Kushta (Calcined Metals): Why Lead, Mercury and Arsenic Rule It Out (Video)

Transcript

Ever wondered why some traditional "energy" powders are actually dangerous? Let’s unpack the truth about kushta.

What a kushta actually is

Kushta comes from the word meaning to kill. In old Unani and Ayurvedic practice a metal was repeatedly ground with plant juices, sealed in a clay pot and fired many times until it lost its shine and became a light powder that would float on water and slide between the lines of a fingertip. The texts claimed this made the metal absorbable and gave a tiny dose great potency.

At a glance

Kushta is a metal, mineral, shell or gem heated until it turns to a fine ash. The real worry is when lead, mercury, arsenic or their ores are used, or when supposedly safe kushtas get contaminated. Sellers promise stamina, sugar balance, joint health, weight control or recovery after illness, but the damage can be slow, cumulative and silent for months, affecting nerves, kidneys, blood, brain and even unborn babies.

The names to know

You won’t see the word "lead" on a packet. Instead you’ll see Unani or Ayurvedic names for the raw material. Recognising these names helps spot the danger. Even the so-called safe calcium and iron kushtas are made in the same crucibles, and tests often find lead contamination. Kushtas are rarely sold alone; they’re mixed into powders, majoons and "taqat" pills, so a product may contain hidden heavy metals.

Why lead, mercury and arsenic are the real danger

These metals are uniquely bad in a daily tonic because the body clears them very slowly, so a tiny amount each morning builds up for months. There is essentially no safe level, especially for lead, which can damage a child’s developing brain at exposures too small to cause obvious symptoms. The first signs are vague, tiredness, poor appetite, constipation, bad mood, aching joints, exactly the complaints the tonic promises to fix, leading users to take more.

The symptoms of the poison look like the weakness the tonic was sold for.

Why no "taqat ki dawai" is worth it

Stamina, sexual weakness and general tiredness are the biggest market for kushta products, with the claim that a metal can give strength that plants cannot. In reality, tiredness can stem from low iron, thyroid issues, vitamin D or B12 deficiency, poor sleep, sleep apnea, depression or uncontrolled diabetes. Erectile problems in younger men can signal diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease. None of these conditions improve with lead, and some kushtas even contain other harmful additives.

The traditional view, fairly stated

Classical hakeems didn’t hand out kushta casually. The texts describe it as a last resort, prescribed in grain-sized amounts for short periods, with the maker’s reputation staked on proper firing. Even then, the belief that firing made metals safe was a belief of its era, not a scientific finding. Modern Unani colleges teach pharmacology alongside the classics, and many qualified hakeems now avoid metallic kushtas entirely. Those still selling them freely are usually not reputable hakeems.

What to do if you or someone at home has been taking one

If you or a family member has been taking kushta, stop today, there’s nothing to taper off. Keep the packet, jar or paper wrap and note roughly how much was taken and for how long. See a doctor and ask for blood testing; a lead level is a routine test in most city labs, and you can also request mercury and arsenic screens. Check any children in the house, even if they only licked a spoon, because they may need a blood lead test.

When this cannot wait

Go to a hospital now if you experience severe stomach pain with vomiting after taking any metallic preparation, a fit or seizure, confusion, drowsiness, a child who is hard to wake, sudden limb weakness, slurred speech, bloody or black stools, or very little urine. Also see a doctor within days for slower signs such as unexplained anemia, constipation with colic, numb or burning feet, hand tremor, dark skin patches, bleeding gums, or tiredness lasting more than a month. Never give a kushta or a "taqat" majoon to anyone.

Myth: a good hakeem's kushta is properly made and therefore safe

Careful firing changes the physical form of a metal, not its chemical identity. Even the most skilfully made lead kushta is still lead oxide, and because it’s finely ground it can be absorbed even more readily. A maker’s reputation can tell you they are consistent, but it can’t tell you that lead has stopped being lead. Most of the Unani shelf is a matter of honest expectations and sensible cautions; the herbal pastes and syrups explained in our guide are safe to take or leave. Kushta is a different kind of preparation altogether.

For the full story and more details, read the post on thecareonline.com, remember, this is not medical advice.