Researchers Again Prove Silver Ions Kill Pathogens, Not Metallic Silver

Researchers from two different medical universities in Taiwan have once again demonstrated that the ionic form of silver, and not the metallic/nanosilver form, is what kills pathogens. 

Indeed, even when nanosilver is used against pathogens, it’s the silver ions being shed from the metallic silver particles that slaughter the microbes.  The nanosilver itself has little to no antimicrobial benefit.

In this latest study, the researchers used cutting edge X-ray technology to examine dead pathogens that had been treated with metallic nanosilver.  And they found the pathogens to be filled with silver ions and not the metallic nanosilver they treated them with.    

In other words, the metallic nanosilver had to shed silver ions in the presence of the pathogens in order to kill them.  The nanosilver itself didn’t even penetrate the bacterial shell.  But the silver ions that were shed by the metallic nanosilver did.

This, once more, puts the lie to the oft-stated claim that the metallic form of silver kills pathogens, while the ionic form is “inert.”  The truth is quite the opposite.  Here’s the story you won’t read anywhere else…

Hi, Steve Barwick here, for The Silver Edge…

I continue to see people posting articles on the internet claiming that the metallic form of colloidal silver is the only effective antimicrobial form, and that the ionic form of colloidal silver is not effective at all against pathogens.

Of course, I’ve debunked that oft-repeated notion numerous times over the past 20 years, and have demonstrated that the truth is quite the opposite of these erroneous assertions. 

I even published an entire web page replete with tons of clinical documentation and quotes from bona-fide clinical research experts to demonstrate just how false the notion is.

You can read that web page here:  True Colloidal Silver Facts 

Another New Study Proves

Ionic Silver But Not Metallic Silver Kills Pathogens

Now, brand new research has confirmed the older research I’ve previously reported on – and it’s done so in quite an unusual way.

In a clinical study titled “The Antimicrobial Properties of Silver Nanoparticles in Bacillus subtilis are Mediated by Released Ag+ Ions,” clinical researchers from two different medical universities in Taiwan did something quite different from what’s been done in other studies.

First, they exposed pathogens to metallic silver nanoparticles -- i.e., very small submicroscopic particles of metallic silver -- and waited until the pathogens died.

That’s where most researchers generally stop and conclude that particles of metallic nanosilver kill pathogens. 

But this intrepid group of researchers decided to take the time to examine the silver inside of the pathogens and determine what kind of silver it was. 

Their hope was to determine whether the metallic nanosilver itself was the antimicrobial agent, or whether the metallic nanosilver was merely shedding silver ions in order to kill the pathogens. 

What the researchers discovered was that there was no metallic nanosilver whatsoever inside of the pathogens. 

Indeed, the chemical “signature” of raw metallic silver – i.e., Ag0 – could not be found.  Instead, the silver that penetrated and killed the pathogens was composed of silver ions -- i.e., Ag+ -- which through the process of oxidation had been converted inside the bacteria to Ag₂0 (silver oxide) after they died. 

In other words, the researchers proved what I’ve said all along:  Metallic nanosilver is basically inert.  It cannot kill infectious microbes except to the extent that it sheds silver ions in the presence of the microbes, and the silver ions then penetrate the bacterial cell wall and kill the microbe. 

Here’s What the Researchers Wrote

Here, in brief, is what the researchers wrote after completing their study (I’ll explain their findings briefly, afterwards):

“There is an ongoing debate over whether silver nanoparticles inherently possess toxicity, or if microbial toxicity is dependent on leached Ag+ ions [i.e, silver ions – ED] from nanoparticles.

To clarify this issue, we utilized XANES/EXAFS analysis to assess the fine structure of silver particles present within Bacillus subtilis cells treated with 100 ppm of silver nanoparticles.

This data strongly suggests that in aqueous solutions, silver nanoparticles leach off positively charged silver ions, which subsequently enter bacterial cells and are oxidized to form Ag₂O [silver oxide – ED].

If silver nanoparticles entered cells directly, it would have been possible to detect spectra corresponding to the Ag standard.

… this is the first study to directly analyze silver particles present within bacterial cells treated with silver nanoparticles, and the results indicate that positively charged silver ions are primarily responsible for silver nanoparticle microbial toxicity.

…our results support the theory that silver nanoparticles exert microbial toxicity through the release of positively charged silver ions that subsequently penetrate into bacterial cells.”

-- The Antimicrobial Properties of Silver Nanoparticles in Bacillus subtilis are Mediated by Released Ag+ Ions, PLOS-One, December 15, 2015

This is quite fascinating, of course, because the so-called “true colloidal silver” crowd is always claiming that silver ions become neutralized in the body and therefore cannot kill pathogens, and that only metallic nanosilver (aka silver nanoparticles) can penetrate the shell wall of the microbes and kill them. 

But this new study (along with many older studies I document on the aforementioned True Colloidal Silver Facts web page) demonstrates conclusively that metallic silver nanoparticles don’t penetrate infectious microbes and kill them, but silver ions being shed by the metallic silver nanoparticles do. 

Proper Examination Proves the Point

What makes this new study stand out head-and-shoulders above the others is that the researchers actually took the time to examine the silver inside of the dead microbes, and determine what actually killed them.

They used a special form of x-ray analysis called “XANES/EXAFS analysis” to determine what kind of silver would be found inside the dead microbes. 

And what they found were silver ions that had penetrated the bacterial shells, killed the bacteria, and then were oxidized, i.e., turning the ionic silver into silver oxide similar to the gray coating you’ll find on the positive silver rod of a colloidal silver generator after making a batch of ionic colloidal silver.

Indeed, the researchers essentially concluded that the metallic nanosilver serves as nothing more than a carrier or reservoir of silver ions.  But it cannot kill the pathogen without shedding those ions.  The silver ions are the real assassins.  The metallic nanosilver is merely the vehicle through which the silver ions are delivered to the microbe. 

All of which leads me to point out once again that the ionic form of colloidal silver is superior to the metallic nanosilver form, because it doesn’t have to be converted from metallic silver to ionic silver inside the human body in order to be effective.

This demonstrates once more that the silver ion (i.e., ionic silver) is the active, infection-fighting form of silver, and that metallic nanosilver can only work against pathogens to the extent it sheds silver ions.

More importantly, it demonstrates that when researchers claim they’ve proven in clinical studies that nanosilver kills pathogens, they’ve never checked to see if the “specie” of silver inside the pathogens is the metallic nanosilver they used in the study, or the silver ions being shed by the nanosilver in the presence of the pathogens. 

Instead, they simply assumed it was the metallic nanosilver doing the killing.  And of course, as the old saying goes, whenever one “assumes” something, the end result often makes an “ass” out of “u” and “me.”

The Rice University Study

In a previous clinical study which I reported on several years ago, researchers from Rice University produced similar results:

Quoting directly from the Abstract of the Rice University study, titled "Negligible Particle-Specific Antibacterial Activity of Silver Nanoparticles", which was published in the July 5, 2012 issue of the journal Nano Letters:

"For nearly a decade, researchers have debated the mechanisms by which silver nanoparticles exert toxicity to bacteria and other organisms. The most elusive question has been whether the silver nanoparticles exert direct "particle-specific" effects beyond the known antimicrobial activity of released silver ions (Ag⁺).

Here, we infer that silver ions are the definitive molecular toxicant.

We rule out direct particle-specific biological effects by showing the lack of toxicity of silver nanoparticles when synthesized and tested under strictly anaerobic conditions that preclude Ag(0) oxidation and Ag⁺ release.”

In other words, when the researchers took away the ability of the metallic nanosilver to shed silver ions, the metal particles were no longer toxic to bacteria. It is only when metallic silver (i.e., nanosilver) is able to shed silver ions that it can kill bacteria.

So the big question is this:  Why bother to use metallic nanosilver at all, when instead you can simply use the active infection-fighting form of colloidal silver – ionic silver – and kill the pathogens faster and more reliably? 

Learn to Make Your Own

Ionic Colloidal Silver

Not only is ionic silver the active, infection-fighting form of colloidal silver, it’s also extremely easy to make with the right equipment.  In fact, it’s so easy I know 85 year old grandmas who routinely make their own high-quality ionic colloidal silver.

Of course, ionic colloidal silver is sold in just about every health food store in America. Indeed, it’s the #1 most popular form of colloidal silver on the market, and that’s because it works so well against pathogens.  But it’s awfully expensive to buy, averaging about $20 to $30 for a tiny four-ounce bottle, which is about $5 to $7 per ounce. 

Thankfully, you can make your own high-quality ionic colloidal silver for about one penny per ounce, with a new Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from The Silver Edge. 

What’s more, colloidal silver is so simple to make at home, anyone who can use a coffee pot has all the skill needed to make their own safe, natural ionic colloidal silver.  Let me demonstrate for you how amazingly simple it is:

1.) Just plug the two pure .999 fine silver rods into the two jacks in the bottom of the generator box, one on each side of the bubbler tube.

 2.)  Sit the generator box on top of a one-quart glass jar full of pure steam-distilled water, so that the two silver rods and the bubbler tube are immersed in the water.

  

3.) Set the handy appliance timer for three hours, and plug it into any convenient grounded household electrical outlet.

4.) Plug the generator into the timer and then turn the timer wheel clockwise until you hear the generator start bubbling. The generator will shut off automatically after three hours.

It’s really that easy!  You just “Set it, and forget it.” And you get a perfect batch of high-quality micro-particle colloidal silver every time!

When you’re finished, you’ll have a full quart of high-quality micro-particle colloidal silver.  And you can make quart after quart for the rest of your life, for less than 36 cents each! 

Indeed, the set of pure .999 fine silver rods that comes with your generator is enough to make over $24,000 worth of colloidal silver (I’m not kidding you; see here)!

Why should you ever again pay $20 to $30 for a tiny, four-ounce bottle of ionic colloidal silver at the health food store, when you can make your own superior-quality micro-particle ionic colloidal silver for just pennies per quart?

Almost FREE, for the Rest of Your Life!

Obviously, having the ability to make your own high-quality micro-particle ionic colloidal silver for only a few pennies per quart is about as close as you’ll ever get to having "free" colloidal silver for the rest of your life

And you’ll have it available any time you or a family member, friend or loved one needs it. 

And because the ionic silver particles produced by this amazing breakthrough in colloidal silver-making technology are as low as .8 nm – a fraction of a single nanometer – their effectiveness against colonies of pathogenic microbes is astonishing. 

Perhaps that’s why so many thousands upon thousands of people absolutely rave about the effectiveness of their homemade micro-particle colloidal silver, as you can see at this web page full of real-life colloidal silver success stories. 

Discover How Easy It Is…

If you’d like to learn more about making your own high-quality colloidal silver for just pennies per quart, you can…

• Read how unbelievably simple it is to make your own high-quality colloidal silver for less than 36 cents a quart, here. 

• Learn why the Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator is the world’s #1 best-selling colloidal silver generator, here. 

• Find out how to save a whopping $100 on a brand new Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator, here. 

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,

Steve Barwick, author
The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual

Helpful Links:

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Colloidal Silver

                                                                                               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 nota 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. 

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