Is Colloidal Silver Healthy & Safe or Just Hype?

Natural supplements and holistic remedies that offer proven health benefits are big in my house. One that I always keep on hand is colloidal silver. This sometimes controversial supplement was used before antibiotics existed for bacterial infections and to support the immune system.

Colloidal silver products are still often used today and many holistic health experts say that it’s a highly beneficial cure-all. On the flip side, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved the use of colloidal silver for any health purpose, and other health care experts like doctors from Mayo Clinic also do not believe that it is safe.

Despite this, with the rise of antibiotic resistance, silver is making a comeback as a powerful broad-spectrum antimicrobial. Many swear by colloidal silver for everything from pink eye to ear infections.

So is colloidal silver really a safe and useful natural remedy?

What Is Colloidal Silver?

Colloidal silver is made when silver nanoparticles are synthesized and suspended in a solution of simple sugars and ammonia. These particles are so small that they aren’t visible to the eye and can be as tiny as one ten-thousandth the width of a human hair. That’s extremely tiny!

Modern medicine still relies on silver for antibacterial benefits:

Many medical companies coat their devices with silver to avoid bacterial biofilms.
Hospitals treat newborns with silver nitrate drops to prevent gonorrhea eye infections.
Silver solutions or gauze are used to help treat burn wounds.

Colloidal silver is generally considered safe to use, but it is important to be informed about what studies say with respect to its safety and effectiveness, and whether excessive use may harm us or the environment.

The size of the colloidal silver particles is the most important thing that determines if they have health benefits or not, with smaller particles and lower concentrations being most effective against harmful antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

How Does Colloidal Silver Work?

Scientists have observed that silver kills germs, but they still don’t completely understand how. A lack of strong scientific evidence means the use of colloidal silver is still somewhat controversial.

The general idea is that silver nanoparticles bind to bacteria cell walls. A fraction of these nanoparticles may react to substances in the body or the environment and become silver salt, which is antimicrobial.

Although most colloidal silver is made from silver salts, they are different things. Silver salts are a lot more toxic to both humans and bacteria than colloidal silver. Silver salts have a positive charge that binds up proteins, cause DNA damage, and disrupt the respiratory processes in bacteria. Silver nanoparticles may be neutral or negatively charged, depending on how it is synthesized.

Silver ions are more likely to cause silver toxicity or argyria in humans than the colloidal version. However, because a fraction of colloidal silver may become silver salt, overconsumption of colloidal silver can still cause silver toxicity when taken at very high doses.

Since it is potent, it’s important to be careful when using this supplement.

Benefits of Colloidal Silver

Silver is a metal and a non-essential element in the body. It is much safer to a human body than other heavy metals like lead and mercury. We can accumulate much more silver in our bodies before it becomes toxic.

Research suggests that colloidal silver works for:

Killing and preventing bacterial growth, including bacteria that is antibiotic-resistant.
Treating burn infections as a topical antimicrobial
Killing some strains of pathogenic yeasts, including Candida and Cryptococcus
Preventing certain viruses, like HIV/AIDS and RSV, from entering human cells
Reducing inflammation from contact dermatitis and irritating rashes in animal studies
Disrupting bacterial biofilm (a slimy shield that allows bacteria to hide from antibiotics) in sinus infections in sheep
Being toxic to certain cancer cells
Effectively fighting bacteria that can cause deadly diarrhea (Vibrio cholera and a dangerous strain of E. coli).
Fighting fungal infections on the skin.

A Note About Bacteria, Viruses, and Yeasts

To date, all studies that test the effects of colloidal silver with bacteria found that it is effective. There are mixed reviews when it comes to yeasts and viruses.

A comprehensive study by naturopathic doctors in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that it is only effective against some strains of yeasts but not others. That same study found that colloidal silver is not effective against viruses.

Another in vitro study in the Journal of Wound Care tested 3 different market brands and found no effectiveness whatsoever.

Colloidal silver is a powerful antimicrobial. However, its effectiveness as an antiviral or antifungal can vary depending on the particular infection and quality of the product itself.

Is Colloidal Silver Safe?

Natural remedies are appealing, but safety is an important issue.

There have not been large studies done in humans to truly examine whether colloidal silver is safe or effective. Most tests are done in vitro, meaning that they’re done in test tubes or Petri dishes. This allows researchers to understand how it behaves in isolated situations. But the human body isn’t isolated, and having a whole-body understanding is different from in vitro studies.

A human body is a lot more complex than a Petri dish! Just because something kills germs in a Petri dish doesn’t mean we should take it to prevent or treat an infection. We still need to understand how silver affects the rest of the body, and whether it can travel to where we need it most if taken internally. More studies are needed to understand how it works in our bodies (in vivo).

With the evidence that we do have, though, we can make some conclusions:

Gut Changes

As with many supplements, colloidal silver can affect other parts of the body that go beyond the reason it’s being taken. Two animal studies independently looked at how the gut bacteria balance of mice and rats was affected by being fed colloidal silver. The results found a disruption in gut flora.

Another study that examined digestive tissue after the ingestion of colloidal silver found that it can damage gut cells. Yet a newer study in Nanotoxicology that looked at mice found no changes to gut bacteria or cell structure.

So, there are mixed reviews.

It’s also not known how effective colloidal silver is outside of the gut, elsewhere in the body. When colloidal silver is taken internally, the small intestine can absorb around 10 to 18% of silver nanoparticles into the bloodstream. The remaining silver nanoparticles pass through the gut.

In the blood, nanoparticles bind to a protein called albumin as it gets carried around the body. Silver proteins are a lot less effective against germs than silver alone, so we really don’t know how it behaves throughout the body.

Skin Discoloration (argyria)

It is possible to get too much silver build-up in the body. This condition is called argyria or argylosis, where silver accumulates in tissues and turns the person blue or gray… permanently! When this happens, the silver does not usually cause health problems in other ways, although it can be traumatic to have discolored skin.

Antibiotics

Colloidal silver might seem like a promising option over antibiotics, but it still has some of the side effects of antibiotics. For this reason, I’ve always exercised caution and not over-used it, as evidence shows it may be harmful if used regularly or over a long period of time.

Gut bacteria can also become resistant to colloidal silver, just like with antibiotics. This is especially true when it has been used for several generations.

Environmental Issues

Silver nanoparticles cause some environmental concerns. Currently, silver nanoparticles are present in the environment at concentrations that are about one thousand times the dose that would be toxic to fish and other marine animals.

Silver nanoparticles are also found in sewage sludge that is used in landfills. This presents a risk of it getting reabsorbed back into the food supply. While it is somewhat known how colloidal silver affects human gut bacteria, it is still not completely clear how it affects the health of bacteria, yeasts, and other microorganisms in the environment.

Since the health of our soil is closely linked to the health of the gut, we need to be careful about messing it up.

Pregnancy

Group B Strep (GBS) is a bacteria that is commonly found in humans, but during pregnancy it can represent the risk of infection for the baby during the birthing process. Antibiotics are given to prevent complications. Mothers wanting to avoid antibiotics might wonder if colloidal silver is a safe alternative.

Colloidal silver has not been studied specifically for GBS or generally for pregnancy. Because it can be toxic—and because supplements in pregnancy can have unknown effects on the developing baby—it’s important not to use supplements to self-medicate during pregnancy, either internally or topically.

Cautions for Colloidal Silver

Colloidal silver is a natural remedy that has been used for thousands of years. Does that mean it should still be used today? There is reason to be careful about using it.

Colloidal silver is marketed as a dietary supplement and is relatively unregulated. Only the manufacturer is responsible for the safety and effectiveness of their products. A random test of colloidal silver products for sale found several that were ineffective or even contaminated with bacteria. Yuck!
While colloidal silver might be safe and effective when used externally, or when targeting pathogens in the gut, it can also have unintended consequences. Because colloidal silver does have some side effects, research suggests using it carefully rather than liberally.
Colloidal silver can mess with or enhance the effects or side effects of some medications. Always check with your doctor before starting it or using it alongside anything else.

As discussed above, the safest use based on studies is external application to wounds and as a sinus rinse.

Colloidal Silver Products

If you choose to buy colloidal silver, it’s important to make sure you’re getting a pure product. Colloidal silver ingredients should only include silver and water. There should not be anything else in it.

When choosing your product, you also want to keep the particle size in mind. This refers to how big (or small) the nanoparticles of silver are. The concentration of particles per unit of water is listed in parts per million, or PPM. Basically, how many silver particles are collected per serving of water.

When you’re looking at buying colloidal silver, higher PPM is not better. Supplements are considered to be safest when they are between 10 and 20 PPM. Taking in too much colloidal silver can result in becoming toxic or having other complications, like the graying of skin.

If you choose to use colloidal silver, be sure to buy from a reputable brand. There are many available, but this is the brand I keep on hand for external use and as a sinus rinse.

How to Use Colloidal Silver

While we’ve covered some concerns, there are lots of ways to use colloidal silver safely as a part of your natural medicine cabinet.

Check out the ways that you can use colloidal silver:

Nasal rinse: Add a few drops to distilled water (don’t combine with salt!) and use your neti pot as usual to rinse the sinus cavity.
Ear infections: Use 2-3 drops in the ear, a few times a day, until symptoms subside.
Pink eye: Add 2-3 drops directly to the infected eye, 3-4 times daily or until symptoms go away.
Skin fungus or ringworm: Treat patchy skin infections with a few drops applied directly 2-3 times per day. Let dry on the skin to get the full effect.
Toenail infections: Add 2-3 drops to the top of the infected toenail. Use 3-4 times a day until symptoms clear up.
First aid disinfectant: Use as you would other antibacterial creams for minor cuts, scrapes, or bug bites.
Acne: Add 1-2 drops to acne breakouts 3-4 times a day.
Gingivitis: Add 1 teaspoon to purified water and swish in the mouth, 2-3 times per day.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Soerries, MD, Family Physician and Medical Director of SteadyMD. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.

What’s your experience with colloidal silver? Please share in the comments below.

Sources

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Bauer, B.A. (2017). Colloidal silver: Is it safe? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/expert-answers/colloidal-silver/faq-20058061
Alexander, J.W. (2009). History of the medical use of silver. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/sur.2008.9941
Mijnendonckx, K., Leys, N., Mahillon, J., Silver, S., & Van Houdt, R. (2013). Antimicrobial silver: uses, toxicity and potential for resistance. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10534-013-9645-z
Zhang, X. F., Liu, Z. G., Shen, W., & Gurunathan, S. (2016). Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, Properties, Applications, and Therapeutic Approaches. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/17/9/1534
Panacek, A., Kvitek, L., Prucek, R., Kolar, M., Vecerova, R., Pizurova, N., Sharma, V.K., Nevecna, T., and Zboril, R. (2006). Silver colloid nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization, and their antibacterial activity. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jp063826h
Wiemken, T. L., Kelley, R. R., Carrico, R. M., Binford, L. E., Guinn, B. E., Mattingly, W. A., Peyrani, P., & Ramirez, J. A. (2015). Efficacy of a novel skin antiseptic against carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. https://www.ajicjournal.org/article/S0196-6553(14)01377-7/fulltext
Huang, L., Dai, T., Xuan, Y., Tegos, G. P., & Hamblin, M. R. (2011). Synergistic combination of chitosan acetate with nanoparticle silver as a topical antimicrobial: efficacy against bacterial burn infections. https://journals.asm.org/doi/full/10.1128/AAC.01803-10
Morrill, K., May, K., Leek, D., Langland, N., Jeane, L. D., Ventura, J., Skubisz, C., Scherer, S., Lopez, E., Crocker, E., Peters, R., Oertle, J., Nguyen, K., Just, S., Orian, M., Humphrey, M., Payne, D., Jacobs, B., Waters, R., & Langland, J. (2013). Spectrum of antimicrobial activity associated with ionic colloidal silver. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2011.0681
Rai, M., Deshmukh, S.D., Ingle, A.P., Gupta, I.R., Galdiero, M., and Galdiero, S. (2013). Metal nanoparticles: The protective nanoshield against virus infection. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/1040841X.2013.879849
Bhol, K. C., & Schechter, P. J. (2005). Topical nanocrystalline silver cream suppresses inflammatory cytokines and induces apoptosis of inflammatory cells in a murine model of allergic contact dermatitis. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2005.06575.x
Nadworny, P. L., Wang, J., Tredget, E. E., & Burrell, R. E. (2008). Anti-inflammatory activity of nanocrystalline silver in a porcine contact dermatitis model. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1549963408000452
Rajiv, S., Drilling, A., Bassiouni, A., James, C., Vreugde, S., & Wormald, P. J. (2015). Topical colloidal silver as an anti-biofilm agent in a Staphylococcus aureus chronic rhinosinusitis sheep model. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/alr.21459
Juarez-Moreno, K., Gonzalez, E. B., Girón-Vazquez, N., Chávez-Santoscoy, R. A., Mota-Morales, J. D., Perez-Mozqueda, L. L., Garcia-Garcia, M. R., Pestryakov, A., & Bogdanchikova, N. (2017). Comparison of cytotoxicity and genotoxicity effects of silver nanoparticles on human cervix and breast cancer cell lines. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0960327116675206
Salem, W., Leitner, D. R., Zingl, F. G., Schratter, G., Prassl, R., Goessler, W., Reidl, J., & Schild, S. (2015). Antibacterial activity of silver and zinc nanoparticles against Vibrio cholerae and enterotoxic Escherichia coli. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1438422114001532
Ayatollahi Mousavi, S. A., Salari, S., & Hadizadeh, S. (2015). Evaluation of Antifungal Effect of Silver Nanoparticles Against Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum gypseum. http://www.ijbiotech.com/article_11913.html
van Hasselt, P., Gashe, B. A., & Ahmad, J. (2004). Colloidal silver as an antimicrobial agent: fact or fiction?. https://www.magonlinelibrary.com/doi/abs/10.12968/jowc.2004.13.4.26606
Williams, K., Milner, J., Boudreau, M. D., Gokulan, K., Cerniglia, C. E., & Khare, S. (2015). Effects of subchronic exposure of silver nanoparticles on intestinal microbiota and gut-associated immune responses in the ileum of Sprague-Dawley rats. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/17435390.2014.921346
van den Brule, S., Ambroise, J., Lecloux, H., Levard, C., Soulas, R., De Temmerman, P. J., Palmai-Pallag, M., Marbaix, E., & Lison, D. (2016). Dietary silver nanoparticles can disturb the gut microbiota in mice. https://particleandfibretoxicology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12989-016-0149-1
Fröhlich, E. E., & Fröhlich, E. (2016). Cytotoxicity of Nanoparticles Contained in Food on Intestinal Cells and the Gut Microbiota. https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/17/4/509
Wilding, L. A., Bassis, C. M., Walacavage, K., Hashway, S., Leroueil, P. R., Morishita, M., Maynard, A. D., Philbert, M. A., & Bergin, I. L. (2016). Repeated dose (28-day) administration of silver nanoparticles of varied size and coating does not significantly alter the indigenous murine gut microbiome. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/17435390.2015.1078854
Graves, J. L., Jr, Tajkarimi, M., Cunningham, Q., Campbell, A., Nonga, H., Harrison, S. H., & Barrick, J. E. (2015). Rapid evolution of silver nanoparticle resistance in Escherichia coli. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2015.00042/full
Holler, J.S., Nordberg, G.F., and Fowler, B.A. (2007). Silver. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978012369413350094X
McGillicuddy, E., Murray, I., Kavanagh, S., Morrison, L., Fogarty, A., Cormican, M., Dockery, P., Prendergast, M., Rowan, N., & Morris, D. (2017). Silver nanoparticles in the environment: Sources, detection and ecotoxicology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969716322070

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

223 responses to “Is Colloidal Silver Safe and Effective? (& When Not to Use)”

Fiona

December 12, 2016

I have to admit I’m a bit confused now. Both sides in this discussion seem to write well and know what they’re talking about. I would like to believe that colloidal silver works and it certainly has done wonders for my dogs but AJs posts make sense to me too.

I understand that silver is not naturally present in the body and an accumulation could be dangerous over time. On the other hand, there seem to be many anecdotal reports on its amazing effectiveness.

Reply
AJ

December 7, 2016

Colloidal silver is a very effective biocide agent. That is, it kills life. The problem is that we’re life too, so it kills us also but much more slowly than the microorganisms inside or on the surface of our body. There is undeniable proof that it bio-accumulates, there is NO need for silver in the human body for any physiological/biochemical process, and there is NO known way to chelate silver form the body (unlike mercury, lead, arsenic, etc). People see it’s effectiveness short-term and base their opinion of it on that alone, but they don’t realize that it is its effectiveness that makes it so dangerous. There’s also a tendency to think that a traditional remedy must be good for us. Please don’t give children silver any more than you would give them mercury.

Reply
1. Victor Cozzetto
  
  December 10, 2016
  
  Your claims are false. Just read the comments. My daughter is in sixth grade and has never missed a day of school. A good diet helps, but colloidal silver is the reason that we are never knocked off our feet. There is a reason that silver has been used for thousands of years, and you can see those reasons clearly in all the comments here. Not sure why you insist on the fear mongering.
  
  Reply
keith

December 7, 2016

It has been mentioned a few times on this blog, so i thought i might clear up two other issues for all of you on the safety of silver, and using silver internally. Silver, no matter what you have heard, is not a heavy metal. Heavy metals are defined as those metals that cause nephrotoxicity, or in plain English, metals that do damage to the kidneys. The Merck Manual (page 1880 (17th edition) on table 226-1), often called the bible of science, shows that silver is not a heavy metal and does not cause heavy metal poisoning. However, gold does and so does iron and copper. Also bismuth is a heavy metal – you drink it when you use the pink stuff for stomach upset – Pepto Bismol. Most women eat heavy metals daily when they take their iron supplements. As you can see if you look up the reference, silver is not a heavy metal and does not cause heavy metal poisoning.
The second bit of info I will bring out is that the US EPA put out a standard on the amount of silver a person could safely consume (drink) daily based on a 72 year life span. The data is found in the EPA RED document (registration eligibility document) on the second page in the 4th paragraph. It states that an average size adult can consume .005 Mg/kg daily. Again in English what that means is that the average size adult could safely (according to their standards) drink the equivalent of one ounce per day of a 10 ppm silver product and suffer no ill effects. The report also states that at that level, silver is not an eye or skin irritant or a skin sensitizer. I believe that the report also states (4 page 4th paragraph) “the EPA does not anticipate that dietary exposure (drinking or eating it) to these low levels of silver will be associated with any significant degree of risk”, or something very close to that. I am pulling that info from memory. Hope that info helps. By the way i drink about 5-10 ounces per week of a 10 ppm nano silver and have for 20 years with no negative effects.

Reply
Sandy

December 6, 2016

I just have to say that my husband and I have been taking Collodial Silver for almost 10 years now. With absolutely no side effects.
I do make ours as the ones I have purchased don’t seem to work as well!
I use .9999 silver to make my own.
We use it for everything. Topically and internally and I can say without any reservation that it works! Neither my husband or I have had any kind of sickness since we started using it.
I also use it for my animals both cats and dogs. It keeps them healthy too!
I personnely don’t believe in doctors and WILL NOT take any kind of pharmaceuticals. And I don’t have to by taking silver also neither one of us has turn blue!!! Hahaha

Reply
PAMELA

December 5, 2016

I have read about using colloidal silver in the hot tub instead of spa chemicals. Does anyone have any experience with this or any precautions. Any info appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Reply
Kali Maya

December 5, 2016

One extreme danger with internal use, and can occur quite swiftly is acute constipation, which can be very difficult to reverse due to destroying your gut flora. In my early years of health experimentation, I got a severe case of constipation due to colloidal silver.
As a healer with many years experience, I strongly suggest to people they avoid “anti-bacterials internally whenever possible. The most you want to use in such categories, are foods such as garlic, hot peppers, etc. If you are killing the bad flora, your killing the good flora too.
Thank you for addressing this, one of my biggest health supplement peeves. You can’t go anywhere amongst alternative style folks these days, without hearing them brag about colloidal silver, and it is difficult to convince them otherwise when such prolific quantities of information out there says otherwise. Long term use especially is going to lead you to more issues than you started with. It is as bad as pharmaceutical medications in its power to cause harm…far from harmless.

Reply
1. AJ
  
  December 7, 2016
  
  I couldn’t agree more… so tragic to see many people fall for this poison and cause themselves irreparable harm.
  
  Reply
  1. Fiona
    
    December 7, 2016
    
    Why do you claim this is poison? Interested to hear whether you have any experience with this or if this is just negative posting.
    
    Reply
    1. AJ
      
      December 8, 2016
      
      Please see my comment below.
      
      Reply
      1. Victor Cozzetto
        
        December 10, 2016
        
        Your fear mongering has no merit. You can see on this blog already that there are many people using CS for a great many years without any of the problems you allude to. Yet for some reason you are targeting people that have questions. Your claims are false. I am among the many here that have used CS for many years, so I know first hand. I am not blue, I do not have constipation, and I do not have heavy metal poisoning or any other issues. Not does any member of my family. The only side effect is that we do not get sick.
        
        The only potential problem is irresponsible use of bad products. Make it yourself and eat a proper diet, and you will reap all the benefits without any problems.
      2. Lea
        
        December 10, 2016
        
        AJ,
        Please tell us what or who you are to be so authoritative on the subject? It would help to know more about who you are to validate your claims.
  2. keith
    
    December 7, 2016
    
    I am not trying to argue but i have a hard data independent test, completed in triplicate, that shows that the nano silver will not even inhibit the growth of 12 different gut flora (good bacteria) at up to 22 parts per million. Even though that same nano silver will kill MRSA bacteria at 2.5 ppm. In other words at up to 22 ppm it will do no damage to your good helpful bacteria. We think it might be the difference in the cell wall, where harmful bacteria have one to two cell wall layers and good bacteria have three, It also may be because of the solubility of those cell walls. No matter what the reason for the difference is, the fact is that the test work shows that the nano silver below used below that 22 ppm level will not damage the good gut flora. Have a good day
    
    Reply
    1. AJ
      
      December 10, 2016
      
      We have many thousands of species of mico-organisms in the gut. Just because 12 strains deemed beneficial may not be affected doesn’t say anything about the other thousands of strains we need in our gut in order to be well. Furthermore, how silver affects gut flora is just one part of the issue – there are many many others like what happens to it once it’s absorbed into the body, where and how does it bioaccumulate like all toxic metals (undisputed fact), what does it do inside the body, and how can we chelate it (no known method yet, although we do know how to chelate mercury, aluminum, lead, cadmium, etc). The burden of proof is on people who advocate it to show that it doesn’t do harm, just like the burden of proof is on those who say that mercury fillings do no harm to show that they are safe. I personally wouldn’t take such a risk since there are so many safe botanical anti-microbials (oil of oregano, GSE, etc).
      
      Reply
      1. Victor Cozzetto
        
        December 10, 2016
        
        You should learn about colloidal silver AJ before you try to attack it. Read the work of Dr. Becker, read the countless comments here from people with decades of experience. And not that people with decades of first hand experience do not live in a bubble… no, they likely have many friend and family members with the same experiences. I know that I do. Join private mailing lists and listen to scientists and doctors discuss it. If you are truly concerned, you can find lots of information, and that information will change your thinking. Your comments look very much like that of a hired astroturfer – someone that is hired by big pharma to discredit competing solutions. You can chose not to use it, but do not try to take that choice from others.
      2. Lea
        
        December 18, 2016
        
        Thank you AJ for letting us know where you got your opinion from. I will be looking it all up and doing more research as well!
    2. Victor Cozzetto
      
      December 10, 2016
      
      Great comments Keith. It is good to give people the details sometimes. I will add that is is actually so difficult to get CS into the gut that there are special protocols for that.
      
      The CS is quickly absorbed and modified in the stomach, so if someone wants to use CS to impact harmful bacteria in the intestines, they mix it with aloe vera juice and drink that for a week.
      
      There are other protocols and practices used for the opposite effect too – to get quicker uptake into the body and avoid being modified in the stomach. Swishing the CS in the mouth for a few minutes, or using a nebulizer are two ways that are very effective.
      
      In any case, as you said, there is actually no evidence of damage to gut flora; although, it is true that some people can experience mild constipation or diarrhea initially. However, this is true of a vast number of things that we consume. It is almost comical that we tout the antimicrobial properties of health foods like coconut oil and such, and yet do not attribute them to gut flora concerns.
      
      The work of Dr. Becker is also of interest, as he showed silver to be used by our immune system, and thus the understanding of its effectiveness is far more complex than we understand. The FDA classification of silver as a supplement fits in the his work.
      
      Reply
      1. AJ
        
        December 12, 2016
        
        Victor Cozzetto,
        You can believe whatever you want to believe, we still live in a free world. Just as you are free to state your opinion, so am I. Many people are enthusiastic about silver as seen in comments here, yet you don’t take them to task about it. But because I disagree, I must be a “plant” of big pharma or something like that, which I guess is your way of quickly dismissing what I’m saying. I didn’t accuse you or anyone else of anything, I’m just disagreeing with your perspective on silver, but you go further and attack me personally.
        
        Lea, I base what I’ve written here on the work of Andrew Hall Cutler, the author of Amalgam Illness who is an expert on toxic metal chelation, believes most of conventional medicine is “quackery”, has been called a “quack” himself, believes autism is caused by mercury poisoning from vaccines & amalgams, so he is as far as possible from “big pharma” and conventional medicine. He has a PhD in biochemistry from Princeton U, has studied the effect of metals on the human body extensively, and is adamantly against silver. I trust him because I know that he is a man with integrity and the specialist knowledge that I don’t have, rather than anecdotal stories.
        
        So, take silver if you want, but don’t dispute my right to state my opinion like anyone else by discrediting me insinuations.
      2. Kelly
        
        May 24, 2019
        
        I guess you didn’t see the link to the two studies in the article above that indeed showed it altered gut microbiota. You have the right to your opinions, but it doesn’t make them correct.
2. Steph
  
  December 26, 2018
  
  Kali Maya, thank you for sharing your experiences w/Colloidal Silver. I’m struggling through a similar experience. Several years ago I began dealing w/some serious gut issues – including a systemic case of Candida. Long story short, I could not heal them myself. I finally got in to see a Naturopath earlier this year. After taking a G.I. Map Test, we discovered that I was battling Enterotoxigenic E. Coli, a parasitic infection called Microsporidiosis & SIBO. My Naturopath put me on Argentyn 23 – Colloidal Silver @ 1 Tbsp, 3 X a day, for 2 months! This was an extremely large dose for my system to handle. It felt like I was pouring bleach on my gut. By the end of the first week, I felt that this was simply too much. I ended up taking the Argentyn for 5 weeks & finally couldn’t take it any longer. I begged my doctor to retest my gut. The follow-up test showed that the E. Coli & fungus were gone. However, it also showed that my good gut bacteria was drastically lowered & my overall ratio & amount of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were extremely low. The human microbiome is dominated by two bacterial phyla: Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. Severely compromising the amt. of these two phyla is a bad idea. After taking the Colloidal Silver, I’m dealing some severe, chronic issues – extremely poor motility now (gastroparesis), constipation, IBS, poor digestion, and extreme loss of appetite. Glutamine & probiotics didn’t make a dent in healing the damage. I’m now taking two different homeostatic soil organism supplements & I’m finally starting to experience a little bit of progress. May I ask what you did to heal your gut?
  
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Gundrun Bender

December 5, 2016

I find the references you have for the studies (marked 16)rather strange “Three samples of colloidal silver were tested: one available commercially on the internet (silver concentration of 22 ppm) and two samples (concentrations of 403 and 413 ppm) which were prepared in our laboratory using standard chemical methods.”
who uses over 400 ppm??? and they do not clarify what 22ppm brand they used either.
I looked into CS a while ago and even ordered a bottle – after searching about MMS I opted for CS instead.

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Lea

December 5, 2016

Katie, I LOVE these infographics! Thank you, thank you! I save them to my phone and send them to people who ask me ideas.

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Terry

December 5, 2016

How do you know if your brand is safe? I’ve been using Argentyn 23.

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Victor Cozzetto

December 5, 2016

I’ve been using CS for about ten years, and I am not blue, and I have not been sick during that time. Nor has my twelve year old daughter ever missed a day of school. Sure we still catch colds and flu, but their impact on us is negligible. Prior to CS I had my share of sick days.

I have always made my own CS, using a very simple and inexpensive device (Silverpuppy), and there are many people that do the same with similar results. There are several good devices on the market, and you can even make your own for almost nothing. Making (or getting) good CS is definitely the key. I do not trust any products, and the cost effectiveness of homemake CS is unmatched; not to mention that it empowers the poor.

I do not think that this article is an accurate or fair account of CS. Most of the cautions are unwarranted. Every caution mentioned is exponentially greater with antibiotics, and so the point is moot, as CS can replace them and thus greatly diminish every concern mentioned. The one critical caution is to make sure that you have good CS, as most things on the market are useless (and it is those products that contribute to the other cautions).

I am very active on mailing lists with scientists, researchers, doctors, etc., and many of them have a lot more experience than me. There are people out there that have been drinking CS daily for twenty years, with no side effects whatsoever. Everything must be used responsibly, and CS is no exception. But it is one of the easiest, cheapest, and safest things that you can have in your wellness toolkit.

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Bettte

December 5, 2016

I have also been using silver from American Biotech Labs for about 18 years, but rather than colloidal silver, theirs is a SilverSol product. The first time I used it was when I had a salivary gland infection; it was gone within three days, which is pretty much what it takes to get rid of most infections that I’ve had. When I’ve had pinkeye, I put a drop in my eye three times that day and maybe once or twice the second day. If I feel a cold coming on, I’ll put it in my nebulizer and use it every 20-30 minutes for a few hours. Usually that ends the cold. When my niece’s children were babies, they would be at the doctor’s office frequently due to ear infections, until she starting putting a drop of silver in their ears at the first sign of pain. It is no longer an issue.

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Marge

December 4, 2016

I used colloidal silver for our kitty who had a severe eye/upper respiratory infection that did not respond to antibiotics. It took several weeks to get it under control with the silver, but we were successful. We gave it orally, with an eye dropper.

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1. Amie
  
  February 28, 2020
  
  Hello,
  
  I realize this is a few years old but I’m hoping you might respond. Our poor kitty has the same nasty issue with chronic UTI. after expensive testing, rounds of AB, steroids nothing. I’m beyond frustrated. Can you tell me the dose you used and how long it took to clear up. Many thanks and I’m glad you kitty is better!
  
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Jan

December 4, 2016

How much do you use for the mouthwash and do you add it to the water in the waterpik?

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1. Joan
  
  December 15, 2016
  
  Dear Jan, I use the straight CS for mouthwash and gargle just as you would any other mouthwash and I use the straight CS in my waterpik about one-half cup or as much as you need to get the job done. I do not dilute the CS. I also spray it on my toothbrush to sanitize and spray it on the toothbrush with toothpaste and then brush. I also use CS to sanitize my countertops, cutting boards pretty much anything in the kitchen as well as the bathroom. My understanding is that the CS kills germs, etc. on contact. It is also good to remove odors as long as you can spray it directly on the source. Laundry odors, cuts, scraps, rashes, blemishes on skin, add a small amount to milk and it stays fresher longer. There are just so many positive aspects using CS the list is almost endless.
  
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michelle Schermann

December 4, 2016

We have used CS for years. A friend of mine is a natural health care practitioner and introduced me to this. My daughter get strep throat easily ( less as she gets older-she is now in her 20’s) and will use it instead of antibiotics. CS usually takes care of it in a few days. We have also used CS for cuts, ear infections and pink eye. We love the stuff and always have some on hand.

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Susanne

December 4, 2016

I m making my own collodial silver
I had have a leaky gut and had H. Pilory bacter in my gut that I tried to kill by antibiotic ( I hate medication si it was a hard decission for me to decide to take this triple antibiotic) after that I was checked again abd the antibiotic did not killed the bugs but doubled them . So after this friend of mine made me 750 ml of collodial water that I drunk than another one within 2 weeks ? ( roughly ?)
I felf much better in any ways
Now Im owning a battery type of device and making my own stuff
Happy about it , and very hard to over dose with that , also natural stuff much better and safe than any medication.
Why we havent got enough evidence on it ? cause if everybody start to use it than big pharma gonna lose billions of dollars on their meds.
It is a fact that if you gonna drink liters of it daly for months and months than you gonna turn silver but thats about it,
Nothing like the side effects of any medication .

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Rebecca

December 4, 2016

Silver is great for yeast infections too. You can use it topically on the skin or for vaginal yeast infections, soak a tampon in colloidal silver and wear for a few hours, repeat until symptoms are gone. It also is very good for quickly relieving external itching due to yeast infection. I find it very difficult to discern between true colloidal silver and ionic silver. True colloidal is the one that really works, while ionic is less effective, especially when used internally. I use Meso Silver as I have verified it is true colloidal. Even brands that say “true colloidal silver” may not be because there is no regulation on using the term. I have also learned that the silver protein solutions are not effective either.

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Paula

December 4, 2016

We’ve used colloidal silver internally in cases of great illness and we’ve had amazing results. On kindly infections, a confirmed case of swine flu completely cleared up in under 48 hours. We only use it in times of serious illness and it works incredibly sell and incredibly fast!! Never had a negative side effect from it,we make kéfir and drink it every other day so that our gut flora gets a boost, can’t think of a bad thing to say about it!

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Cathy

December 4, 2016

My husband and I have used colloidal for years, both on ourselves and animals. We have literature that explains how much and how to use and have had great success. He has learned how to make it, and makes it from silver as pure as possible. We don’t take it on a daily basis, but when needed. I have also purchased a colloidal silver gel that has worked great, especially on a spot on my husbands head that we thought might have to be cut out and biopsied. The spot disappeared after using it for a short period of time. I think one of the biggest concerns is taking too much.

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Mary O’Donnell

December 4, 2016

I’ve been wondering what effect colloidal silver might have on the flora in the mouth, [or in the gut for that matter]

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Andrea

December 4, 2016

I have use colloidal silver for decades, the same brand you use, and it is amazing! I swear by it for anything that ails you! If you contact the company they have great literature on how to use it for all kinds of thing.

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1. AJ
  
  December 8, 2016
  
  Are you and your family in good health overall?
  
  Reply