However, duodenal bulb ulcers have multiple causes, including genetics and psychological factors. It is advised that anyone with this condition first undergo medical examination to identify the underlying cause and receive standard treatment. Roasted eggshell powder may serve as an auxiliary therapy under medical supervision.