Is nebulizing
colloidal silver a safe and effective method of colloidal silver usage? Some colloidal silver advocates say it is. Many of them cite dramatic instances of
profound healing they’ve experienced by using this method.
Others, like
myself, tend to be enthusiastic about the effectiveness of nebulizing colloidal
silver, but very conservative regarding the use of this method until clinical studies
can demonstrate conclusively the long-term safety of inhaling minute silver
particles into the soft tissues of the lungs.
After all, there
have been ZERO human safety studies conducted on inhaling colloidal
silver. And “safety first” should always
be your motto when it comes to your long-term health and well-being. With that in mind, here’s what you need to
know about nebulizing colloidal silver…
Hi,
Steve Barwick here, for www.TheSilverEdge.com...
Back
in October 2001 the prestigious Health Sciences Institute pointed out that nebulizing
colloidal silver directly into the lungs is one of the fastest ways of effectively
eliminating serious upper respiratory infections, including bronchitis and pneumonia.
One
of their well-known health symposium panelists, Dr. Victor A. Marcial-Vega,
M.D., had discovered, while dealing with pneumonia patients, that colloidal
silver can be quickly and easily atomized into a fine mist and inhaled into the
lungs using a device called a nebulizer.
The silver is then easily carried into the human blood stream and from
there directly into the body’s cells and tissues.
The
apparent result was rapid and highly effective remission of pneumonia symptoms,
as the tiny silver particles in the colloidal silver killed the infectious
agents causing the pneumonia.
What’s more, a clinical study on animals was conducted several years ago in which inhalation of silver nanoparticles appeared to provide miraculous protection against pneumonia infection.
What’s more, a clinical study on animals was conducted several years ago in which inhalation of silver nanoparticles appeared to provide miraculous protection against pneumonia infection.
In
fact, in the above-linked article on this study, it was reported that mice
purposely infected with pneumonia bacteria easily survived the infection when
they were allowed to inhale silver nanoparticles once per day, whereas mice
with the same infection but which were not
allowed to inhale silver nanoparticles all died.
While
this is one of the very few clinical studies to date conducted on inhaling antimicrobial
silver, it does seem to offer profound hope that a safe, natural way has been
discovered to help staunch the devastating effects of serious upper respiratory
infections.
Not so Fast…
However…additional
safety studies on animals have found that long-term inhalation of silver into
the lungs can lead to accumulation of silver in the soft tissues of the lungs,
as well as inflammation, reduced lung function and other problems.
While
these animal studies are not conclusive regarding the safety of nebulizing
colloidal silver into the lungs, they do indicate that until human safety studies are conducted,
significant caution and common sense should be utilized when considering such a
means of delivering colloidal silver into the body.
In
just a moment we’ll take a look at those animal safety studies, and discuss
their significance to humans. But first,
for those who may be unfamiliar with the idea of nebulizing, here’s a brief overview:
Nebulizing: the Short Course
But
it can also be used with other liquid medications, as well as natural liquid substances
such as certain homeopathic remedies, or even colloidal silver.
Here’s
how it works: A liquid medication is
poured into a small basin, or water well that’s generally located in the neck
of a device called an ultrasonic nebulizer.
As
the fine atomized mist comes out of the mouthpiece, or the mask, it can then be
easily inhaled directly into the lungs.
And from the lungs the body can efficiently and effectively distribute
the medication straight into the blood stream, cells and tissues.
Obtaining a
Nebulizer
Nebulizers
are considered to be medical devices, so most commercial drug stores or medical
outlets want a prescription from your doctor before they'll sell you one. However,
people often sell them on eBay and other web sites, with no requirement of a
medical prescription.
So
if you’re adventurous, and you understand that this is highly experimental and
you’re willing to take personal
responsibility for your own decisions, you can easily pick one up for under
$40 or so by going to eBay and using the eBay search engine.
Just
search under the term "nebulizer" or “Omron nebulizer” and you’re
sure to find one. (Omron is one of the
top manufacturers of commercial nebulizers.
I have the Omron brand, but there are others you can get if you like.)
One Doctor’s
Successful Results
Here’s
what the Health Sciences Institute told their members about nebulizing colloidal silver back in 2001. (This was directly after the 9-11 attacks on
New York City and Washington D.C., and subsequent anthrax mailings; hence the
references to anthrax):
“Just in his last decade of medical practice, Dr. Marcial-Vega has
treated hundreds of people with a variety of viral, fungal, and bacterial
pneumonias. And of all the available treatments, he has seen the greatest
success with nebulizer treatments using a colloidal silver preparation.
Silver has long been known for its anti-bacterial properties, and
the nebulizer allows the mineral to reach the lungs and kill harmful bacteria.
Now, in the face of the anthrax threat, he believes it can do the same thing
with anthrax spores.
'We are constantly filtering all kinds of bacteria through our
lungs,' explained Dr. Marcial-Vega. Normally, a healthy body is able to kill
off any dangerous bacteria on its own. But in the case of illness, like
pneumonia, or an especially lethal bacteria like anthrax, the body may need
some extra help.
Dr. Marcial-Vega says there are no concerns about using this
treatment because colloidal silver has no toxicity and no side effects. He has
used the colloidal silver nebulizer treatments on infants, the elderly, and
AIDS patients with pneumonia and has seen great results. All have responded
quickly to the treatment even when no other approach seemed to help, and no one
reported any adverse reactions.”
“Nebulization-
Excellent for respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis.
Put 15 cc (two teaspoons) in the included receptacle, turn on the
machine and breathe deeply and slowly for approximately 15 minutes or until all
the liquid is gone. Repeat three times a day for colds, pneumonias, bronchitis
and sinusitis.
If it makes you cough too much, add 20-30 grains of sea salt to
the liquid just before nebulizing and shake.
This is a natural antibiotic that contains water and silver in a
colloidal suspension. It is effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi.”
-- Dr. Victor Marcial-Vega, M.D., former Clinical Assistant
Professor at the University of Miami School of Medicine from 1990 to 1994.
Unfortunately,
Dr. Marcial-Vega doesn’t state on his web site the specific concentration of
colloidal silver he uses when nebulizing colloidal silver.
But
from what I’ve read on the internet, most people who nebulize colloidal silver
are using between 5 ppm and 10 ppm, with some daring souls going as high as 20
ppm.
Use Caution
and Common Sense!
In
spite of Dr. Marcial-Vega’s comment that “no one reported any adverse
reactions” during the numerous times he’s used colloidal silver with a
nebulizer to treat various forms of pneumonia, you should always remember that
nebulizing colloidal silver is a HIGHLY EXPERIMENTAL procedure.
And
just because “no one reported” any adverse reactions during short terms of
treatment, doesn’t mean there won’t be any over the longer-term if inhalation
of colloidal silver is continued on a regular basis. As we now know, silver toxicity from excessive
intake and long-term accumulation can take years to show up.
I say that
because literally ZERO clinical safety studies have been conducted on this
method of treatment with colloidal silver.
In other words, in the short-term, nebulizing colloidal silver may be
perfectly safe. But in the long-term,
no one really knows what the cumulative effects of nebulizing tiny
silver particles directly into the soft tissues of the lungs may be.
Experimenting On Yourself…
This
is why I always state that if you intend to nebulize colloidal silver, you
should do so only with the clear and distinct understanding that you are
experimenting on yourself, and that
nebulizing excessively (and no one at this point knows what “excessively” is) might
produce negative consequences somewhere down the road.
Considering
this, it makes sense to conclude that if you decide to nebulize colloidal
silver you should limit your use of
nebulized colloidal silver to only those times when you feel it’s absolutely
necessary, such as for short periods of time during an upper respiratory
infection.
And
even then, proceed only with due caution and common sense, and preferably with
your doctor’s oversight.
Nebulizing
colloidal silver should NOT be done on a regular basis as a standard means of
consuming colloidal silver. Until
clinical research demonstrates otherwise, the potential risks are just too
great.
Perfectly
Safe?
I
know there are folks on the internet who say nebulizing colloidal silver as a
regular means of intake is “perfectly safe” as long as your colloidal silver is
made correctly.
There’s
even a gentleman who sells a conventional colloidal silver generator along with
a cheap nebulizer, who advocates the regular ongoing use of nebulized colloidal
silver.
But
do yourself a favor: Write and ask the advocates
of this process to show you a single
clinical study on humans demonstrating that regular, long-term use of nebulized
colloidal silver causes no harm to the lungs.
Be
sure to ask them to show evidence that nebulizing colloidal silver regularly
over long periods of time will not create argyria of the lungs, or harm the
cilia of the lungs. And finally, ask
them for proof that colloidal silver inhaled regularly over long periods of
time will not pass through the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in the brain.
They
won’t answer you, of course, because they have no such clinical evidence. They just continue to tout the same, tired
old canard that as long as the colloidal silver is “properly made,” there’s no
harm whatsoever no matter how of it much you nebulize, or how often.
But
remember, that’s exactly what was said by cavalier colloidal silver advocates about
argyria back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, i.e., “You can’t get argyria
as long as your colloidal silver is made correctly.”
Well,
a lot’s been learned since that time. We
now know that ongoing use of even the very highest quality colloidal
silver in the world can cause argyria and other toxicity problems if it is
used in excess, daily, for long periods of time.
Unfortunately,
it has taken nearly two decades -- and a number of unhappy argyria victims --
to come to this realization.
And
yet there are still people on the internet claiming you can drink as
much colloidal silver as you want on an ongoing basis and it "can't harm
you as long as it's properly made." Geesh.
My
fear is that eventually we're going to find out the same thing about nebulizing
colloidal silver regularly, over long periods of time, directly into the tender,
soft tissues of the lungs.
Maybe
this fear is an unfounded one. That’s quite possible. But to date no one has yet satisfactorily
allayed it with solid clinical evidence
that would prove otherwise. And I
certainly don’t want to be the first colloidal silver user with “blue lung
syndrome.”
Animal
Studies Demonstrate Problems
The
only two clinical safety studies I’m aware of
dealing with the inhalation of silver into the lungs were conducted on
laboratory rats.
Both
studies used laboratory engineered silver nanoparticles, rather than commercial
colloidal silver. But the idea of what
happens to silver when it’s inhaled daily into the lungs for long periods of
time is what was looked at.
The
first study was a 28 day study which concluded there was no significant long-term
harm to laboratory rats that were forced to inhale various levels of silver
nanoparticles for varying periods of time on a daily basis for four weeks. That’s definitely
good news. Very exciting!
The
second study, however, was conducted on rats over a period of 13 weeks (i.e.,
90 days). It concluded that there were “dose-dependent
increases in lesions related to silver nanoparticle exposure, including mixed
inflammatory cell infiltrate, chronic alveolar inflammation, and small
granulomatous lesions. Target organs for silver nanoparticles were
considered to be the lungs and liver in the male and female rats. No
observable adverse effect level of 100 μg/m3 is suggested from the
experiments.”
In
other words, at higher daily doses for longer periods of time there were significant
negative results including chronic inflammation of the alveolar, i.e., the
delicate air sacs deep within the lungs where oxygen is taken into the
bloodstream.
Also
observed by the researchers were increases in inflamed cells, and small
nodules, or tiny lumps of inflamed tissue. And silver nanoparticles apparently
accumulated in the lungs and liver of the rats.
Interestingly,
in this study there were no observable adverse effects at 100 ug/m3, or 100
micrograms of silver per cubic meter of air.
Once again, that’s at least somewhat
encouraging news because it indicates that when silver is inhaled daily, there apparently
are levels of silver inhalation which --
at least in the rat model -- are relatively safe even when used for weeks
on end. But beyond those levels significant
negative results were indeed observed.
The
study researchers wrote:
The results…indicated that lungs and liver were the major
target tissues for prolonged silver nanoparticle accumulation.
…Based on the test article–related effects (minimal bile-duct hyperplasia
in males and females, chronic alveolar inflammation and macrophage
accumulation in the lungs of males and females, and erythrocyte aggregation
in females) reported in this study, we found a NOAEL of 100 ug/m3.
…lung function changes previously reported from this study (Sung
et al., 2008) indicate significant physiological decreases in tidal volume for all dose levels in males and minute
volume decreases for all dose levels in females. The origin
of the difference in effects measurements remains to be resolved.
This
basically means that over the course of 90 days of inhaling the silver
nanoparticles each day, the tiny silver particles accumulated in the lungs and
livers of the rats.
What’s
more, the tiny air sacs in the lungs known as the alveoli became inflamed, and
as a result lung function was significantly
reduced. The reduction in lung
function was higher for male rats than it was for female rats in the study. The researchers don’t know why.
Finally,
macrophage accumulation in the lungs of these rats would seem to indicate the
body was attempting to remove foreign substances from the lungs, i.e., the accumulated
silver.
A
macrophage is a form of phagocyte. And a phagocyte is a cell, such as a white
blood cell, that engulfs and attempts to eliminate toxic substances, waste
material, harmful microorganisms, or other foreign materials in bodily tissues
as well as in the bloodstream.
Remember,
these rats were not sick. They were simply inhaling silver
nanoparticles. So there would have been
no reason for the body to send macrophages into the lungs except to remove
accumulated silver particles from the lung tissues.
This
is similar to what’s observed when people are exposed to inhalation of asbestos
on a chronic basis. The asbestos lodges
in the lungs. And the body sends in
macrophages whose job is to attempt to rid the area of the accumulated foreign
objects by engulfing them.
In
short, macrophages are the “clean-up crew” of the human body, and they’re only called in when there’s something to
clean up.
This
demonstrates pretty much beyond any shadow of a doubt that silver
particles, when inhaled regularly, over long periods of time, can become
embedded in the soft tissues of the lungs and cause a decrease in lung
function.
The Great
Unknown…
Now
let me emphasize these were animal studies, not
human studies. People are not rats
(well, most of them, anyway), and
therefore you cannot necessarily extrapolate a straight across correlation
between what happened to the rats, and what might happen to humans when
nebulizing colloidal silver every day for 90 days.
In
humans it could result in no damage to lung function at all…or less damage…or
significantly higher damage. We simply don’t know for sure because human studies have not been conducted. And really, that’s my entire point;
the long-term safety of inhaling silver into the lungs is simply unknown.
Also,
it’s important to note that these rats were exposed to what appear to be
ungodly levels of silver nanoparticles – up to six hours a day in an inhalation
chamber.
Even
the study authors admit the concentrations of silver nanoparticles used in this
animal study were “difficult to relate to human exposures.” That usually means they were excessive.
So
you can’t take the study as “proof positive” that inhaling silver directly into
the lungs each day for 90 days is going to be as harmful in humans as it was in
the rats.
But
then, when a person is nebulizing colloidal silver regularly, is there really
any way to know how much might be accumulating in the lungs over time?
Again,
that’s the problem. Without human clinical safety testing,
there’s no way to know for sure what’s going on when you nebulize colloidal
silver regularly. At what degree is it
safe? And at what degree is it
potentially harmful?
To
a reasonable observer, the study should confirm my hypothesis that nebulizing
colloidal silver is still a highly
experimental procedure with no significant human safety data behind it, and
that if undertaken, it should only be done so with much caution, on a limited
basis (if at all) until more is known.
Contraindicated
for Serious Lung Disease
Finally,
it’s very important to understand that nebulizing colloidal silver may actually
be contraindicated for some people
with certain serious lung conditions or diseases, or in late-stage COPD or
other conditions. So
always check with your bona-fide licensed medical practitioner before
nebulizing colloidal silver, particularly if you have a chronic lung disease of
any sorts.
Nebulizing
colloidal silver could actually cause a serious (and perhaps even fatal)
decrease in lung function for some people, under certain rare but very possible
conditions.
As
an article on SilverMedicine.org points out:
“If an individual is incredibly weak due to a severe lung
condition to the point that breathing is laborious, do NOT use a colloidal
silver oxygen nebulizer or humidifier without a fully qualified medical staff
present...It is possible that the first treatment could arrest the breathing of
the individual being treated.”
Finally, SilverMedicine.org warns never to inhale a silver product
that may have been combined with proteins, salts or other chemicals as it could
lead to silver poisoning. They don’t
give any citations for this claim, but it seems reasonable to take it into
consideration. In some forms, such as
silver nitrate and other silver salts, silver can be very caustic to any soft
tissues it comes into contact with.
Please Don’t
Shoot Me,
I’m Only the
Piano Player…
I
know some of the above opinions will leave me on the outs with many colloidal
silver advocates who see nebulizing colloidal silver on a regular basis as a safe
and highly effective way to get more silver directly into the bloodstream,
tissues and organs faster and more effectively than using colloidal silver
orally.
As
I’ve already pointed out, some colloidal silver advocates -- such as Dr. Victor
Marcial-Vega -- apparently even build the bulk of their upper respiratory
treatment program around nebulizing colloidal silver. (Which is fine, as
long as the nebulizing is stopped after the treatment proves to be either
successful or unsuccessful. It is the long-term daily nebulizing of silver that appears to be potentially
problematic.)
And
as I’ve also pointed out, at least one colloidal silver generator manufacturer
has been building his entire program chiefly around nebulizing colloidal silver,
even supplying a cheap nebulizer with his generator and telling people the best
way to use colloidal silver is to inhale it directly into the lungs.
I
think this is potentially dangerous advice, however, because it encourages
people to nebulize colloidal silver as a matter of course, rather than
only occasionally, on an "as needed" basis, if at all.
In
my humble opinion, it is bordering on the irresponsible to recommend inhaling
colloidal silver into the lungs as a normal, everyday way to use colloidal silver. Doing so tends to negate the highly
experimental nature of the procedure, making it seem “mainstream” when indeed it
is clearly potentially dangerous until proven otherwise.
My Own
Nebulizer Usage
For
the record, I've personally nebulized colloidal silver for upper respiratory
infections, and generally to good effect. So
have other friends and family members.
Indeed, on several occasions over
the past 10 years nebulizing colloidal silver has kept my wife -- who suffers on
occasion with a swollen and infected voice box -- off the prednisone and
antibiotics the doctors like to prescribe.
But
as I’ve emphasized in this article, nebulizing colloidal silver is definitely not something I'd do on a regular
ongoing basis. Through reason and common sense, I recognize it's a highly
experimental procedure with very limited clinical testing behind it, and ZERO
human clinical safety data.
Indeed,
as I mentioned earlier there have been no human clinical safety studies
whatsoever. And as you’ve seen, the limited animal safety data available
indicates there’s at least a potential
for silver accumulation in the lungs and perhaps even harm to lung function if
silver is inhaled into the lungs on a regular daily basis over a period of
months.
And
therefore, as an experimental procedure, it’s something I would do only
gingerly and with great restraint, and with the clear understanding in mind
that should I make the choice to nebulize with colloidal silver, any negative
consequences to my body are my personal
responsibility.
After
all, knowing it’s experimental should help you understand that when you do it,
you’re experimenting on
yourself.
Again, I’m very conservative when it comes to nebulizing colloidal
silver. Some would say
overly-conservative. So be it. I think that’s the prudent course considering
the dramatic lack of human safety data available.
When I nebulize, I use only 5 to 10 ppm colloidal silver made with
a Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from
TheSilveredge.com.
I
nebulize colloidal silver only when I
have an upper respiratory infection that feels like it’s about to get
out-of-control, or when I feel unusually congested, which is rare.
But
I don't overdo it. A couple or three minutes
at a time, three or four times a day, for a few days in a row, and I'm done. I
may not nebulize again for several months or even several years if I don’t have
any upper respiratory issues to deal with.
Now
that's just me. I'm not
"prescribing" anything here. I'm just reporting what I do. You have to make your own decisions and take personal
responsibility for them.
Other
people nebulize colloidal silver much more frequently than I ever would, and
longer per session, and to date I haven't heard of anyone having any negative consequences. But I always like to err
on the side of caution with something like this, until I can see some bona-fide
clinical research demonstrating human safety.
If It Ain’t
Workin’
Why Keep
Doing It?
Finally,
I feel it’s important to note that on the very few occasions over the past 10
years that I've nebulized colloidal silver for an upper respiratory condition, it
didn’t always work.
Sometimes
nebulizing colloidal silver was very
effective. And sometimes it was decidedly ineffective. But in every single case I’ve been able to
tell whether or not it was helping within
the very first day.
When
the procedure proved helpful I experienced rapid remission of the symptoms of
upper respiratory infection and was feeling quite well after using the
nebulizer for only two or three days, at most. And when it did not prove
helpful right away, continuing the treatment for additional days did not result
in any discernible improvement whatsoever.
This
demonstrates to me that when it works, nebulizing colloidal silver is a very
effective treatment that does not need to be carried on for weeks or months at
a time. And when it doesn’t work, continuing to nebulize colloidal silver
is…well…unnecessary and potentially obsessive.
Indeed,
if there's no sign of relief in the first few days of nebulizing, I simply
recognize it's not helping and I stop using the nebulizer and switch to some
other natural health protocol. Or go see my doctor if necessary.
Or,
if I get some symptomatic relief, but after two or three days of nebulizing it
begins to look like the only way I can maintain
the symptomatic relief is to keep nebulizing indefinitely on an ongoing basis, then
for the sake of safety I quit nebulizing altogether and choose another route,
i.e., some other natural health protocol, or even go to the doctor and take the
darned antibiotic drugs if I have to.
Responsible
v/s Irresponsible Behavior
I’m
simply not willing to risk nebulizing colloidal silver for long periods of
time, considering the fact that nobody knows for sure whether or not there's a
potentially cumulative negative
effect on the lungs from the tiny silver particles.
For
me, the bottom line is that no one really knows if the tiny silver particles
being inhaled into the soft tissues of the lungs daily, for long periods of
time, can ultimately become embedded in the lungs just like they do in other parts
of the body when used to excess.
So
if you’re nebulizing colloidal silver for weeks and months at a time to keep a
health condition under control, please consider that you may well be engaging
in obsessive and irresponsible behavior.
Hey,
it’s your health and well-being that’s at stake. So I’m not telling you what to do. And again, I’m not “prescribing” here, I’m
only reporting, and I’m pointing out
what I feel is abundantly obvious for those with wisdom, common sense and
discretion.
I’ll
write more on this topic again in the future, particularly if new studies come
out demonstrating the safety (or lack thereof) of nebulizing colloidal
silver.
In
the meantime, I remain…
Yours for the
safe, sane and responsible use of
colloidal silver,
Steve
Barwick, author
The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual
The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual
Helpful Links:
Important Note and
Disclaimer: The contents of this Ezine have not been
evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Information conveyed herein is from sources deemed to be accurate and
reliable, but no guarantee can be made in regards to the accuracy and
reliability thereof. The author, Steve
Barwick, is a natural health journalist with over 30 years of experience
writing professionally about natural health topics. He is not
a doctor. Therefore, nothing stated in
this Ezine should be construed as prescriptive in nature, nor is any part of
this Ezine meant to be considered a substitute for professional medical
advice. Nothing reported herein is
intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The author is simply reporting in
journalistic fashion what he has learned during the past 17 years of
journalistic research into colloidal silver and its usage. Therefore, the information and data presented
should be considered for informational purposes only, and approached with
caution. Readers should verify for
themselves, and to their own satisfaction, from other knowledgeable sources
such as their doctor, the accuracy and reliability of all reports, ideas,
conclusions, comments and opinions stated herein. All important health care decisions should be
made under the guidance and direction of a legitimate, knowledgeable and
experienced health care professional.
Readers are solely responsible for their choices. The author and publisher disclaim
responsibility or liability for any loss or hardship that may be incurred as a
result of the use or application of any information included in this Ezine.
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2012 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ
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