Thursday, January 30, 2014

Evil Silver Nanoparticles Invading Your Fruits and Veggies?

 learn the truth about the healing and infection-fighting qualities of colloidal silver at www.TheSilverEdge.com
Ahh…the anti-silver propagandists are at it again, and as usual, silver nanoparticles are the victim of their smears.  This time, they’re claiming evil silver nanoparticles are invading your fruits and veggies, and posing a dire threat to human existence as a result.

But don’t worry!  Researchers have figured out a way to “detect, characterize and quantify” the silver nanoparticles in your apples, pears, squash and tomatoes, which apparently is supposed to make you sleep better at night, though I can’t for the life of me figure out how or why…

Here’s what you need to know about the latest sensationalistic scare tactics being promulgated by the anti-silver crowd…

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

Would you like to see a case study demonstrating how raw propaganda against antimicrobial silver gets started, and then spreads like wildfire until it’s exaggerated all out of proportion in virtually every news source its reported in?

Here’s a great example:  An August 24, 2013 news article by the website Disclose.tv discusses a new study titled “Detection of Engineered Silver Nanoparticle Contamination in Pears.”

The article paraphrases the study as claiming that that “farmers have used silver nanoparticles as a pesticide because of their capability to suppress the growth of harmful organisms.”

What’s more, according to the article, these evil silver nanoparticles are now in a position to penetrate through the skin of food crops and end up in your body where they could potentially wreak havoc and cause untold damage to your health and well-being.

Sigh. 

Truth Revealed?

What’s fascinating to me is that the tagline for the Disclose.tv website is “Truth Revealed.”  In other words, they set themselves up as the place to come for “truth.” 

But are their contentions about silver nanoparticles truthful?  Or are they speculative, sensationalistic and hyperbolic?  Worse yet, are they purely propagandistic?

I’ll leave the answers to those questions up to you as we examine the article, key paragraph by key paragraph, below.  And I’ll give my humble layman’s opinions as we examine what they have to say.

The text from the Disclose.tv news article will be in italics, below, and will be indented, so you can easily identify it.  And my admittedly opinionated comments will follow each indented section in regular type.

So here’s what Disclose.tv wrote, and what I have to say about it:

August 24, 2013 - Over the last few years, the use of nanomaterials for water treatment, food packaging, pesticides, cosmetics and other industries has increased. For example, farmers have used silver nanoparticles as a pesticide because of their capability to suppress the growth of harmful organisms.

This is just the first half of their very first paragraph.  Note that it very cleverly mixes two different topics, i.e., the “use of nanomaterials” for a wide variety of commercial purposes, and the use of “silver nanoparticles as a pesticide.” 

As you can clearly see, the juxtaposition of these two claims is designed to leave the distinct impression in the minds of their readers that the use of silver nanoparticles has increased over the past few years. 

But what’s the truth?  It is this: 

While the use of “nanomaterials” may indeed have increased over the last few years (there are approximately 286 known commercial “nanomaterials” other than silver, according to this website), in that very same time-frame the use of silver nanoparticles in commercial applications has actually dramatically decreased

That’s because the EPA was sued back in 2008 by a handful of radical, anti-silver environmental groups who demanded the agency’s archaic FIFRA (i.e., Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act) regulations be used against manufacturers who were incorporating silver nanoparticles into a variety of consumer products.

And after being sued, the EPA caved in, making it mandatory for U.S. companies to “register” any product containing silver nanoparticles if it’s being advertised for its antimicrobial purposes.  

And to add insult to injury, the EPA began laying huge fines, often to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars against companies who had failed to register their commercial nanosilver products.

As a result, most U.S. manufacturers either quit making products that contained antimicrobial silver, or quit selling those products in the U.S.  See here, here, here, here and here to get an idea of the scorched earth campaign the EPA conducted against companies that were selling consumer goods infused with silver nanoparticles.

Finally, as I detailed in my previous article titled, “How Environmentalists Are Destroying the Market for Antimicrobial Silver,” the EPA then instituted a staggering and costly array of environmental studies all manufacturers of commercial nanosilver products must conduct – at their own expenses -- in order to bring to market a nanosilver-related product.

This includes toxicity studies such as fish toxicity, bird toxicity, algal toxicity, human toxicity, inhalation toxicity, dermal toxicity, repeated dose toxicity, environmental toxicity, genetic toxicity as well as “environmental fate” toxicity tests and a host of other studies too numerous to mention here, but which you can read about in detail in my above-linked article.

The bottom line is ever since the environmentalists sued the EPA over nanosilver in 2008, the EPA has instituted stringent new regulatory policies that have virtually choked off the manufacture of consumer goods containing silver nanoparticles.

No Documentation for Groundless Claims

So the implication that silver nanoparticles are so ubiquitous throughout the environment that they’re now working their way into fruits and veggies is absolutely groundless

And if you’ll look closely, you see that no documentation or reference whatsoever is given for the claim that farmers are using silver nanoparticles on their crops as a “pesticide.”  The contention is just stated as “truth,” without any corroborating detail.

And of course, this leaves the distinct impression that farmers everywhere are drenching their crops in silver nanoparticles in an effort to stop the proliferation of pests.  But once again, what’s the actual truth

Studied, But Not Yet Approved

Nanosilver use in agriculture food crops is indeed being studied, because the toxic chemicals used to eradicate pathogens harmful to crop growth are becoming less and less effective, yet their toxicity to the environment remains high. 

But it is not yet lawful to use nanosilver on crops.  It is merely in the “study” stage.  See, for example, the 2011 USDA study proposal at this link, titled “Silver Nanoparticles as Pesticide for Agricultural Applications.”

So the very premise of the article, which is apparently also the premise of the study being discussed (see abstract here) is quite erroneous at face value.   

So, how is Disclose.tv doing so far, in terms of revealing the “truth”? 

Keep in mind, this is only the first half of the very first paragraph of their news article.  And the way I see it, they’ve already made two statements that leave a decidedly false picture in the minds of their readers.  But if you think they’re not doing so good in the truth department, wait until you see the rest of their claims and contentions.

Here’s the second half of their first paragraph:

However, a growing concern is that these particles could pose a potential health risk to humans and the environment. In a new study, researchers at the University of Missouri have developed a reliable method for detecting silver nanoparticles in fresh produce and other food products. 

Note once again the clever juxtaposition of two different topics.  First, the claim that there’s “growing concern” that silver particles “could pose a potential health risk to humans and the environment.” 

Then we’re treated to the fact that University of Missouri researchers have developed a “reliable method for detecting silver nanoparticles in fresh produce and other food products.”

Once again, the reader is very cleverly led to believe that the use of silver nanoparticles either in agriculture or by manufacturers of consumer products is so widespread that fresh produce and other food products are being contaminated, which in turn, it is inferred, could harm humans as well as the environment.  

But notice there is still not a single shred of evidence or documentation presented for any of these speculative and sensationalistic contentions.  They’re just skillfully strung together to make the reader conclude there’s a serious problem.

Let’s move on to the next key paragraph of the Disclose.tv news article.  Remember, this is being set forth at “truth” to their readers…

"More than 1,000 products on the market are nanotechnology-based products," said Mengshi Lin, associate professor of food science in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. "This is a concern because we do not know the toxicity of the nanoparticles. Our goal is to detect, identify and quantify these nanoparticles in food and food products and study their toxicity as soon as possible."

Now the Disclose.tv news article quotes an “associate professor of food science” as breathlessly claiming there are “more than 1,000 nanotechnology-based products,” on the market.  And that “we do not know the toxicity of nanoparticles.” 

He then states, with equal urgency, that the goal of their research is to “detect, identify and quantify these nanoparticles in food products,” and additionally, to “study their toxicity as soon as possible.”

A very worthy endeavor, I think you’ll agree!  And this might be the most truthful statement in the entire news article.  You see, that’s because researchers really don’t know if nanoparticles are toxic.  They’re just guessing

Indeed, environmental researchers have been looking for toxicity in nanomaterials for the last ten years or longer, and they still can’t find any, though they’ve written innumerable sensationalistic articles and press releases claiming these materials are “potentially toxic” or “may be toxic.”

But once again, the way this article is so cleverly written, the readers is left with the distinct impression that nanoparticle toxicity is a given fact, and that silver nanoparticles are the main culprit.  However, the reality is far from it.

Here’s the truth:  According to Dr. Alan G.B. Lansdown, author of the definitive textbook for doctors, Silver in Healthcare:  Its Antimicrobial Efficacy and Safety in Use, “...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.” 

Indeed, to date, there’s no reliable scientific or medical data that anyone’s ever been harmed by the use of nanosilver or any other kind of nanomaterials in any commercial products. 

So this is literally one of the most dishonest and disingenuous pieces of journalism ever written, in my humble opinion. And I’d love to know who reviewed and edited this piece for Disclose.tv.  They should either be fired for gross incompetence, or given a raise for masterful propaganda production.

The “Contaminated” Pears

Next key paragraph:

Lin and his colleagues, including MU scientists Azlin Mustapha and Bongkosh Vardhanabhuti, studied the residue and penetration of silver nanoparticles on pear skin.

First, the scientists immersed the pears in a silver nanoparticle solution similar to pesticide application. The pears were then washed and rinsed repeatedly.

Results showed that four days after the treatment and rinsing, silver nanoparticles were still attached to the skin, and the smaller particles were able to penetrate the skin and reach the pear pulp. 

OMG!  The researcher discovered that if you soak a pear in “a silver nanoparticle solution” and then wash and rinse it (“repeatedly,” no less) and come back four days later, there will still be silver nanoparticles attached to the skin.  Alert the media!  (Oh, wait, I guess they did.)

My question:  How many U.S. pear farmers are “immersing” their pears in a solution of silver nanoparticles?  Can you name even one?  The Disclose.tv news article certainly doesn’t

This reminds me of the infamous “Fathead Minnow” study, in which researchers soaked poor little Fathead Minnows in a silver nanoparticle solution, afterwards examining the fish and finding cellular abnormalities.  The screaming headlines for several weeks read “Silver Nanoparticles Toxic to Fish.” 

Problem was, you can’t find a river, lake, stream or pond in all of America composed of anywhere near the levels of silver nanoparticles used on that study.  On the other hand, the world’s oceans contain literally millions of tons of trace silver, and they are absolutely teaming with fish and other wildlife species.

Now, this new study claims that when pears were “immersed” in a “silver nanoparticle solution similar to pesticide application” some of the silver stuck tenaciously to the pears, and some even penetrated the skin of the pears. Horror of horrors, right? 

How much silver was “still attached to the skin” isn’t disclosed by the article, of course. But we know from the Dartmouth University Toxic Metals program that humans routinely take in as much as 88 micrograms of silver per day, much of it from diet, and that the human body has such an effective mechanism for eliminating silver that 99% of it is “readily excreted from the body”. 

According to Dartmouth University researchers:

"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."

      -- Dartmouth University Toxic Metals Research Program
 
So my question is, why isn’t Disclose.tv disclosing this well-known fact to its readers, so they might enjoy some relevant scientific context through which to view the hyperbolic claims being made in their own article?

Oh, wait.  That would be fair and balanced, wouldn’t it?  Can’t have that, can we?  It’s sensationalism that sells.  Not balance.  Certainly not fairness.

The Disclose.tv article goes on to state:

"The penetration of silver nanoparticles is dangerous to consumers because they have the ability to relocate in the human body after digestion," Lin said. “Therefore, smaller nanoparticles may be more harmful to consumers than larger counterparts." 

Please note the double-minded nature of the above statements.  The first half of the statement conclusively tells us “penetration of silver nanoparticles is dangerous” – apparently, no ifs, ands or buts about it.  The second half of the statement says “smaller nanoparticles may be more harmful to consumers than larger counterparts.” 

No evidence is presented for either statement.  No documentation whatsoever.  In other words, once again, they’re simply making stuff up.  And covering their rears with weasel words like “may be,” for those readers astute enough to question the researcher’s obvious bias.

But this is the key:  The average reader is left with the distinct impression that silver at any level is toxic to humans…that small silver particles (i.e. silver nanoparticles) are more toxic to humans than others…and that farmers are slathering this stuff all over their crops – decidedly disingenuous assertions on all counts.  Indeed, there is not a single shred of evidence for these assertions.  What an article, right?

Next key paragraph:

When ingested, nanoparticles pass into the blood and lymph system, circulate through the body and reach potentially sensitive sites such as the spleen, brain, liver and heart.

Once again, it sounds very ominous, doesn’t it?  But note here, too, there is no documentation whatsoever provided for these assertions.  They’re not even in quotes, so they appear to be interjected by the writer of the article, rather than the researcher of the “pear” study.

The implication, of course, is that once silver circulates through the body it gets stuck in “sensitive sites such as the spleen, brain, liver and heart.”  But where’s the evidence for this?  Why is there no documentation?

As pointed out earlier, the Dartmouth University Toxic Metals program found that “over 99 percent [of ingested silver] is readily excreted from the body” and that “silver is not toxic to humans and is not known to cause cancer, reproductive or neurological damage, or other chronic adverse effects”.  

And in his textbook for doctors, Silver in Healthcare:  Its Antimicrobial Efficacy and Safety in Use, Dr. Alan G.B. Lansdown states, ““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 and urine.”

Finally, animal studies have demonstrated virtually ZERO toxicity for silver nanoparticles, even when astonishingly high dosages have been given to the test animals.  For example, see “New Research:  Silver Nanoparticles Not Toxic” at this link, and “Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles Non-Toxic to Animals Even at 5,000 PPM!” at this link

Why So Scary?

So, why so scary

I’ll tell you why.  It’s because the article is strictly agenda-driven; it was written with a preconceived editorial goal in mind, and that goal is to scare readers into believing silver nanoparticles are one of the most toxic substances on the face of the earth, and of course, that they’re invading our fruits and veggies, when of course, they’re simply not. 

Next key paragraph: 

The growing trend to use other types of nanoparticles has revolutionized the food industry by enhancing flavors, improving supplement delivery, keeping food fresh longer and brightening the colors of food. However, researchers worry that the use of silver nanoparticles could harm the human body.

Ahh…now we see the bias peeking through the sensationalism and obfuscation just a little bit more.  “Nanoparticles” are suddenly deemed to be good developments.  Not just good, but revolutionary developments! 

But not silver nanoparticles.  They’re quite evil.  They don’t have any evidence, of course.  You’re just supposed to trust them. After all, they wrote it down in a study, and people wrote articles about it, and quoted it.  And in the immortal words of late night TV host Craig Ferguson, “If it’s writ down, it must be true!

You’ll note, of course, that once again no evidence whatsoever is presented for these contentions by the author of the article.  Just the idea that researchers “worry” about silver nanopartilces -- apparently night and day. 

That’s a classic propaganda technique designed to impart fear into a target audience without presenting any evidence of validity.  Just state that “researchers worry” and gullible readers will pick up the cue and start wringing their hands in quiet unison. 

“Oh, my God, there’s silver nanoparticles infiltrating their way into my pears, and they’ll probably end up crawling into my brain, spleen, liver and heart.  We must immediately stop this evil conspiracy to turn me into a precious metal repository (before anyone figures out we don’t have any evidence whatsoever for our hysterical contentions).”

The Truth is Quite Revealing

So what’s the truth?  Are silver nanoparticles really toxic to crop plants?

I find it interesting that in a study published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Mycobiology, researchers found that applying varying levels of silver nanoparticles to the roots of green onion plants completely eradicated fungal infections known to destroy the plants.

Not only did the application of silver nanoparticles destroy the pathogenic plant fungus, but according to the study authors, it caused no harm whatsoever to beneficial soil microbes needed by the green onion plants for growth.  Nor was there any negative change in the soil chemistry or composition. 

What’s more, the nanosilver-treated green onion plants, once harvested, were demonstrated to have grown larger and to weigh more than the non-treated green onion plants.  The researchers also pointed out that the more nanosilver they applied to the  green onion plants, the lower the absorption levels into the plants became. 

The researchers stated, “When the amount of nano-silver was calculated in the plants grown in nano-silver treated soil, it was found that the concentration of nano-silver used for treatment and the concentration of nano-silver found in the plants was inversely proportional.”

In other words, contrary to the shrill concerns of the anti-silver environmentalists who claim silver will build up in crops to toxic levels, the plants themselves actually reduced their absorption of the nanosilver when higher levels were applied! 

The conclusion drawn by the study published in Mycobiology was staggering in its implications: 

Nano-silver liquid for the prevention of various plant pathogenic fungi is highly recommended to farmers.  Additionally, the use of nano-silver does not cause any harm to human beings, and it is safe for the environment and agricultural products.

In conclusion, we can say that by using nano-silver liquid, environmental pollution and the excessive use of chemical compounds in the field can be reduced.  It is expected that the application of nano-silver at low concentrations will be economic, eco friendly, and decrease farm management costs.”

In other words, contrary to the hyperbolic and sensationalistic cries of the anti-silver environmentalists, the use of nanosilver on crops, if it is ever approved by the FDA or USDA:

A.)   will not only save money by economically reducing crop loss caused by plant blight, and by decreasing the need for specialized farm management), but also…

B.) will increase crop yields by boosting the size and weight of the treated crops, and…

C.) will eliminate the need for many of the toxic chemicals used by farmers for pathogen control, and that can harm the environment

In short, the use of nanosilver on farm crops is actually an economically beneficial, yield-boosting and eco-friendly green idea!  So I say, bring it on.  It’s time we actually implement the idea, and put the darned naysayers to shame with the results!

How Anti-Silver Propaganda Is Spread

So there you have the truth.  But have you heard even a peep about this positive study from the news media?  

Nope.  Instead, a wide variety of online news sources have picked up on the sensationalistic story about the “nanosilver pears” study, which of course implies the world is about to come to an end thanks to the (alleged) presence of nanosilver in our fruits and veggies.   

What’s more, virtually every single one of the articles being published on the “nanosilver pears” study exaggerates its findings out of all proportions. For example:

  • The Examiner.com website picked up on the story, and posted an article titled “Too many toxic silver nanoparticles are on your vegetables and fruits.”  Of course, the study never stated there were “too many toxic silver nanoparticles in fruits and veggies.”  The writer of the story just made that up.
  • PreventDisease.com also picked up on the story, and posted an article titled “Silver Nanoparticle Pesticides Now Used By Farmers Cannot Be Washed Off And Pass Into The Lymph and Blood Circulation.”  Again, I ask, bring me one major agricultural producer who is currently slathering his crops with silver nanoparticles.  I can’t find any.  Can you? The entire headline was a great, big sensationalistic scare tactic.
  • Even NaturalNews.com – usually a very good source of information on natural living – seems to have gotten swept up in the hysteria, publishing an article titled “Scientists Find Way to Detect Toxic Nanoparticles in Food, Risks Still Unclear.”  They even warn their readers to avoid eating Pop Tarts, of all things, apparently due to the alleged potential of nanosilver being found in the fruit!  (Which of course, there’s no evidence of.) 
  • Finally, even MSN News picked up the story, claiming in their article, “When Mengshi Lin and his colleagues doused pears in silver nanoparticles to mimic what happens on farms, some nanoparticles remained stuck on the pears for four days after repeated washing.”  Problem is, of course, silver nanoparticles aren’t used on farms.  It is simply not a USDA-approved or FDA-approved crop treatment.  Once again, this is a very disingenuous tactic used to scare the general public into believing silver is somehow “toxic,” and our food is being slathered in it.
All in all, I found over 40 different websites carrying their own versions of this sensationalistic story, all screaming from the tops of their lungs that the sky is falling, the food is contaminated, and silver nanoparticles are to blame. 

Even More Anti-Silver Propaganda

What’s more, later permutations of the article about this study which I’ve found on a variety of websites and blogs suddenly started showing up containing a line that wasn’t present in earlier versions of the articles.  That newly introduced line reads: 

“Over 200 agricultural pesticides contain nanosilver, which studies have shown to be toxic to humans and the environment.”

Indeed, that statement is made in versions of the article found on The Activist Post blog, the Practical Populism blog, the Coto Report blog, the MultiPolar Future blog, the Global Elite blog, TheSleuthJournal.com website, and more!

For example, see The Activist Post blog, here

Not one of those online resources credits that statement to anyone in particular, or even remotely attempts to document the blatant assertion that “over 200 agricultural products contain nanosilver…”  Not a single one. 

So where does the statement actually come from?

Turns out, it apparently comes from a 2009 article published on the BeyondPesticides.org website, which had absolutely nothing to do with agricultural products.

Here’s the actual statement in a blog post from the Beyond Pesticides website titled “Nanosilver: Regulatory Issues”: 

“All pesticidal substances must be registered with the EPA in accordance with the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

Under FIFRA, silver nanoparticles meet the definition of a pesticide -- that is, as a substance that is intended to disinfect, sanitize, reduce, or mitigate growth or development of microbiological organisms.

As such, silver nanoparticles, with their antimicrobial activity, should and must be regulated by the EPA as a pesticide.

However, despite over 200 products being sold on the consumer marketplace, the EPA has done little to regulate or evaluate the potential health and environmental impacts these particles may cause.”

Do you see how the statement from the 2009 Beyond Pesticides article suddenly morphed just enough to make it sound like modern agriculture is slathering their farm products in nanosilver? 

In reality, the 2009 article on the BeyondPesticides.org website was talking about consumer products that utilized nanosilver in their makeup – i.e., things like computer keyboards, toothbrushes, telephone mouthpieces, and others in which keeping germs to a bare minimum was the goal.

There’s not a word about agricultural products in the entire article.  But because the word “pesticides” appears in it, someone apparently creatively adopted the statement and applied it to agricultural products in the newer articles on the “nanosilver pears” study.

This, my friends, is how a blatant propaganda campaign is run, and how the internet is used to “juice” the story, blow it out of all proportion, and spread it worldwide, regardless of how utterly improbable it actually is.

And once again, the innocent victim is nanosilver.  But what’s the real truth?

The truth of the matter is that ingested silver has been found to be quite harmless, as long as blatantly excessive levels are not ingested. Indeed, the world’s first ever colloidal silver human ingestion safety study was conducted last year.  It was a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.  And the researchers found no toxicity whatsoever from the ingestion of nanosilver.

And cultures all over the world regularly ingest small amounts of silver as an integral part of their diets, all with no harm whatsoever, as you can see in the article “Is Silver a Toxic Heavy Metal?” at this link

Your Thoughts?

So what do you think? Did the Disclose.tv article live up to its self-described motto of “Truth Revealed”?  Or did they fail miserably, in this particular case? 

As I’ve demonstrated in article after article after article after article, the anti-silver environmentalists have no problem using rank propaganda and sensationalistic scare tactics to achieve their ultimate goal of removing silver from the commercial marketplace (see, for example, “The Global Environmental Campaign to Ban Antimicrobial Silver,” here).   

Indeed, if you’ve come this far, you’ve just read a textbook example demonstrating exactly how they do it, in my humble opinion. 

Learn More…

For more great articles on colloidal silver and its astonishing healing and infection-fighting benefits, see the Colloidal Silver Update page. 

To learn what the experts have to say the safety and effectiveness of colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver, see the Expert Quotes on Colloidal Silver page of TheSilverEdge.com website. 

Read over 100 clinical studies and white papers on the safety and effectiveness of colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver, on the Clinical Studies page of TheSilverEdge.com website. 

To learn how to make your own high-quality, micro-particle colloidal silver, quickly and easily, in the comfort and privacy of your own home, and for less than 36 cents a quart, just click the link in this sentence. 

Meanwhile, I’ll be back next week with another great article on colloidal silver…

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


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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 and/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 2013 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved.


Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Scottish Firm Develops Colloidal Silver Anti-MRSA Soap for Hospitals

 beat mrsa with colloidal silver at www.TheSilverEdge.com
For years now I've been urging doctors and hospitals to start using colloidal silver in hospital wards in order to help control the spread of the deadly MRSA pathogen. 

And I've urged people due to be hospitalized to take their health and well-being into their own hands when they go into the hospital, by bringing colloidal silver, and a means of dispersing it, along with them.

Now, Scottish doctors and hospitals may finally be catching on.  Here are the details you won’t hear anywhere else…

Hi, Steve Barwick here, for TheSilverEdge.com

According to an article in The Scotsman newspaper, a Scottish company has developed a “long-lasting anti-MRSA soap” to be used by doctors in hospitals in order to help curtail the spread of MRSA. 

The newspaper states:

“A Scottish company has developed an anti-bacterial soap it claims protects against superbug MRSA and other germs for days after use.

Giltech, based in Ayr, said the soap leaves a residue of silver - an anti-bacterial agent - that is water resistant and stays on the hands for up to three days.

The firm is marketing the soap to hospitals and to the armed services for use in combat zones where daily washing might not be possible.

Microbiologist Hugh Pennington from the University of Aberdeen said surgeons and medics have used silver and other heavy metals to control infection for at least 200 years.

"The residual effect of a soap like this will never be as effective as hand-washing, as the mechanical effect of rubbing your hands with soap under water makes a difference," he said. "However, if it provides another tool in the defence against MRSA, it should find some level of use."

The soap, which will be available in bar and gel form, joins a group of silver products being introduced to hospitals soon.”

While this idea falls far short of what’s actually needed if hospitals really want to stop the spread of the deadly MRSA pathogen, it’s nevertheless an admittedly a good start. 

The problem is that it’s based on the premise that MRSA is spread solely by personal contact, i.e., the doctors are in contact with so many patients each day they inevitably get the MRSA pathogen on their hands when dealing with an infected patient.  And as the doctors deal with other patients, the pathogen is spread via contact.

But MRSA has been documented to spread throughout hospitals via other routes, as well. For example, MRSA has been found on the grills of hospital air vents, where it can be spread on air currents throughout the hospital every time the air conditioning or heating comes on.

What’s more, MRSA has been documented to have been found on hospital bed sheets, hospital gowns and even on the privacy curtains separating hospital beds.  And studies have shown that simply opening and closing the privacy curtains, or changing the bed sheets, or changing a patients hospital gown, can cause the pathogen to go airborne and infect others nearby.

So while it’s important to develop a product like this new hand soap that’s designed to help prevent the spread of MRSA in hospitals via personal contact, it’s even more important to help stop the spread of airborne MRSA.  And the only way to do that is to use colloidal silver as an air sanitizer, as well. 

Nothing New

The idea for using colloidal silver in hospitals to help stop the airborne spread of deadly MRSA infections is nothing new.  Nearly 10 years ago, for example, a British hospital was experimenting with the idea of using a $250,000 machine to spray an aerosolized silver mist throughout hospital rooms.

As reported by the British newspaper, The Sun, regarding using silver to stop the spread of MRSA in hospitals:

“Experts have long known silver is deadly to the superbug and is highly toxic to some other bacteria as well. It is already used in plasters and hospital dressings.

But now medics from Leicester University have created a generator that divides pieces of silver into billions of tiny particles. It then suspends them in liquid glycerol to be put into aerosols.

The particles are small enough to pass inside bacteria but do not kill human cells. The $250,000 machine’s inventor, Professor Chris Binns, said medical trials will start within the year. He also believes the silver ‘bullets’ produced by his machine could be used to fight HIV.”

Of course, $250,000 for a “generator” to aerosolize silver and spray it throughout hospital rooms is a bit much.  As you might imagine, few hospitals could afford it. 

But as I demonstrate in my article, “Colloidal Silver and Airborne MRSA Pathogens,” the exact same thing could be accomplished by putting a simple $40 cool mist vaporizer from Walmart into each hospital room, filling it with a moderate concentration of colloidal silver and allowing it to run off-and-on for ten or fifteen minutes at a time throughout the day thereby circulating colloidal silver throughout the hospital wards in an aerosolized form. 

Naturally, this same idea can be used in your home, as well, whenever a family member has an infectious illness you’d like to help limit the spread of.  See the above-linked article to learn more. 

Also, see my article at this link about using a “poor man’s nebulizer” to aerosolize colloidal silver and help spread it throughout your home during times of infectious illness such as cold or flu.

Does Colloidal Silver Really Kill MRSA?

Of course, for years now I’ve been calling on the medical community to implement the use of colloidal silver in hospitals to help dramatically reduce the spread of MRSA. 

For example, see my previous article “Hospital Failure to Use Colloidal Silver Now Resulting in Newborn Babies Infected With MRSA”, in which I reveal the fact that newborn babies in maternity hospitals are now being afflicted with potentially deadly MRSA infections.  This is due largely, in my opinion, to the refusal of the hospitals to use silver-based antimicrobial products for cleaning and disinfecting. 

If you’re unfamiliar with the clinical and anecdotal evidence documenting colloidal silver’s profound effectiveness against the MRSA pathogen, you might also want to take a quick look at the Colloidal Silver Cures MRSA website, which documents numerous proofs that colloidal silver absolutely demolishes the MRSA pathogen.

And you might also want to read some of the startling real-life anecdotal accounts from people who have successfully used colloidal silver to cure their own MRSA infections, in the article titled “Does Colloidal Silver REALLY Kill MRSA?” at this link

Make Your Own Colloidal Silver

Finally, it’s important to understand that you can make your own high-quality colloidal silver extremely inexpensively – for less than 36 cents a quart – if you own a new Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from The Silver Edge.

Learn more about making your own colloidal silver at the link in this sentence. 

And keep in mind that colloidal silver has been used successfully for over 100 years to kill disease-causing virusespathogenic fungi and yeast, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (including MRSA).
  • It even kills deadly microbes like E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Salmonella typhimurium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiela pneumonia.
  • Colloidal silver is even being studied by researchers as a safe, natural mouthwash which helps heal mouth ulcers and other oral infections.
To learn more about how people just like you are already using colloidal silver successfully to help keep their families safe and infection-free, be sure to read the colloidal silver testimonials page at TheSilverEdge.com website. 

There, you’ll learn from hundreds of experienced colloidal silver users exactly how they've used colloidal silver to deal with MRSA infections, herpes infections, sore throats, eye infections, prostate infections, skin cancer, Candida yeast infections, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome…

…infected cuts and burns, Poison Ivy, Swine Flu, sinus infections, infected boils, earaches, pet infections, viral infections, upper respiratory infections, low energy levels, diarrhea, allergies, infected abscesses, gum disease, tinnitus, arthritis, Pink Eye, facial rash…

…infected teeth and root canals, colitis, mononucleosis, toenail fungus, athlete’s foot, bad breath, body odors, so-called “incurable” cancers such as renal carcinoma and others, urinary tract infections, catheter and Indiana Pouch infections…

…canker sores, insomnia, depression, dandruff, psoriasis, infectious peritonitis, antibiotic-resistant pneumonia, and yes, way more than I could list in such a short article!

And if you’re already convinced that colloidal silver should be an important part of your natural health arsenal against infection and disease, then be sure to learn how to make your own high-quality colloidal silver, in the comfort and privacy of your own home, for less than 36 cents a quart.  Just click the link in this paragraph. 

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 and/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 2014 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Colloidal Silver Beats Fungal Infections Fast

Colloidal silver beats fungal infections fast!
I’m frequently asked if there’s any clinical evidence that colloidal silver is helpful at eradicating stubborn fungal infections. 

The answer is a great, big “YES!” 

There’s plenty of clinical evidence for the effectiveness of colloidal silver against fungal pathogens.  And lots of anecdotal evidence for it, as well. 

Here’s what you need to know…

Hi, Steve Barwick here, for TheSilverEdge.com

Fungal infections are some of the hardest infections to get rid of, often requiring weeks or even months of treatment with harsh antifungal drugs known to cause liver damage and other side effects. 

But colloidal silver is VERY effective against fungal pathogens.  And when used properly it has none of the potentially serious side effects of the prescription antifungal drugs.   

Numerous Clinical Studies

Indeed, numerous clinical studies going back to the 1970’s have demonstrated the profound effectiveness of colloidal silver against a wide variety of fungal pathogens.  For example:


At the above link you can read the classic, 1976 clinical study by Dr. Robert O. Becker, M.D. and colleagues, who demonstrated that electrically generated silver ions at less than 2 ppm concentration have greater fungicidal properties than much more concentrated silver compounds such as silver sulfadiazine and silver nitrate. 

Dr. Becker and his colleagues concluded, “All (fungal) organisms were inhibited by a silver concentration of 4.7 ug/ml or less, and the fungicidal concentration of silver was as low as 1.9 ug/ml.” 

(Editor’s note:  “ug/ml” is the same as ppm).  So some fungal pathogens were inhibited at silver ion concentrations as low as 1.9 ppm, and all fungal organisms tested were inhibited at 4.7 ppm.) 


At the above link, you can read a much newer study published in the Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnolgy in August, 2008.

This study demonstrated that silver nanoparticles exert “considerable antifungal activity” against Candida albicans (i.e., the cause of Candida yeast infections) and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (i.e., the cause of many fungal infections of the hair, skin and nails).

Indeed, the researchers demonstrated that antimicrobial silver was comparable in effectiveness to Amphotericin B, one of the most powerful prescription antifungal drugs.  And the silver was actually superior in effectiveness to the well-known anti-fungal drug fluconazole (i.e., Diflucan). 

This study is further discussed at this link.

In the breakthrough study above, published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Mycobiology, researchers found that colloidal silver handily demolishes Sclerotium cepivorum, a fungi known to infect and destroy crops and other plants.

Indeed, the researchers found that applying varying levels of silver nanoparticles to the roots of green onion plants completely eradicated the fungal infections. The researchers concluded:

“Nano-silver liquid for the prevention of various plant pathogenic fungi is highly recommended to farmers.

Additionally, the use of nano-silver does not cause any harm to human beings, and it is safe for the environment and agricultural products.

In conclusion, we can say that by using nano-silver liquid, environmental pollution and the excessive use of chemical compounds in the field can be reduced.

It is expected that the application of nano-silver at low concentrations will be economic, eco friendly, and decrease farm management costs.”


In this 2010 clinical study published in Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance it was demonstrated that embedding antimicrobial silver into fabric such as that used for hospital gowns, medical uniforms and wound dressings gave the fabric demonstrable antifungal properties. 

When the silver-impregnated fabric was tested against fungi such as Candida albicans, researchers noted “measurable zones of inhibition,” whereas untreated fabric produced no such zones of inhibition. 

The researchers concluded that hospital gowns, uniforms and wound dressings treated with antimicrobial silver would have significant antifungal properties.


In the above study, published in 2011 in the journal Biofouling, researchers demonstrated that antimicrobial silver not only has a profound antifungal effect on two forms of Candida yeast fungus, but is also effective in destroying the biofilms produced by these fungal pathogens.

Biofilms allow fungal pathogens to adhere to cell walls and form tiny “fortresses” similar to plaque.  This helps protect the fungal pathogens from antifungal drugs, as well as from the immune system and from any other natural predators in the human body.

So this is an important new study, because in many cases fungal biofilms are what stymie modern drug-based therapies from actually reaching the fungal pathogens.

Thankfully, silver seems to have no problem busting through these fungal biofilms. 


In a 2012 study published in Letters in Applied Microbiology, researchers looked at the use of different sizes of silver nanoparticles to determine their anti-fungal properties against Candida albicans and Candida glabrata.

The researchers determined that a simple mouthwash containing silver nanoparticles could quite easily resolve stubborn oral fungal infections.

The two yeasts studied are common causes of oral thrush and dental stomatitis (i.e., a painful infection affecting seven out of ten denture wearers). 

Infections like these are particularly difficult to treat because the fungal microorganisms involved form protective biofilms that prevent prescription antifungal drugs from working.

The researchers found that all sizes of silver nanoparticles tested were “equally effective at killing the yeasts.” 

They concluded, “With the emergence of Candida infections which are frequently resistant to the traditional antifungal therapies, there is an increasing need for alternative approaches…

…Silver nanoparticles appear to be a new potential strategy to combat these infections. As the nanoparticles are relatively stable in liquid medium they could be developed into a mouthwash solution in the near future.”


In the above study, published in the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics in March 2013, researchers focused on determining whether or not silver nanoparticles could be used as an effective treatment for fungal infections of the eyes. 

Fungal keratitis, for example, is emerging as a “major cause of vision loss” in developing nations due largely to the unavailability of effective antifungal drugs.

Over 200 different strains of ocular fungal pathogens were studied – chiefly strains of Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Alternaria alternate.  Antimicrobial silver was found to be effective against all of them.

According to the study authors, “Susceptibility tests were performed against 216 strains of fungi isolated from patients with fungal keratitis…silver nanoparticles exhibit potent in vitro activity against ocular pathogenic filamentous fungi.

Anecdotal Evidence

In addition to all of the clinical evidence demonstrating how powerfully effective antimicrobial silver is against pathogenic fungi, there’s also tons of anecdotal evidence for colloidal silver’s profound effectiveness against fungal pathogens. 

Indeed, thousands of colloidal silver users have demonstrated colloidal silver’s effectiveness against fungal infections for themselves, and have documented their accounts.  For example:  
  • Toenail Fungus -- Colloidal silver has been demonstrated, anecdotally, to work against toenail fungus.  You can read an article documenting one such case, and explaining in a step-by-step fashion how it was done, here
  • Athlete’s Foot and Other Topical Fungal Infections -- Colloidal silver has also been demonstrated, anecdotally, to work against athlete’s foot fungus and other topical fungal infections, as well.  Read the real-life anecdotal accounts of successful treatments with colloidal silver here. 
  • Valley Fever Fungus -- Colloidal silver has even been demonstrated, anecdotally, to work against the potentially deadly fungus behind Valley Fever, known as Coccidioides, of which there are now an estimated 150,000 cases per year in the U.S.  Learn how others have used colloidal silver against Valley Fever fungal infections here
  •  Dandruff -- Colloidal silver has also been demonstrated anecdotally to work against the fungus that causes dandruff.  Learn how dandruff sufferers have ended their suffering for good, in the article at this link
  • Mildew and Mold -- Many people also use colloidal silver around the home as a disinfectant, in order to keep mildew, mold and bacteria at bay.  See the article "20 Top Ways to Use Colloidal Silver Around the House" at this link.   
So silver has long been known by researchers to have profound antifungal properties. And colloidal silver users have documented its often profound effectiveness against fungal infections, anecdotally, as well.

As one reader who battled a stubborn fungal infection of the sinuses for nearly a year recently wrote:

“I finally retired, and moved into a new house…Approximately 8 months to a year after I moved in the house, I had a bad sinus infection which required surgery…

After surgery, I felt better for a few weeks, then about 6 weeks later, the infection was back even worse.

My ENT told me he did not think this was a sinus issue. He said it looked more like a fungus. I asked why I had fungus in my sinus and what caused it? He replied, "It’s caused by breathing mold or mildew.”

He asked if there was mold in my house. I replied that I purchased a new house and it couldn't possibly have mold in it. But I checked the outside of my home and found evidence that did point to the possibility of mold.

Since the house was still under warranty, I requested the developer make appropriate repairs. But he refused to admit anything was wrong with the house.

A culture sent off by my doctor indeed confirmed it was fungus caused by mold. I then hired a contractor to replace all window facings that had mold or rotten spots that could be detected.

What the contractor found was my entire bedroom outside wall was horribly molded. The wafer board had just dissolved inside the wall and I had been breathing it for 2 years by the time it was repaired.

The doctor immediately put me on an aggressive treatment of 3 drugs mixed with saline solution in a nebulizer, plus the strongest antifungal pill he could prescribe to treat fungus. (30 days of the pills cost $3,000.00, my insurance only paid $2500.00. I had to pay the $500.  Per month!)

This treatment went on for about a year, but the fungus was not going away. Meanwhile, my son had been trying to get me to try silver water. I was ready to try something different, so I ordered the generator. I stopped all other treatments and started using the silver water. 

When I went back to my doctor 6 weeks later, I told him what I had done. After doing a scope, he said the lining in my sinus area was showing some signs of improvement, and to keep using the silver water. Four or five months later he released me, saying, “Continue to use silver water.”

I have now gone 7 months without having to see him. I drink 1 ounce of silver water every morning and every night. The silver water saved my life, and it has kept me from catching the flu or stomach bug from people I am around, Thank you, thank you!”

And as another reader recently wrote in to say: 

“We love our new Silver making gizzmo.. love it love it..I have been using it on all kind of things…

…the neatest so far was this:  I made a 6 hour batch of colloidal silver and sprayed enough to just make it wet on some mold that had formed in the earth around a house plant.

All signs of the mold are still gone after 4 days. Before, that mold would have killed the plant.

I'm sure I'll be finding all kinds of uses for it…thanks!”

And as a reader from Littlerock, CA explained:

“I use the colloidal silver for many things.

I'm a farrier and I give it to customers for clearing up thrush [i.e., yeast infections] in horse’s feet. It has controlled chronic thrush infections in a number of horses I treat.

It’s also been successful in treating summer itch which is a fungal infection that horses get in warmer weather.

I also use it myself for athlete’s foot, skin injuries, as a mouth wash, and just about any external injury.”

And as reader Nancy S. from Topeka, KS wrote:

“My 25 yr old daughter had been treating a foot fungus with many different over-the-counter products, with no luck in clearing up the fungus.

She had suffered with the pain and itching for almost a month. I encouraged her to dab on some silver water. She did and immediately the itching stopped.

I sent her home with a small bottle. The next day she called me....she had applied it several times that day. The pain was gone and the deep redness had changed to a pale pink. In 3 days after first application.....fungus was gone!!

I am no longer skeptical about it.”

As you can see, anecdotal accounts of colloidal silver effectiveness against stubborn fungal infections abound.  You can read more accounts of successful colloidal silver usage against fungal, bacterial and viral infections of all kinds at the Colloidal Silver Testimonials page. 

Making Your Own High-Quality Colloidal Silver

If you’d like to know how to make your own high-quality colloidal silver, quickly and easily, in the comfort and privacy of your own home, and for less than 36 cents a quart (compared to health food store prices of $20 to $30 for a tiny, four-ounce bottle), just check out the information at link in this sentence.

Making your own colloidal silver is not only quick and easy and extremely inexpensive, it’s actually better than purchasing over-priced health food store brands.  Here are 7 Good Reasons to Make Your Own Colloidal Silver

And here’s a short, 4-step tutorial demonstrating exactly how easy it is to use a home colloidal silver generator like the new Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from The Silver Edge, to make your own high-quality colloidal silver. 

Colloidal silver not only works astonishingly well on fungal infections, but bacterial and viral infections, too.  As one reader from southern California recently wrote:

“When my new Micro-Particle Colloidal Sivler Generator arrived I was down for the count, having caught some kind of virus.

While my head was plugged up and body aching, I hurriedly created my first batch of Colloidal Silver.

I took 4 ounces the first day and felt 50% better in less than 8 hours! The second, day I again took 4 ounces; incredibly I felt the same overwhelming results.

By the third day, I had risen from my bed and returned to work! The massive amount of energy I now receive from taking an ounce a day has brought new life to this old 53 year old man!

If I had never purchased your video I would never have known about this wonderful elixir.

Thank you so much for your research, newsletters and providing me with the best Colloidal Silver Generator on the planet! I am driving my friends crazy telling them about it!"

You can read more about making your own high-quality colloidal silver by clicking the link in this sentence.

Meanwhile, I’ll be back next week with another great article about colloidal 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 and/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 2014 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved.