Benefits of Colloidal Silver: Discover the Many Uses of Colloidal Silver & How It Can Help You
About Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver is a suspension of pure silver particles in water. It is not the same as ionic or dissolved silver, although many products sold as colloidal silver have been shown in lab studies to contain mainly ionic silver. Other forms contain mainly silver protein. The efficacy of colloidal silver increases as its surface area increases, meaning that smaller particle sizes are preferable. Particle sizes are typically measured in micrometers (microns) or nanometers, with the ideal particle size being below 0.1 microns (100 nm). Silver proteins tend to have much larger particles.
The strength of a colloidal silver solution is measured in parts per million (ppm); a 10% solution would be 100,000 ppm. Colloidal silver remedies typically have strengths in the range of 10 ppm - 500 ppm, although solutions outside that range of concentration are also available.
Silver is found naturally in very small amounts in some foods, such as milk and mushrooms. For use as a natural remedy it is produced using an electrolysis process. Some reports indicate that it is best to use AC (alternating current) rather than DC (direct current) for the process. Consumers can actually purchase equipment to create their own colloidal silver, although experts dispute whether these machines produce ionic or colloidal silver, and concerns arise regarding the lack of ability to standardize and measure the strength of the solution created.
History of Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver is becoming quite popular in natural health and alternative medicine circles. It is widely available in natural health stores in a variety of strengths, usually in the immune defense section. While most people are led to believe that colloidal silver is a newly discovered or new-age remedy, the benefits of colloidal silver and other forms of silver have been understood going back over a century. It was used to treat bacterial and fungal infections in the 19th century.
In a 1914 study in Lancet (a medical journal still in publication today), Simpson & Hewlett showed that a solution of silver at only 5 ppm killed typhoid in only 2 hours. A 1918 study by Culver showed that colloidal silver was effective against gonorrhea. And in 1920, researchers studying a variety of colloidal metals found both mercury and silver to be very effective at killing bacteria, with silver lacking the harmful effects of mercury as it is a transitional rather than a heavy metal. All told, colloidal silver has been shown effective against over 600 different pathogens, including E. coli and candida.
In 1966, Brentano et al reported that silver was very effective for burn victims, especially those with pseudomonas aeruginosa. Although the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s caused a reduction in the use of silver for medical applications, silver solution is still used in the eyes of newborns and as an antiseptic on bandages.
Colloidal silver has been approved for use as a supplement by the FDA.
Benefits of Colloidal Silver
Colloidal silver is most often suggested for use as an alternative to prescription antibiotics, to battle infection and boost the immune system. It is used internally, as well as in spray form for sore throats. It can be used both internally and topically to fight fungus infections on the skin and nails, such as ringworm and nail fungus, and as a gargle to fight decay-promoting bacteria and bad breath.
It is recognized as a natural antiseptic and disinfectant as well as an antibiotic. In addition to being effective against bacteria, it also has fungicidal properties and helps fight viral infections. In this sense it has more widespread benefit than prescription antibiotics, which are not effective for viral or fungal infections and, by reducing beneficial bacteria, can sometimes lead to yeast or other infections.
Some advocates of colloidal silver report evidence that it can kill HIV, based on a study reported in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology showing that it prevents HIV from attaching to host cells. Others report that low-strength (5-10 ppm) solution can greatly reduce herpes outbreaks.
Considerations
Because colloidal silver can kill good as well as bad bacteria, a good probiotic should be used along with the silver solution.
At very high concentrations and with prolonged use, intake of silver can lead to a condition known as argyria. Silver is deposited in small amounts in the skin and, as with the photographic process, turns grey. This leads to a greysih or bluish tint to the skin. Argyria has been reported in a few high-profile cases, but experts advocating colloidal silver claim that these instances arise from use not of true colloidal silver, but of high concentrations of silver protein, using a home process that is not controlled and standardized. It is best not to use colloidal silver at high doses for long periods of time if this is a concern. More information is available here.
Also, some lab reports indicate that many products on the market that are labelled and sold as colloidal silver are in fact primarily ionic silver, or silver protein. The site silver-colloids.com has detailed information on the different types of silver solution and detailed reports on products, though their reports do not include products introduced within the past few years.
Making silver solution at home is often recommended as it can be cheaper over time than purchasing the product. However, it is best to use this process for making solution that will be used topically only. The inability to control the concentration makes it less well suited for internal use. Also, if true colloidal silver is required rather than ionic silver, the home process may not be effective.
Disclaimer
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Sources & Resources
Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Phyllis A. Balch
New and Nonofficial Remedies (1922), Council on Drugs (American Medical Association)
Coping with Lyme Disease: A Practical Guide to Dealing with Diagnosis and Treatment, Lang, Liegner & McDonnell
The 5-minute herb and dietary supplement consult, Adriane Fugh-Berman
Elechiguerra et al (2005), J. Nanobiotechnology 3: 6.