Monday, June 25, 2012

Has the Solution to “Nanosilver Pollution” Been Discovered?


Young environmentalists are now being trained to work from the standpoint that nanosilver is a “toxic pollutant” that must be detected in the environment, and ultimately eliminated.  But is that true?  Or is it an unproven assumption? 

More importantly, is there a beneficial role for silver nanoparticles in the environment?  And if researchers find a way to eliminate silver nanoparticles from the environment, will there be unintended consequences that will over time negatively impact millions of people? 

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

I recently read several news stories about a young Canadian student named Adam Noble who earlier this year won top honors at an international science fair in Pittsburgh with his project, “Euglena: The Solution to Nanosilver Pollution.”

According to this news article, the young man has demonstrated how to use a particular microorganism called Euglena to help detect nanosilver in the water in wastewater treatment plants, and eradicate it by using the microbe as a “filter” before the water is released back into rivers, lakes, streams and community water supply systems. 

Apparently, the nanosilver can then be collected from the microbes through a chemical process. And over time the silver can be sold for enough money to help pay for the costs of the water treatment.

Very fascinating…and I must congratulate the young man on his scientific acumen and entrepreneurial spirit!

But Since When Is Nanosilver a “Pollutant”?

My question, however, is this:  Since when is nanosilver considered to be a "pollutant"?   

Only 20 years ago, during the time when silver halide was used heavily in the film-making and film-processing industries, an estimated 10 times more silver was making its way into wastewater treatment plants than today. 

But photographic film is hardly used at all now, ever since the advent of digital photography in the early 1990’s.  And as a result, according to the latest estimates, the levels of silver in wastewater have been reduced dramatically, in some cases by as much as 90%.

Yet back in the late 1980’s when levels of silver in wastewater had reached an historic peak before plummeting, there were no shrill cries over silver "pollution" and no attempts to curtail the levels of silver in wastewater plants by banning the use of silver in the photography and film-making industries.    

So why today, when so little silver is making its way into the environment compared to two decades ago, are we hearing the constant hysterical cries of the environmentalists who say we must ban the use of antimicrobial silver in all consumer products, or face an ecological Armageddon?

Blame It On the Rain?

After all, the environment itself -- including the land, oceans, rivers, lakes and streams -- are already literally awash in millions of tons of nanosilver in the form of trace mineral silver that's always there naturally.  And yet no environmental catastrophe has ever ensued from this decided abundance of nanosilver in nature. 

What's more, it's only recently been discovered that Mother Nature routinely makes her own silver nanoparticles, and has been doing so for millennia.  Indeed, she’s apparently the world's most prolific producer of silver nanoparticles.  (See "Is Mother Earth Making Her Own Colloidal Silver").

Does Nature Use Silver Nanoparticles
To Help Control Infectious Microbes?

So, here’s another question:  What if silver nanoparticles are one of nature's many ways of controlling the spread of infectious microorganisms on this earth? 

Indeed, far from being a “pollutant,” what if nanosilver is, in fact, absolutely necessary to the ecology, lest insects, animals and human beings alike become awash in infectious microorganisms and disease? 

And what if science projects like this young man's -- which assume nanosilver is a "pollutant" and makes no attempt to distinguish between levels of man-made nanosilver in the environment, and natural levels of nanosilver -- ultimately lead to the ability to eliminate silver nanoparticles from local, regional and national water sources? 

What then?  Would we be safe from so-called "nanosilver pollution"?  Or would we then be more exposed to infectious microorganisms than at any time in our history?

Law of Unintended Consequences

These are the kinds of questions I like to ask, before assuming anything

The law of unintended consequences states that even the most well-intentioned actions always have consequences that are unanticipated.  And this law comes into play most often when people assume something to be true that isn’t, and then base their work around that erroneous assumption. 

If nanosilver is assumed to be a “toxic pollutant,” rather than a necessary environmental protectant, what would be the unintended consequences of eliminating it?

Today, radical anti-silver environmentalist who are said to be taking millions of dollars in contributions from charitable foundations set up by Big Pharma are working to eliminate the use of silver nanoparticles in consumer products. 

By doing so, they prevent consumers from being able to purchase products that help stop the spread of infectious microorganisms and disease around the home and office. 

And of course, they do so under the banner of “saving the environment” from an “ecological catastrophe” they claim will undoubtedly ensue if the use of antimicrobial silver in consumer products is not soon banned altogether. 

But as I’ve pointed out many times in past articles, for some 120 years now nanosilver has been used widely in commercial applications – including swimming pools, spas, water fountains, water filters, commercial disinfectants, cleaning agents and much more with literally zero negative effects on the environment.

So why has there been no environmental catastrophe in over 120 years, in spite of this widespread use of man-made nanosilver? 

It’s because over time nanosilver is widely known to fall to the bottom of aquatic bodies and waterways, where it’s incorporated into sediments and bound with organic material such as sulphur, at which point it’s essentially neutralized, losing its supposed “toxic” nano-scale properties.  

In other words, nature, which makes its own silver nanoparticles, also has its own way of protecting us from any excess buildup of nanosilver!

So while some of the silver that man takes from the environment, modifies into nanosilver and utilizes in consumer products ends up back in the environment over time, it still poses little or no harm to the ecology. 

More Important Questions…

Therefore, I have to ask again:  Is it realistic to label nanosilver as a dangerous “toxic pollutant,” as the radical anti-silver environmentalists do? 

Or is that merely a red herring being used by the environmentalists and their benefactors in Big Pharma to eliminate the availability of consumer products that protect us from the indiscriminate spread of infectious microorganisms? 

Another question:  Are innovative science projects like the one discussed above necessary to help prevent a potential future environmental catastrophe?

Or are they merely exercises in environmental self-aggrandizement being carried out by well-intentioned environmentalist-oriented youngsters operating under the preconceived but misguided and biased notion that nanosilver is an inherently evil “pollutant”?

Unfortunately, young environmentalists today have been trained to work solely from the assumption that silver is a "toxic pollutant" with no value whatsoever to the environment and its ecology.

They don’t question this assumption.  They don’t even ask for the evidence – even though it’s an assumption that would place Mother Nature as one of the world's top environmental polluters, since she is indeed the world's most prolific producer of silver nanoparticles.

The bottom line is this:  Maybe nature has a good REASON for producing silver nanoparticles.  Maybe labeling nanosilver as a "pollutant" and working to eradicate it from our environment altogether is going to cause more problems than it fixes. 

And what if that's the whole plan, anyway? 

Well, as conspiratorial as that may sound, it’ certainly something to chew on as we watch the environmentalists continue to rail against a supposed “threat” that’s not caused any harm in 120 years. 

I’ll write on this topic again in the near future.  But please let me remind you that when you own the means of colloidal silver production, there’s nothing the environmentalists and their bureaucratic counterparts can do to stop you from enjoying access to safe, natural antimicrobial silver and all of its infection-fighting benefits. 

So learn more about making your own colloidal silver by clicking the link. 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

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Will Colloidal Silver Work Against the New Drug-Resistant Form of Gonorrhea?


The news media has been abuzz lately with articles about the new drug-resistant form of gonorrhea, which appears to be spreading around the world. 

Unfortunately, gonorrhea, also known as “the clap,” is one of the most prevalent of all sexually transmitted diseases, with more than 100 million people infected each year.

Will colloidal silver or other forms of antimicrobial silver turn out to be the solution to stopping the spread of this deadly new form of gonorrhea?  As you’ll see in the article below, at least one medical news source is now calling on researchers to start looking into its use…

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

According to an article in Medical News Today, the World Health Organization says a new drug-resistant form of the sexually transmitted disease gonorrhea could cause “an epidemic of sexually transmitted infections around the world.”

Apparently, the standard treatment for stubborn gonorrhea infections, an antibiotic drug called ceftriaxone, is slowly losing its effectiveness, and doctors are beginning to run out of treatment options for patients with the drug-resistant form of the disease. 

So the World Health Organization is calling on researchers to come up with different treatment options before the problem gets out of hand.

Antimicrobial Silver to the Rescue?

Apparently, one of those options could be a return to the use of antimicrobial silver, or at least the silver compound known as silver nitrate.  Note the last paragraph in the Medical News Today article.  It reads:

“In the middle ages, physicians are said to have used mercury injection via the urinary meatus, but by the 19th century, silver nitrate became widely used and later colloidal silver, which was marketed as Protargol by Bayer from 1897 onwards, until the first antibiotics became available in the 1940s. Perhaps researchers would be wise to take another look at the silver nitrate possibility.”

The writer acknowledges that both silver nitrate and an older form of colloidal silver called Protargol (a silver protein compound) were used to treat gonorrhea in the early 1900's.  And now that antibiotics are no longer working well against this new "untreatable" strain of gonorrhea, the Medical News Today writer recommends researchers take another look at silver nitrate as a potential cure for the disease.

The only problem with the early silver treatments for gonorrhea – such as silver nitrate, Protargol and others -- was that for the most part they either had to be administered intravenously, or by injection, or by "inunction" which was a method of mixing the silver with an absorbable substance and then forcing high levels of silver into the body by rubbing it into the skin (which, unfortunately, sometimes left permanent skin staining). 

Dr. Wilson’s Stunning Clinical Report from the 1900’s

However, in an older clinical report from the early 1900’s titled “Venereal Diseases: Their Treatment and Cure” by Dr. Omar Wilson, M.D., and published in a journal called The Canadian Medical, the colloidal silver protein compound known as Protargol was said to be an astonishingly helpful treatment for gonorrhea when instilled into the urethra of the penis. 

While this does not sound particularly pleasant, here’s what Dr. Wilson wrote in his report:

“Some years ago I was afforded the opportunity of experimenting with germicidal preparations in gonorrhea. After prolonged experiments I became convinced that Protargol gave the best results, and curiously enough, that one-half percent Protargol was remarkably more efficient than solutions of greater strength.”

Dr. Wilson believed that “one hundred per cent of cases of gonorrhea are curable” if the right treatments were used in a professional manner.  “Such results, however, are only obtainable,” Dr. Wilson advised, “with men properly and scientifically trained.”

Dr. Wilson goes on to say that in cases where the gonorrhea symptoms are largely focused in the urethra (i.e., the tube of the penis) causing inflammation, irrigating the urethra with the colloidal silver protein compound Protargol is effective.  Here’s how he described this treatment:

“In early anterior urethritis it is my practice to endeavour to abort the condition by daily anterior irrigations of Protargol, either by patient or physician. With a rubber-tipped urethral syringe the patient is directed to inject Protargol four times daily, holding the same in for a period of four minutes.”

In other words, using a syringe with a rubber tip and no needle, the Protargol silver protein compound solution was instilled (or squirted, to use a layman’s term) into the urethra through the little hole in the tip of the penis.

Can Modern Colloidal Silver Be Used In This Manner?

While researching this story, I discovered that one anonymous commentator on the internet has interpreted Dr. Wilson’s comments and updated them, substituting modern, electrically generated colloidal silver for the Protargol silver protein compound solution.  Here’s what he wrote: 

If gonorrhea occurs in the urethra (the tube inside your penis) you have to do an instillation of colloidal silver there:

1.     clean the outside of your penis with an alcohol swab

2.     next get a syringe without the needle, full of colloidal silver, and put the tip of the syringe in the "little hole" of your pennis. (use a new syringe each time)

3.     gently push all the colloidal silver inside the urethra and keep it there for 4 minutes minimum before letting it go outside

4.     repeat the process 4 times per day or more, until cured. You can use high ppm colloidal-ionic silver, the higher the better.

Personally, I’d be very skeptical of doing this. 

For one, modern electrically-generated colloidal silver and the old-fashioned Protargol form of colloidal silver protein compound are two completely different animals, so to speak. While Protargol is said to work in the manner described above, there’s no clinical evidence that modern, electrically generated colloidal silver would work effectively if used in the same manner.

Indeed, I’ve known women who have used modern, electrically generated colloidal silver as a vaginal douche in an attempt to get rid of a vaginal candida yeast infection, and found that the silver tended to inflame and irritate the soft tissue in the vaginal tract to the point that peeing later became painful for several days.  It may have been that an overly strong concentration of colloidal silver was used.  Or there may have been some other reason for this reaction. 

But the point is there’s simply no telling what a urethral instillation of modern, electrically generated colloidal silver might do to the soft tissue inside the urethra.  If it increased inflammation rather than soothed it, then the woes would be compounded rather than alleviated.  So this type of experimentation is not for the faint of heart. After all, you do like to be able to pee when you have to go, right?

The bottom line is this:  For serious conditions like sexually transmitted diseases, always follow the advice of a good, licensed physician, and not something you’ve read on the internet.  As the old saying goes, “Don’t attempt this at home, kids.”  And remember, I’m just reporting this stuff for historical reference, in context with the subject of this article.  I’m not advocating it. 

Prostatic Gonorrhea

Dr. Wilson went on to say that the Protargol silver protein compound solution could also be used when gonorrhea spreads into the prostate area.  He claimed that in such instances, after instilling the Protargol into the urethra as described in his report, prostatic massage should be applied afterwards.  According to Dr. Wilson in his clinical report:

“…In prostatic cases the patient carries out treatment identically the same. Private ambulatory cases are required to report every three days for prostatic massage followed by bladder irrigations of one-half per cent Protargol. In institution life where such cases are more readily controllable, such treatment can be given every two days, without danger of producing orchitis or other complication.”

Dr. Wilson further wrote:

“A prominent urologist has stated that prostatic massage alone will cure the great majority of cases. There is a smattering of truth in his statement, for we all know that any case that’s been untreated or improperly treated for a fortnight becomes prostatic. Assuredly prostatic massage with Protargol irrigations will clear up one hundred per cent of our cases, if they be otherwise uncomplicated.”

Dr. Wilson went on to say that certain complications from gonorrhea would require additional forms of treatment:  “It is quite unnecessary to discuss here the various complications other than prostatitis. Orchitis, epidymo-orchitis, seminal vesiculitis, gonorrheeal rheumatism, peri-urethral abscess, prostatic abscess and stricture, all demand special treatment…”

In other words, instilling Protargol into the urethra is only successful if there are no serious complications taking place from the gonorrheal infection.  And if there are complications, additional and quite different forms of treatment would be necessary.  Dr. Wilson doesn’t discuss those treatments in his clinical report.

A Case In Point…

Apparently, based on an internet account I’ve seen, at least one person has tried the urethral instillation method of combating gonorrhea, using modern, electrically generated colloidal silver instead of Protargol.  But the results, if they can be believed, were less than stellar.

If you conduct a Google search on the phrase "colloidal silver gonorrhea" one of the hits you'll get will be a string of posts on the CureZone.com web site, in which a man with gonorrhea had written in explaining that he'd ingested gallons of colloidal silver orally, and still his gonorrhea was not cured. 

CureZone.com members gave him many suggestions, one of which was to follow Dr. Wilson’s technique described above, by putting modern, electrically generated colloidal silver into a syringe (without a needle) and squirting it directly up into the urethra, holding it there for at least four minutes at a time and repeating the process several times a day. 

The gentleman wrote back that he’d already tried this, and as long as he did it every day the gonorrhea seemed to be abated.  But every time he quit doing it, the gonorrhea returned full force. 

Could this be because he was already at the stage of gonorrhea where other serious complications such as those described above had set in, and the gonorrhea had spread to other parts of his body such as the prostate and beyond? 

I don’t know.  Regardless of the reason, however, it’s another example of why serious diseases such as gonorrhea require professional medical intervention.  Don’t be an alternative medical martyr when your long-term health and well-being is at stake. 

So Would Colloidal Silver Work, Or Not?

While oral and topical use of colloidal silver is widely known, anecdotally and in some clinical reports, to be effective against many types of infections, even some very serious infections such as MRSA (see the Colloidal Silver Success Stories web site), I’ve never seen a single clinical medical study demonstrating modern forms of colloidal silver, used orally, to be effective against gonorrhea. 

Nevertheless, if I were so unfortunate as to catch this new drug-resistant strain of gonorrhea (God forbid!), I'd certainly try using colloidal silver.  But I'd probably use it in conjunction with the appropriate prescription antibiotic drugs.  And of course, only under the direct supervision of an infectious disease specialist. 

After all, a BYU study demonstrated that many antibiotics appeared to miraculously regain their infection-fighting qualities against drug-resistant pathogens when colloidal silver treatment was added to the antibiotic drug treatment. 

Indeed, you can see the famous BYU study on the "Clinical Studies and Reports" page on TheSilverEdge.com web site.  The study is titled “Bactericidal Activity of Combinations of Silver–Water Dispersion™ with 19 Antibiotics Against Seven Microbial Strains.” It’s located about 23 studies down the list, at the link above. 

It’s a very interesting study.  And there’s certainly merit in the idea that adding the use of a high-quality oral colloidal silver solution to an antibiotic drug treatment plan would be worth investigating in a case where the gonorrhea infection was not responding to the antibiotic drug alone.

So from my strictly layman’s position, I have to agree in principle with the writer of the article at Medical News Today:  If the World Health Organization really wants to stop this drug-resistant form of gonorrhea before it turns into an epidemic, they need to start looking into the use of antimicrobial silver – the world’s most powerful natural infection-fighting agent. 

It has worked in the past, however inconvenient the treatment may have been.  With modern forms of antimicrobial silver (including ionic silver, nanosilver, mild silver protein, and many others), combined with modern forms of treatment, it certainly could work again.  But the clinical research needs to be done now, before this new drug-resistant strain of gonorrhea gets out of control.

Ultimately, it’s possible that intravenous silver nitrate treatment could work, or perhaps silver nitrate given by injection.  That’s what the writer at Medical News Today suggested health authorities should look into. 

But…are there any doctors around who still understand how to use silver nitrate safely, internally?  Sure, a highly diluted form of silver nitrate has been used in newborn baby’s eyes for decades, to prevent blindness from the gonorrhea pathogen that can be picked up in the mother’s birth canal. 

But used internally, silver nitrate is a very caustic chemical silver compound that’s been linked to numerous serious side effects when misused, and therefore must be used judiciously in the human body in accord with strict medical protocols.

Yet surely if researchers would more closely examine the many different forms of antimicrobial silver now available, they could find a type that would either work well on its own merits against the new drug-resistant gonorrhea without the side effects of a chemical silver compound like silver nitrate, or that would work well against the insidious pathogen in conjunction with the appropriate antibiotic drugs.   

Meanwhile, if all of this talk about drug-resistant infectious diseases is freaking you out, and you’d like to learn how to make your own high-quality micro-particle colloidal silver for less than 36 cents a quart, just click the link.

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


Thursday, June 7, 2012

Colloidal Silver and Diabetes


Is colloidal silver a reliable natural remedy for Type II diabetes?  Or will it at least help with diabetic symptoms?  
Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to find a single clinical study on the use of colloidal silver as a remedy for diabetes. 

Nevertheless, there are some interesting anecdotal accounts as well as some equally interesting clinical studies on the use of colloidal silver for certain health problems that commonly afflict diabetics, such as diabetic ulcers, candida yeast infections, blood clotting and more.  Here’s what I’ve discovered so far…

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

Back in the mid-90’s I knew of a gentleman who travelled frequently between the U.S. and Russia.  And at one point he purchased 10 colloidal silver generators to take to Russia. 

When I asked him why he was taking 10 colloidal silver generators to Russia, he told me the Russian Orthodox Church runs the hospitals back there, and he was taking the generators to be used in the hospitals. 

He went on to say that Type II diabetes was rampant in Russia, and the doctors from the Russian Orthodox Church had discovered that in some cases colloidal silver worked wonders, allowing the Type II diabetes victim to dramatically cut back on their diabetes medication after they began using colloidal silver. 

He said some patients were supposedly even cured of their Type II diabetes. 

Unfortunately, after his last trip to Russia I never heard back from this gentleman again.  So while I have no reason to disbelieve him, I also have no evidence to back up his claims. 

I could only conjecture at the time that the Type II diabetes patients who found benefit from colloidal silver must have had infected pancreases.  There’s no other way I can think of that colloidal silver could possibly have been of benefit except to help remediate an infection of the pancreas. 

But I’m not a doctor.  I’m a natural health journalist.  And this is definitely the type of thing clinical studies need to be conducted on to be absolutely sure.

No Clinical Studies

Unfortunately, I can’t find a single clinical study anywhere in the world to back up the contention that colloidal silver would be a reliable remedy for Type II diabetes. 

What’s more, since failure to take prescribed medication when you have diabetes could potentially result in death, I could never recommend anyone substitute colloidal silver for conventional medical treatment for this condition, without being under the direct care and guidance of their diabetes specialist. 

Anecdotal Accounts

All that said, I’ve seen some interesting anecdotal accounts of the use of colloidal silver by diabetics.  For example, here’s an anecdotal account I found on the internet from someone who says colloidal silver helped stabilize his blood sugar levels: 

I am also diabetic and after taking the Colloidal Silver my blood sugar level is now much more stable.  It would shoot up to 16-17 but now it is 6.5 -7.  The only thing that I've taken is the colloidal silver, so I know it does the job for me." 

That account was from the Rapha Labs web site. Here’s another one from the Marpe Products web site: 

“It was actually two diabetic friends who were instrumental in me becoming involved with colloidal silver.  One diabetic friend had a leg amputated and was told the other was also close to needing amputation, but she made a change to a raw foods diet and began to take colloidal silver. 

In only a few days her body began to respond and she was able to save her leg, she believes that if she would have known about the raw foods diet and colloidal silver she may well now have two healthy legs! 

Another friend who is a nurse was diagnosed with diabetes and she immediately began taking the colloidal silver.  When she went back to see her doctor three weeks later, her doctor said there had been a misdiagnosis and she had no sign of diabetes. 

These are two friends who shared experiences with me and caused me to look very seriously into the benefits of colloidal silver and raw foods diet. 

I can very confidently say that it would be a miracle if the colloidal silver and raw food diet DID NOT WORK!  They work extremely well together and I am amazed that more people don't know about this!”

On the other hand, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center advises against the use of colloidal silver for diabetes and other serious conditions, warning that, “Although no human clinical data support the use of oral colloidal silver, it is being promoted as a cure for AIDS, cancer, and diabetes.”

On his web site, Dr. Ray Sahelian, M.D., notes a study in which it was documented that one patient who had been using colloidal silver for diabetes for two years developed a minor case of argyria (skin discoloration from embedded silver particles) under the fingernails. 

In my layman’s opinion, this indicates that the patient had been using excessive amounts of colloidal silver on a regular basis as a means of helping control his diabetic symptoms. 

Indeed, in the study it was reported that the gentleman had been taking a commercial colloidal silver product at 140 ppm, which is a very strong concentration of colloidal silver for anyone to be taking regularly.

This study was apparently published in the International Journal of Dermatology, back in 2003.  Here’s an excerpt from it: 

“A 65-year-old male presented for skin examination and was incidentally noted to have discoloration of the fingernails. These findings were completely asymptomatic.

The patient had been taking colloidal silver supplementation (140 ppm silver) for 2 years as therapy for diabetes.

He first noticed the onset of nail discoloration 1 year ago. His past medical history included type II diabetes and hypertension. His current medications were metformin, glyburide, and benazepril.

Physical examination revealed slate-gray discoloration involving the lunulae of the fingernails (Fig. 1). The skin, mucous membranes, and sclerae were unaffected.”

So it only took one year worth of colloidal silver usage to notice the onset of argyric symptoms.  This is another good reason why, when you have a potentially serious health issue such as diabetes, your medical specialist should be directly involved in all of your health care decisions. 

Your specialist, for example, can help you compare “before and after” blood tests to see whether or not any nutritional intervention you’re using, such as colloidal silver usage, is having a positive (or negative) effect on your blood sugar, organ function or other aspects of your overall health.  And then your specialist can advise you from there. 

Healing Candida Yeast Infections

Many diabetics suffer from chronic Candida yeast infections, because of their blood sugar abnormalities.  But according to anecdotal reports, when they use colloidal silver the Candida symptoms are greatly alleviated if not completely cured. 

Here are a couple anecdotal reports in that regard:

"I am a diabetic, and suffer every now and then with yeast infections. I use my fine mist spray bottle at bedtime and after my shower. The itching and burning dissipates almost immediately."

-- DH, Charleston, WV

That’s a particularly interesting account, since some studies, such as this one, have found colloidal silver to be even more powerful than prescription antifungal drugs for controlling fungal infections. 

Shirley Hull, who runs a health retreat in FL, recommends women with persistent or severe Candida yeast infections drink 2-4 ounces of colloidal silver in divided doses throughout the day until the Candida infection is cured.  (Should only take a few days to a week at most.)

She also recommends making a simple douche out of water and four capsules of a good, probiotic supplement such as lactobacillus acidophilus, and douching each morning or evening (whatever is convenient) to help re-establish colonies of beneficial microbes in the vaginal tract.  She says this combination knocks out vaginal Candida infections very quickly. 

Finally, she recommends taking a good probiotic supplement daily during this time, and for at least a week afterwards, to help re-establish colonies of the beneficial microbes in the digestive tract so they can keep the Candida yeast from reaching infectious levels again.

Wound Healing

People with diabetes often have a hard time getting wounds to heal. But when they apply colloidal silver topically, the wounds seem to heal quickly. 

Here’s a testimonial from a diabetic regarding colloidal silver and wound-healing:

"I’m also diabetic, which means cuts and scratches in the leg or feet are sometimes difficult to heal. If I get a scratch or a cut on my legs, I rub colloidal silver up and down where the wound is. The silver heals the wound twice as fast. I also use the colloidal silver for athlete's foot -- clears it up immediately."

-- Mike T., Challis, ID

And here’s another interesting testimonial on the increased wound-healing experienced by a diabetic:

"One my friends who is diabetic smashed his thumb real bad, 7 or 8 days before he got to hunting camp. It just wouldn’t heal. So we used a cotton pad soaked with colloidal silver, wrapped it up, and the very next day it had started to heal. Three days later it was healed. He takes a gallon home every year now!"

-- J.H.K., Maricopa, AZ

And here’s a testimonial from a female diabetic who says she’s no longer prone to infections since she’s started taking colloidal silver:

“Colloidal silver has made a difference in my life. I have diabetes and was prone to various infections...not so after taking the colloidal silver daily. I am so much better.”

-- Mary R.

Silver and Wound Healing in Diabetics

The use of antimicrobial silver for certain symptoms of diabetes such as wound healing seems to be backed up by sufficient clinical data.  For example, there’s this notation in the Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology:

"Silver products have been used for thousands of years for their beneficial effects, often for hygiene and in more recent years as antimicrobials on wounds from burns, trauma, and diabetic ulcers.

Silver sulfadiazine creams (Silvazine and Flamazine) are topical ointments that are marketed globally. In recent years, a range of wound dressings with slow-release Ag compounds have been introduced, including Acticoat, Actisorb Silver, Silverlon, and others."

-- Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology, Volume 33, Number 7, 627-634, May 25, 2006

Diabetics are frequently afflicted with painful and chronic leg ulcers.  But according to one study a simple colloidal silver spray can help heal leg ulcers quite effectively:

“Sixteen patients with leg ulcers were treated with a colloidal silver spray. The solution was applied once daily for the first few days, then twice weekly. The infection subsided in all cases.

After instruction, patients performed the therapy at home without supervision. No discomfort or side effects were observed. There was no persistent discoloration of the skin that could be attributed to silver. In all cases the infection subsided.”

-- Haeger, Knut. 1963. Preoperative treatment of leg ulcers with silver spray and aluminum foil. Acta Chirurgica Scandinavica, 125, 32-41.

A 2002 study on the effects of antimicrobial silver on extremely severe diabetic wounds was published in the journal NeuroRehabilitation by Dr. Robert O. Becker, M.D., of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York. 

Dr. Becker found that silver nylon wound dressings that shed silver ions when used on severely infected wounds triggered dramatic healing in six insulin-dependent diabetic patients who were on the verge of having amputations due to the severity of their chronic infected wounds. 

According to the study: 

“Nine cases of chronic infected wounds non-responsive to standard therapy were treated with the application of silver nylon alone.  Six of the cases were in insulin dependent diabetics with severe peripheral neuropathy and varying degrees of impaired peripheral circulation. 

Four of the diabetic cases were serious enough to have had amputations advised as a last resort, or to have had prior amputations done for identical lesions on another extremity.  One case was a in a patients with severe peripheral neuropathy of unknown etiology.  Two cases were traumatic wounds in otherwise normal patients.  Both had also been advised amputation by the previous treating physician. 

In all cases infection control was achieved in 3 to 7 days and all treated wounds healed with restoration of all local tissues to their normal state.  Times to full healing varied from three weeks to three months depending upon the extent of the initial condition. 

All diabetic cases with peripheral neuropathy demonstrated return of normal sensation, however only in the treated area and along the nerve tracts proximally and distally thereto. 

Sensory loss in adjacent areas not exposed to silver ions was not relieved.  The return of sensation to the treated areas was generally complete but transitory, gradually diminishing until the area became asensate in about one year following treatment. 

Despite this subsequent sensory loss in the diabetic patients, all other regenerated tissues in the treated area remained normal for all follow up times.” 

Silver Relieves Blood Platelet Clumping

Interestingly, clumping of blood platelets is often a serious problem for people with diabetes, sometimes leading to heart problems and poor circulation in the extremities. 

But in a study titled "Characterization of Antiplatelet Properties of Silver Nanoparticles," researchers found that:

 "Silver nanoparticles also suppressed the aggregation of platelets obtained from patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Thus, significant inhibition of platelet functions with a relatively low dose of nanosilver, combined with the lack of cell lysis, raise the hope for its use as an antiplatelet therapeutic agent."

Not a Cure for Diabetes

So all of that taken together is pretty darned interesting, I think you’ll agree.  But I still haven't seen any reliable clinical data to sustain the idea that colloidal silver can help cure Type II diabetes. 

My personal thoughts on the subject – strictly from a layman’s perspective -- are that in addition to colloidal silver there are a number of traditional natural substances said to benefit Type II diabetics, such as cinnamon, chromium, vanadium, ginseng, magnesium, zinc, aloe vera gel, Gymnema, and even herbal remedies such as Nopal cactus and Fenugreek. 

Therefore, a good naturopathic physician with experience in helping remediate the symptoms of Type II diabetes should be consulted in determining which of these natural substances might be beneficial for a person’s particular situation, since no two diabetics are exactly alike. 

And never forget to keep your medical specialist in the loop at all times so that it can be determined whether or not any natural substances being taken might conflict with your prescription medications, or cause dosages to have to be adjusted should there be a beneficial effect. 

In the meantime, you can learn more about the often astonishing infection-fighting qualities of colloidal silver by clicking the link in this sentence.

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 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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