Monday, July 30, 2012

Colloidal Silver: Harmful to the Human Body?


“Contrary to statements that all forms of silver are cumulative once they enter body tissues and that very little is excreted, silver is actively metabolized in the human body and a large part eliminated eventually via the liver, urine and hair...

…there is very little substantive evidence that silver acts either as a cumulative poison in the human body like lead and mercury, or that it reaches toxic levels in any tissue. 

Silver does accumulate preferentially in the basement membrane region of the dermis, but no evidence has been seen to show that this is either life-threatening or a clinical manifestation of toxicity.”

-- “Silver in Healthcare:  Its Antimicrobial Efficacy and Safety in Use,” by Alan B. G. Lansdown, pg. 45, 59, 60

Hi, Steve Barwick here, for www.TheSilverEdge.com...

Is colloidal silver harmful to the human body? 

Let’s be frank:  There's not a single nutritional supplement on the face of the earth that can't cause some kind of harm to the human body when used in excess.

·       Vitamin A taken to excess can, over time, cause muscle pain, fatigue, irritability, depression, schizophrenia, fever, liver damage and anemia.

·       Calcium taken to excess can, over time, result in kidney malfunction, calcification of soft tissue within the body, cellular toxicity, impaired immune function and even result in heart attack.

·       Iron taken to excess can, over time, result in cirrhosis of the liver and heart failure.

I could go on and on through every supplement.  They can all be "dangerous" to human health at some dosage level, but can be extremely beneficial to human health when used at normal, sane dosage levels. 

The trick, obviously, is to get the right dosage level, and not venture into excessive levels.

Colloidal Silver’s Safety

Colloidal silver is no different.  It’s considered to be safe and amazingly beneficial when used in moderation.

As Dr. Jonathan Wright, M.D., of the famous Tahoma Clinic in Washington State says about colloidal silver and its safety:

"Silver belongs to the family of metals that also includes copper and gold (both of which can also have numerous health benefits when they're used properly).

One of the primary concerns people tend to have about using these metals is the risk that they'll accumulate in the body and lead to heavy metal toxicity.

But if you have plenty of antioxidants in your diet, such as selenium, vitamin E, and amino acids like N-acetyl cysteine, you're safe from any harmful effects from this family of metals. Germs, however, are not."

Dr. Wright is considered to be one of the best and brightest.  And because I use colloidal silver regularly, I always make sure my daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement contains those particular antioxidant nutrients he recommends.

According to researchers Drake and Hazelwood, in the study “Exposure-Related Health Effects of Silver and Silver Compounds: A Review” (see earlier link for full study):

“Silver in any form is not thought to be toxic to the immune, cardiovascular, nervous, or reproductive systems (ATSDR, 1990) and is not considered to be carcinogenic (Furst and Schlauder, 1978).”

And according to the Dartmouth University Toxic Metals Research Program:

"Trace amounts of silver are in the bodies of all humans and animals. We normally take in between 70 and 88 micrograms of silver a day, half of that amount from our diet.
Humans have evolved with efficient methods of dealing with that intake, however. Over 99 percent is readily excreted from the body.

Is silver harmful to humans? Unlike other metals such as lead and mercury, silver is not toxic to humans and is not known to cause cancer, reproductive or neurological damage, or other chronic adverse effects."

Everything Is a Poison…

Well, all of that’s nice to know. But we always have to remember that at some dosage levels, everything is a poison.  As the ancient physician Paracelcus used to teach:

“Poison is in everything, and no thing is without poison. The dosage makes it either a poison or a remedy.” -- Paracelsus PA (1493-1541)

In other words, there's no substance on the face of the earth that's not harmful at some dosage level. 

We know, for example that sugar is absolutely vital to human health in normal usage.  After all, the human brain runs chiefly on the sugar known as glucose.  But we also know that excessive use of sugar can lead to rotting teeth, diabetes, coma and even death. 

We know, for example, that salt is absolutely critical to human health.  Indeed, the human body literally cannot function without it for a single day.  But we also know that excessive use of salt can lead to high blood pressure and stroke. 

The point being, if excessive usage of sugar and salt can become problematic over time, so can excessive usage of a natural substance like colloidal silver. 

While colloidal silver is not considered to be particularly toxic even at high levels of usage and accumulation in the human body, it can cause a condition known as argyria, in which silver particles become trapped in the skin and eventually begin to tarnish when exposed to sunlight, staining the skin gray or even blue.

Colloidal Silver and Argyria:
How Much Is Excessive?

So how much colloidal silver is considered to be so excessive it can cause argyria? 

Well, in public interviews the so-called "Colloidal Silver Blue Man," Paul Karason, claimed he was orally ingesting 10 ounces of colloidal silver, oftentimes twice a day.  That’s a total of 20 ounces a day. 

What’s more, he was making his colloidal silver with a crude, homemade device that produced very high concentrations of silver probably somewhere around 50 to 100 ppm or higher.

He was also using salt to increase the rate of production and the concentration, which means he was producing a silver chloride solution instead of a typical ionic colloidal silver solution like you’ll find in most health food stores. 

And according to his public interviews, he apparently did this for 10 straight years before turning blue!

Most people, by comparison, use only about a teaspoonful to an ounce of 10 ppm colloidal silver a day.  (Sometimes more, for very short periods of time if feeling under the weather or fighting an active infection.)

So the “Colloidal Silver Blue Man” was taking more than 20 times the normal daily recommended mineral supplement dosage, and five to 10 times (or more) the normal concentration.  And he did so daily for 10 years before turning blue.  It seems this was not just excessive use, but obsessive use. 

The point is, he was an argyria victim waiting to happen. And it was all because he cast aside moderation and common-sense, and decided to use wildly excessive amounts of colloidal silver daily, for years on end.  There are just some people like that out there. 

Colloidal Silver Usage Worldwide

Today, an estimated 10 million people in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico use colloidal silver responsibly as a nutritional supplement.  Millions more throughout Europe and Asia use it. 

A government-approved colloidal silver product called Microdyn is used regularly throughout Mexico and other developing nations to help keep residents safe from contaminated drinking water.  (Learn more here.)

In Europe, colloidal silver is used in the drinking water supplies of thousands of cruise ships and cargo ships, to safely sterilize and disinfect the drinking water.  In fact, according to the Jowa Group that makes the little devices for ships that add silver to the drinking water:

“Since its introduction in 1970, this unit has been installed in thousands of ships… sterilizing water with the help of silver is an old and well-tried method that goes all the way back to antiquity. It is completely harmless to humans and animals and the silver ions do not change the taste or smell of the water. This product, called Jowa AG-S, has made us world-famous in the shipping industry!”

Colloidal silver has even been used in the drinking water of both the NASA and Russian space flight programs, including on the original Space Shuttle.  (Learn more here.)   

So, colloidal silver usage is far more widespread worldwide than you might suspect.  It’s even used in outer space. 

And except in cases where people might have a rare but serious allergy to mineral silver, or in cases where people excessively and abusively use silver over long periods of time, it’s generally considered to be perfectly safe. 

Nobody Wants to Turn Blue

Of course, nobody wants to “turn blue.”  But nobody should want to develop diabetes or heart disease, either. 

Yet, knowing that abusive use of sugar will cause such problems, some people do it anyway.  Similarly, knowing that excessive use of salt can cause high blood pressure and stroke, some people do it anyway.

That’s exactly what’s happened with colloidal silver, in relation to argyria:  Knowing that excessive daily intake of colloidal silver over long periods of time can cause argyria, some people have done it anyway.

Why?  Well, I supposed it’s for the same reason some people abuse salt or sugar.  They enjoy the temporary benefits of excess, and think they’re immune from the long-term consequences.

Follow the Directions

This is one reason why responsible colloidal silver vendors recommend people carefully follow the directions on the bottle when using commercial brands of colloidal silver. 

Indeed, most reputable colloidal silver vendors recommend a teaspoonful of colloidal silver up to several times a day when being used daily, or up to an ounce several times a day for short periods of time when the body needs extra nutritional support to fight infection or disease.

Above all, don’t listen to idiots on the internet who say you can drink all of the colloidal silver you want for as long as you want without ever causing any harm – especially those who claim they sell a “special” kind of colloidal silver that “can’t cause argyria” no matter how much you use. 

Sorry folks, there’s just no such thing.  Just like there’s no such thing as a special kind of sugar that won’t rot your teeth if used to excess, or a special kind of whiskey that won’t get your drunk if you drink too much, there’s no special kind of silver that won’t cause argyria if used to excess.  

Indeed, there’s no vitamin, no mineral…no herb…and no amino acid or other nutritional supplement that you can use to excess for long periods of time without suffering the consequences.  So why would anyone think the same is not true for colloidal silver? 

No One Knows

No one knows exactly why some people end up with argyria from taking larger amounts of colloidal silver over long periods of time, and why other people can take the same large amounts for long periods of time and not end up with argyria. 

It’s a mystery.  It’s been hypothesized that apparently some people just don’t process silver from their bodies as effectively as everybody else.  Some researchers think low levels of dietary antioxidants are to blame.

But if you're one of the unfortunate ones who overdo the colloidal silver intake and end up with argyria, it's obviously no fun.  Argyria is generally considered to be a permanent cosmetic skin condition. 

A New Argyria Treatment

However, there are special laser treatments for it now, if the argyria is not too widespread over the body.  It's similar to tattoo removal laser treatments.  Somewhat painful, I’m told, but apparently effective. 

In the Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual, I wrote briefly about Dr. Allison Vidimos, of the world-famous Cleveland Clinic, who apparently originated the idea of using a laser treatment to remove argyria deposits in the skin, and lectures doctors about how to use the technique. 

But there are other doctors using this technique.  Here’s an excerpt from an online comment I recently received from a reader of the Colloidal Silver Secrets blog: 

“Well, eight years ago, I ingested colloidal silver more than my body could get rid of and I unhappily turned gray on my face because of it. Some people noticed it and some people didn't.  Anyway, here I am knowing I have what they call argyria. 

I've read that laser can really help minimize the gray or blue colored skin caused by argyria on some individuals. I searched and found a doctor experienced in using the right kind of laser.  Thank goodness he was willing to help me.

This doctor also removes tattoos which is kind of what argyria is, a tattooing of the skin from ingesting too much colloidal silver.

I found Dr. Steven Popkow MD in Los Angeles, California. He is a very gentle and understanding doctor which is so important when it comes to such a sensitive issue.

For those seeking help also, his business address is: Skin Laser Center, 12027 Venice Blvd., Suite B, Los Angeles, California 90066 The phone number is: (310) 915-8060.

I've had 2 treatments so far and yes it is quite painful, but so worth it. I've got my original color back before I had argyria and I am completely thrilled.

With additional laser treatments, Dr. Popkow can treat the rest of the spots that get missed here and there.

I feel what Dr. Popkow charges is very reasonable. The cost is around $200 a treatment.

So, for the people on the west side of the United States, there is a doctor who helps with the discoloration of argyria and for those who live even further who might want to travel to see Dr. Popkow.

Today, I don't have to walk around worried about who might be wondering why my face is gray because it's not anymore.

I'm not a person that likes to hide, so I just went on living, but I feel the relief big time now thanks to Dr. Popkow. He has definitely changed my life for the better. The joy I feel is immeasurable.

I take chlorella everyday to help chelate metals out of the body internally. The silver is not just in the skin so cleansing is very important. This is my journey and my BIG lesson and I hope that I may be of help somehow to others.”

The Precautionary Principle

So…the bottom line is, take your colloidal silver in moderation, and with a good, healthy dose of caution and common sense. 

As thousands upon thousands of colloidal silver users can attest, it’s one of the most amazing healing substances on the face of the earth. 

But like anything else, the cautionary principle should always prevail:  Use it wisely.  Don’t overdo it.

If you make your own colloidal silver with a high-quality colloidal silver generator like the new Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from TheSilverEdge.com, you might want to consider following the patented “12-for-25”™ rule for determining your daily dosage levels, developed by our good friends at Invision International Health Solutions. 

Their simple calculation helps you determine your optimal daily dosage level of colloidal silver based upon your own body weight and the ppm (i.e., concentration) of the colloidal silver you’re making. 

You can read more about the “12-for-25”™ rule in the FREE Colloidal Silver Safe Dosage Report, which describes this simple method for determining how much colloidal silver to use.  Just click the link to go to a web page where you can order it for FREE, and it will be sent to you by return email at no cost. 

Successful Judicious Usage

I've used colloidal silver successfully and without any harm whatsoever for over 17 years now.

So has my wife.  My mom.  My in-laws.  Our kids.  Other family members.  My tax advisor.  My chiropractor.  My housekeeper.  And tens of thousands and thousands of readers of my book, The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual.   

Indeed, as I mentioned above, there are estimated to be as many as 10 million colloidal silver users throughout Canada and the Americas.  After all, virtually every well-stocked health food store in every city of the U.S. and Canada sells the stuff.  And it’s sold all over the world, to boot!

What’s more, tens of thousands of people make their own colloidal silver with colloidal silver generators. 

All of this has been going on for decades.  And in this time, only a small handful of colloidal silver users who have abused the substance have experienced argyria.

Nevertheless, because argyria from excessive colloidal silver usage is very real, most wise people prefer to err on the side of caution, and use colloidal silver judiciously and with an abundance of common sense. 

There’s no reason to be afraid of a tremendously beneficial substance like colloidal silver, just because some people have used it abusively.  Used within the bounds of reason, colloidal silver can make a tremendous difference in your health and well-being.

Read how other people have used colloidal silver successfully, here. 

Yours for the safe, sane and responsible use of colloidal silver,


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.

Copyright 2012 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Big Pharma Shuns Silver; Blackmails U.S. Government Into Paying for New Antibiotic Drugs With Taxpayer Money


While numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the amazing effectiveness of colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver against drug-resistant pathogens, Big Pharma continues to ignore the evidence.  Instead, they’re now forcing U.S. taxpayers to pay through the nose for the development of new classes of antibiotic drugs. And they’re lowering the safety testing requirements on those new drugs, which means they’ll be even more toxic and dangerous than ever.  Here’s the story you won’t hear anywhere else…

Hi, Steve Barwick here, for www.TheSilverEdge.com...

Back in December 2011 I wrote an article explaining that Big Pharma was essentially attempting to blackmail the U.S. government (as well as European governments) by threatening to stop all research into new antibiotic drugs…unless the government agrees to fund such new research with taxpayer money.

In other words, the big drug companies – which collectively make hundreds of billions of dollars in profits every year -- want us to pay for their research and development costs, and then charge us through the nose for the new drugs they’ve developed with our own money!

Of course, they use sensationalistic scare tactics to make their point, claiming we’ll all end up dying of superbug infections if we don’t foot the bill for their research and development into new and more powerful classes of antibiotic drugs.

What About Antimicrobial Silver?

But in my previous article, I pointed out that in study after study after study after study after study after study after study it’s been demonstrated that colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver kills drug-resistant super-pathogens.

I also pointed out that studies from BYU have demonstrated that existing prescription antibiotic drugs often regain their full effectiveness against super-pathogens when colloidal silver is added to the drug regimen

So there’s really no reason spend billions of dollars of taxpayer money on the development of new drugs, when antimicrobial silver can be used to staunch the tide of super-pathogen infections, instead.

Here It Comes…

But Big Pharma has no intention of looking into antimicrobial silver.  After all, silver is a natural substance, and even if you could patent it as a drug and sell it for hundreds of dollars a prescription, people can still make and use their own antimicrobial colloidal silver for just pennies in the comfort and privacy of their own homes.

So Big Pharma ignores silver in the fight against drug-resistant infections.  And now they’re forcing governments to tap into the taxpayer’s wallets for new drug development.

Indeed, according to an article in the June 19, 2012 issue of Infectious Disease News, the U.S. government has simply caved in to Big Pharma’s demands, and is now going to start paying for pharmaceutical company research into new antibiotic drugs with your tax money and mine

Below is a brief excerpt from the article.  Be sure to note how the author repeatedly uses the word “incentives” in place of the phrase “taxpayer money.” But don’t be fooled by the semantics.  It’s your money they’re funneling to Big Pharma in order to give them the “incentive” to develop more antibiotic drugs:

“The United States House and Senate members have announced a bipartisan agreement on the FDA’s Safety and Innovation Act, which includes language to address antibiotic research and development and to bring new antibiotics to the country, according to an Infectious Disease Society of America statement.

IDSA has advocated for such antibiotic incentives, and hopes that the incentives spark interest in this area of medicine. Their 10 x ’20 initiative outlines the need to bring antibiotics to people who need them in the United States and abroad. They say that other incentives will be necessary to reach these goals.

Possible incentives include tax credits for research and development, public-private collaborations and the Limited Population Antibacterial Drug mechanism to streamline FDA approval, which the IDSA recently proposed.”

Translation:  The U.S. government is going to provide “incentives” (read: taxpayer money) to the big drug companies as a means of “sparking their interest” in developing new antibiotic drugs.  What’s more, once Big Pharma gets started, they’re going to need “other incentives” (i.e., code for massive tax breaks on their profits) in order to reach their goals.  Finally, they’re also going to need “streamlined FDA approval” of these drugs by no longer requiring stringent safety testing.  

Well, that’s awfully comforting, isn’t it? 

We pay for their development of the drugs out of our taxes.  Then Big Pharma sells the drugs back to us for massive profits.  And now the drugs will be more toxic than ever. And on top of that, Big Pharma will ultimately pay no taxes on the profits they reap from these drugs.  Such a deal, huh?

The Illusion of Humanitarianism

Of course, Infectious Disease News tries to make it sound like the government came up with this idea as a humanitarian means of “incentivizing” the big drug companies to work harder on developing new antibiotic drugs.  But nothing could be further from the truth.

As I pointed out in my previous article, the entire scheme was concocted by Big Pharma from day one.  And if you don’t believe me, perhaps you’ll believe the architects of the scheme – i.e., the Infectious Disease Society of America – who have explained in glowing and approving terms on their own web site how Big Pharma has pulled it off.

There you’ll read how 14 major drug companies backed the plan, which is called the “10x’20 Initiative” because it “aims to encourage the development of 10 new systemic antibiotics by the year 2020.”  Isn’t that precious?

And of course, just as I warned, Big Pharma used sensationalistic and apocalyptic scare tactics to get the plan implemented by Congress:

“We’re on the brink of a medical catastrophe – more and more patients are succumbing to drug-resistant infections for which we have no good treatment options, and yet the number of new antibacterial drugs being developed is plummeting,” said Thomas G. Slama, MD, president of IDSA. “We are engaged in ongoing discussion with congressional leaders to help them appreciate just how serious this problem is…”

The Big Shakedown

Of course, the whole thing reeks to high heaven of an organized crime shakedown.  And that’s exactly what it is.

According to the book, The Truth About the Drug Companies: How They Deceive Us and What to Do About It, by Marcia Angell, “Drug companies often decided to stop making important drugs in order to free up capacity for drugs with bigger market potential.”

In other words, it’s not that the antibiotic drugs are unprofitable to produce. They’re very profitable.  It’s just that other drugs, such as heart drugs, diabetes drugs, arthritis drugs and others are even more profitable because patients have to take them for a lifetime. And the big drug companies would rather produce the most profitable drugs possible, even though it means millions of lives will be lost as a consequence of cutting back on the production of less profitable drugs like antibiotics.

But hey, don’t worry.  After all, if the U.S. government will just funnel plenty of taxpayer money into the coffers of Big Pharma, the drug companies will do us a great big favor and work on developing a few more of these less profitable antibiotic drugs.  But just 10 more, mind you.  And then…well…we’re apparently on our own unless we keep the flow of taxpayer money (er…uh…I mean “incentives”) coming.

You know how it works:  Once the taxpayers are forced by Big Brother to pick up the tab for Big Business, it never ends. They just keep demanding more.  It’s called Corporate Welfare.  And it’s the biggest scam in town.

Colloidal Silver to the Rescue!

Meanwhile, if you see the handwriting on the wall, you know it’s time to learn how to make and use colloidal silver with a high-quality Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from The Silver Edge.

I won’t say any more than that, because I just don’t think it’s necessary.  You either get it at this point, or you don’t. 

Big Pharma and their cronies in the FDA (and in Congress) are shaking down the entire population.  And now that they’ve managed to tap into the taxpayer trough, the infectious disease crisis is simply going to get worse and worse. 

Why?  Because that’s where the money is now – a never-ending supply, compliments of the U.S. taxpayers.  And the only thing Big Pharma really cares about is money.  So please don’t suffer under the delusion that they’ll actually stop the so-called superbug crisis if we’ll pay them to develop new antibiotic drugs.

To Big Pharma, human life means nothing compared to billions of dollars in easy taxpayer money.  But you can even-up the odds by learning how to make and use your own high-quality antimicrobial colloidal silver silver.

Yours for the safe, sane and responsible use of colloidal silver,


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.

Copyright 2012 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Clinical Studies Demonstrate the Safety and Effectiveness of Colloidal Silver


For years the naysayers have claimed there’s no modern clinical evidence for the safety or effectiveness of colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver.  Even the FDA makes this spurious claim. 

But the truth is, clinical studies on the safety and effectiveness of numerous forms of antimicrobial silver – including colloidal silver -- are abundant.  You just have to know where to look.  And thankfully, the internet makes it easy to find these supposedly non-existent studies, and share them with others.

Here’s the inside scoop on the myriad of studies demonstrating the safety and effectiveness of antimicrobial silver.   

Hi, Steve Barwick here, for www.TheSilverEdge.com...

Years ago, when I was very young man first starting out as a natural health journalist, I asked one of my editors how to handle it when skeptical readers wrote back claiming there’s no evidence for the safety or effectiveness of nutritional supplements.

My editor lowered his head slightly, looked me square in the eyes and said, “You stuff their throats with footnotes.” 

That sounded awfully crude at the time.  But it didn’t take me long to catch on.  What my editor was alluding to was the fact that there’s plenty of bona-fide clinical evidence available for nutritional supplements. 

And when skeptical readers balk at your claims, simply direct them to the evidence and let it speak for itself.

Colloidal Silver:
Clinical Studies and Reports

That’s one reason I’ve spent the last three years compiling clinical studies, white papers and reports on the safety and effectiveness of colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver. 

Now, when skeptics challenge me with questions like “Where’s the proof of silver’s safety and effectiveness?” I simply refer them to the Clinical Studies and Reports page on TheSilverEdge.com web site.

There, they’ll find over 60 clinical studies, white papers and reports on antimicrobial silver from top medical, research and scientific sources. 

Of course, I don’t think such a treasure trove of clinical studies and reports are going to change the minds of hardened skeptics. 

After all, most of them have an underlying agenda anyway. And the only thing served by “stuffing their throats with footnotes” is to send them packing with their little tails between their legs. 

But every once in a while a skeptic will get back to me and say something like “I really had no idea there was such a large body of clinical work on antimicrobial silver until I saw all of the studies on your web site.  Thank you for letting me know.”

And frankly, that makes it all worthwhile.  

7 New Clinical Studies and Reports

Below you’ll find seven of the latest clinical studies I’ve posted to the Clinical Studies and Reports page at TheSilverEdge.com over the past few weeks alone. 

If you want to read any of the actual studies, just click the link in the paragraph above, and you can scroll through the brief synopses of all 60-plus studies until you find the specific studies you’re most interested in, and then open up the PDF file. 

Or, click on any of the headlines directly below to read the specific study being discussed. 

Here, for example, is a study, demonstrating that a typical ionic colloidal silver product similar to those found in most health food stores is not in the least bit toxic to human cells: 

Skeptics continuously claim colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver are toxic to human cells. 

In fact, hardly a week goes by that I don’t see this claim being made by medical doctors and their bureaucratic counterparts, or by environmentalists, so-called “quackbusters” and other notorious naysayers.

So in this in vitro clinical study conducted in June 2007 at The Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Copenhagen University, the researcher set out to discover whether or not a specific brand of colloidal silver known as Ionosil (i.e., Sweden's leading brand of colloidal silver) is toxic to human cells.

The researcher compared the effects of Ionosil to atomic gold and silver quantum clusters on human cells, looking for cytotoxicity (i.e. cell damage), inflammation and DNA damage.  

And guess what?  The colloidal silver demonstrated zero toxicity…zero DNA damage…and zero inflammation! 

Amazing, isn’t it? 

In short, the science demonstrates precisely what colloidal silver users have known for decades, i.e., colloidal silver has a superb toxicological safety profile. 

Which is to say, when used correctly it’s no more toxic than any other natural mineral supplement on the face of the earth! 

Naysayers and skeptics also continuously claim that colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver are toxic to little critters in the environment.

In this study, researchers tested mice and guinea pigs using a staggering 5,000 ppm colloidal silver nanoparticles (i.e., extremely tiny particles of colloidal silver).

The researchers were looking to see if the colloidal silver caused acute oral toxicity, eye irritation, corrosion or dermal toxicity.

But after 24, 48 and 72 hours of exposure to these super-high levels of antimicrobial silver, blood chemistry analysis and other tests showed no differences in any of the parameters examined.

In other words, there were no significant differences in the health and well-being of the mice and guinea pigs treated with 5,000 ppm colloidal silver, versus the mice and guinea pigs that were not treated with colloidal silver.

According to the researchers “There was neither any gross lesion nor histopathological change observed in various organs.” In other words, there was no significant organ or tissue damage from these wildly excessive levels of colloidal silver. 

The researchers also concluded that colloidal silver nanoparticles administered orally or topically to the little animals at a whopping 5,000 ppm appear to be relatively safe. 

When you consider that most people are considerably larger than mice and guinea pigs (at least, I am), but tend to use colloidal silver in comparatively very low concentrations of only 10 to 20 ppm, you can understand the significance of this very important new study!


In this 2011 study, researchers demonstrate that colloidal silver nanoparticles not only have a profound antifungal effect on two forms of Candida yeast, but are also effective in destroying the biofilms produced by these fungal pathogens.

Biofilms, of course, allow pathogens to adhere to cell walls inside the body and form colonies that are largely protected from the human immune system as well as from any natural predators such as your body’s beneficial bacteria.  You can think of a biofilms as a fortified castle for microbes.

Indeed, in many cases biofilms are what stymie modern prescription drug-based therapies from actually getting to the pathogen, because the drugs can’t penetrate the biofilm barrier.

Thankfully, colloidal silver nanoparticles seem to have no problem whatsoever busting through these protective fungal biofilms to get at the disease-causing pathogens!

Is antimicrobial silver effective against viruses? 

The above study is a clinical review from the science journal Molecules.  In it, researchers review a number of studies demonstrating the potent antiviral effects of silver nanoparticles. 

Indeed, as the review points out, a growing number of in vitro studies have found antimicrobial silver to be effective against HIV-1, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, respiratory syncytial virus and even monkey pox virus.  

The study concludes that silver and other metal nanoparticles “may provide opportunity to develop novel antiviral therapies with lower levels of resistance compared to conventional antiviral drugs.” 

Gee…ya think? 

Eye disease can be debilitating.  But silver nanoparticles are being discovered to have profound therapeutic properties in certain diseases of the eyes that can result in visual impairment or even irreversible blindness.

This clinical study review shows that silver nanoparticles may play a successful role in reversing pathological retinal angiogenesis, one of the most feared complications among diseases of the retina.

According to the study authors, "Recent findings made by us on therapeutic applications of biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) against VEGF induced retinal endothelial cells, elucidates the effectual inhibitory activities of AgNPs over the downstream signaling pathways (Src and AKT/PI3K) leading to retinal angiogenesis."

In plain English, that means antimicrobial silver stops the progression of the eye disease dead in its tracks.  The researchers concluded that present clinical research "consequently affirms the futuristic application of silver nanoparticles as a boon to ocular therapies." 

Well, considering the fact that I’m getting to that age where my eyes don’t work quite as well as they used to, I certainly look forward to these new silver-based eye therapies! 

Meanwhile, I just spray a tiny bit of colloidal silver into my eyes each morning with a glass pump spray bottle with a fine mist head on it, and guess what?  No more itchy, scratchy eyes, and no more of those painful sties.  Sweet! 

In this animal study using mice, the researchers investigated the wound-healing properties of silver nanoparticles and found that “rapid healing and improved cosmetic appearance occur in a dose-dependent manner.”

In other words, the wounded mice treated with silver nanoparticles not only healed more quickly than the controls, but the scarring was significantly improved also.  And the more silver nanoparticles used, the better the healing turned out!

The researchers stated, “…through quantitative PCR, immunohistochemistry, and proteomic studies, we showed that silver nanoparticles exert positive effects through their antimicrobial properties, reduction in wound inflammation, and modulation of fibrogenic cytokines.”

In other words, the silver nanoparticles prevented infection in the wounds, and reduced inflammation by decreasing negative aspects of the healing process. 

The researchers conclude:  “These results have given insight into the actions of silver and have provided a novel therapeutic direction for wound treatment in clinical practice."

Well, that’s nice. Very nice. 

But of course, the wound healing properties of colloidal silver have been known all of the way back to the late 1800’s when medical practitioners found that surgical wounds closed up with sutures made of fine silver wire tended to heal much faster than normal sutures.  What’s more, the surgical wounds failed to become infected. 

So it’s good to see modern medical researchers finally catching up with the past!

Here's an interesting clinical study demonstrating the effectiveness of antimicrobial silver against the pathogen most commonly responsible for toenail fungus. According to the study authors:

"Spherical silver nanoparticles (nano-Ag) were synthesized and their antifungal effects on fungal pathogens of the skin were investigated.

Nano-Ag showed potent activity against clinical isolates and ATCC strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida species."

Of course, for decades women have been using oral doses of colloidal silver to heal vaginal Candida yeast infections

And numerous colloidal silver users attest to the fact that colloidal silver obliterates topical yeast infections such as toenail fungus and athlete’s foot, as well. 

So, once again, it’s nice to see modern science catching up with the past!

Many More Studies

Of course, there are many more clinical studies, medical reports and White Papers available on the Clinical Studies and Reports page on The Silver Edge website – over five dozen, all told. 

And I have many more to post over the weeks and months directly ahead, so please stay tuned! Meanwhile, I urge you to check out the available studies for yourself by clicking the above link. 

And whenever someone tells you “There’s no proof for the safety or effectiveness of colloidal silver,” just smile politely, and email them the above link. 

Of course, you’ll probably never hear from them again, because by nature most skeptics can’t admit they’re wrong.  But hey, that’s okay.  At least you did your part and showed them the science (aka, “stuffed their throats with footnotes”).

Finally, if you’d like to learn more about the phenomenal infection-fighting, immune-boosting and wound healing benefits of colloidal silver, and see why an estimated 10 million people throughout North America now use colloidal silver regularly, just click the link!

I’ll be back next week with another great article.  In the meantime, I remain…

Yours for the safe, sane and responsible use of colloidal silver,


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.

Copyright 2012 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved