Study Shows Ionic Silver Is Up to 10,000 Times More Effective than “True Colloidal Silver”!

Guest article by R.D. Todd, former U.S. Army medic

Millions of people worldwide have been using the ionic form of colloidal silver with great success for at least six decades.  But in the late 1990’s several websites suddenly appeared marketing so-called “true colloids” or “true colloidal silver,” which is a form of colloidal silver composed largely of non-ionic metallic silver particles, which are also referred to as nanosilver or silver nanoparticles. 

The purveyors of so-called “true colloidal silver” routinely assert that when ionic forms of colloidal silver are ingested, they convert to silver chloride in the stomach due to the presence of hydrochloric acid (HCl), which in turn renders it useless.  

And they claim that silver in its metallic form will not convert to silver chloride in the stomach.  Therefore, they claim, their metallic “true colloidal silver” is effective in inhibiting the growth of microorganisms in the human body, whereas the ionic form is largely ineffective.

Ignoring a multitude of published studies to that prove the exact opposite – I’ve counted 158 of them, so far -- these promoters began to claim that their metallic “true colloidal silver” is the only truly effective form, while the ionic form of colloidal silver is completely useless in the human body.

To this very day, these marketers continue to disseminate misleading information about the nature of colloidal silver to the general public in an apparent (albeit vain) effort to corner the market on colloidal silver for themselves.  The purpose of this article is to put an end to this debate once and for all.  Which form of colloidal silver is the most effective against pathogens:  the ionic form, or the metallic form?  Here’s the answer:

The Laboratory Study that Ends the Debate!

In December of 2004, John W. Roberts, PhD of the Natural-Immunogenics Corporation conducted an in-depth laboratory study in which the so-called “true colloidal silver” (i.e., metallic silver, also called nanosilver, or silver nanoparticles) was pitted against ionic silver.

Dr. Roberts stated that the purpose of his study was to compare the antimicrobial effect of 'particulate' (i.e., metallic) versus (free) 'ionic' silver.  Dr. Roberts certifies that his comparative analysis study was conducted with full compliance to the standards established by the Food and Drug Administrations Office of Regulatory Affairs including 21 CFR part 58 (Good Laboratory Practices) and 21 CFR part 211.

The hypothesis of Dr. Roberts’ study is that, contrary to the claims made by the purveyors of so-called “true colloidal silver,” it’s the silver ion that’s primarily responsible for silver's antimicrobial efficacy and not the metallic silver particles being touted as “true colloidal silver.”   

Dr. Roberts and his team compared the antibacterial activity of both ionic silver and so-called “true colloidal silver” (metallic silver particles) by treating healthy cultures of the bacterial strains, separately, with both forms. 

The bacterial strains used in this study were identical concentrations and dilutions of Staphylococcus aureus (S-1 and S-2). These potent bacterial strains were allowed to culture (grow). This culture was then diluted to a standard 10:1 ratio using sterile purified lab water and placed on sterile plates.
Next, a solution of hydrochloric acid (HC1) was added to samples of both the ionic silver and the so-called “true colloidal silver” (i.e., metallic silver).

Lastly, the two treated samples of the silver product/ HCl mixture were added to the two bacterial strains samples. The mixtures were then agitated and allowed to react until spotted onto the plate.

The same tests were also conducted without the pre-treatment of the HCl mixture, to see how the two species of silver (ionic and metallic) performed without the hindrance of hydrochloric acid.

The results were astonishing! With or without the HCl mixture added, the Staphylococcus cultures (both S-1 and S-2) on the plates were virtually eradicated in just four minutes when treated with ionic silver!

But the culture plates treated with the so-called “true colloidal silver” showed only a very slight reduction in the bacterial count!

The principal conclusions from the study are as follows:

·       Before adding hydrochloric acid, the ionic form of silver achieves total kill of the Staphylococcus aureus pathogens in just four minutes.

·       The so-called “true colloidal silver” could not match those results even when eight minutes were given.  The untreated ionic form proved to be at least 100 times more potent against the pathogens than untreated “true colloidal silver.”

·       When hydrochloric acid was added, the so-called “true colloidal silver” (i.e., metallic silver) lost almost all its antibacterial potency.  

·       Loss of potency to the ionic silver due to the same treatment with hydrochloric acid was comparatively negligible.

·       In fact, after being treated with hydrochloric acid under the same experimental conditions, the ionic-silver was shown to be a whopping 10,000 times more potent than the so-called “true colloidal silver” in terms of its antimicrobial effects against the two bacterial strains.

The results of this study clearly show that ionic form of silver dramatically outperformed the particulate/metallic “true colloidal silver” form, even in the presence of hydrochloric acid (i.e., stomach acid).  Ionic silver was demonstrated to be over 100 times more effective when tested head-to-head with the so-called “true colloidal silver.” And when hydrochloric acid was added to both forms of silver, the so-called “true colloidal silver” lost so much potency the ionic silver then tested to be an astonishing 10,000 times more potent against the pathogens!

So it’s not even close!

The facts are:  The ionic form of colloidal silver killed all Staphylococcus aureus microorganisms with only a four minute exposure while the metallic, so-called “true colloidal silver” form was only marginally bactericidal at best, even at eight minutes.

While the purveyors of so-called "true colloidal silver" continue to make the claim that ionic silver gets tied-up in the gut and neutralized by hydrochloric acid, even more recent clinical research confirms that it's actually the metallic form of colloidal silver -- so-called “true colloidal silver,” or silver nanoparticles -- that gets tied-up in the gut and neutralized by hydrochloric acid.

In fact, according to the True Colloidal Silver Facts website, this has been demonstrated clinically, time and time again, most recently by researchers from the University of Nevada in cooperation with scientists from the EPA's Office of Research and Development.

In their clinical study, the researchers exposed metallic silver nanoparticles to synthetic human stomach fluid to see how ingested metallic silver nanoparticles could be altered by the stomach's very acidic environment. According to the researchers:

"A variety of analytical methods showed that nanoparticles formed large aggregates and produced silver chloride when exposed to stomach fluid.  Changes in nanoparticle physical form and surface chemistry that occur in the stomach may affect how much silver will be absorbed across the gastrointestinal barrier."

In short, the researchers discovered that metallic silver nanoparticles (i.e., nanosilver, or so-called "true colloidal silver") formed large clumps and began converting to silver chloride when exposed to stomach acids. The researchers surmised that because of this, the human body would likely have significant trouble absorbing and utilizing metallic nanosilver particles.

Even the infamous Brown University clinical study on argyria, conducted in August 2012, found that metallic nanosilver was "not terribly likely to make it from the GI tract to the blood..." but that silver ions shed by the metal nanosilver in reaction to the acidic environment of the stomach were "easily absorbed into the bloodstream".  Again, that's the exact opposite of what the purveyors of "true colloidal silver" claim. Indeed, the Brown University researchers found that:

"...nanosilver corrodes in stomach acid in much the same way it does in other acidic environments. Corrosion strips silver atoms of electrons, forming positively charged silver salt ions. Those ions can easily be taken into the bloodstream..."

So in light of these studies and others like them, it would appear that the purveyors of the metallic nanosilver products which they erroneously call "true colloidal silver" are either ignorant of the actual science, or not always completely honest with their customers.

The evidence speaks for itself!

In the ensuing controversy after the Natural-Immunogenics lab tests by were made public, the purveyors of the metallic so-called “true colloidal silver” desperately tried to find a way to rebuke the findings of this study -- even claiming that four minutes was not long enough!  Here’s a direct quote from one of the purveyors of the so-called “true colloidal silver” with regards to the study results: “The narrow and unrealistically short time points do not reflect actual usage of either product.”

You don’t need to be a scientist to see how ridiculous this statement is! Ionic silver killed all of the bacterial cultures in just four minutes and the so-called “true colloidal silver” product didn’t even come close!

Are the purveyors of so-called “true colloidal silver” suggesting that this test should allow more time for their product to prove its worth as an antibacterial agent? In this study, the so-called “true colloidal silver” was given up to 8 minutes to perform and still it did little damage to either of the Staphylococcus cultures. How much time do they need? 

The purveyors of the so-called “true colloidal silver” could have saved themselves a lot of humiliation and embarrassment if they had first read up on some of the many scientific studies that have already proven that it is indeed the ionic charge that is primarily responsible for silver's antimicrobial efficacy. 

This includes studies like the ones conducted at Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, which is home of the world renowned Army Burn Center operated by the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research. The Army Burn Center has been at the forefront of research and development of burn treatments and has been researching the use of silver in medicine for decades. To quote Albert T. McManus, MD, Chief of Microbiology at the Army Burn Center who conducted one such study, “…conversion of silver to silver ions is necessary for efficacy”.

In other words, for silver to be effective against pathogens, it must be in the ionic form.  If metallic silver (i.e., so-called “true colloidal silver”) is used, it is only effective to the extent that the metal shed silver ions in the presence of pathogens.

To learn more about the profound differences between the superior ionic form of colloidal silver, and the less-than-stellar metallic “true colloids” form, see the True Colloidal Silver Facts website.  

There you’ll learn why millions of people worldwide have been using ionic forms of colloidal silver with great success for decades!  Simply put, silver ions rule!  They are the active, infection-fighting form of silver, as dozens of top colloidal silver researchers agree.   

Case closed!!!

*See details of the Natural-Immunogenics laboratory study "Comparative Bacteriology Analysis: Particulate vs. Ionic Silver, here.

           

Helpful Links:

FREE Colloidal Silver Safe Dosage Report

Colloidal Silver Secrets Group on Facebook

Make Your Own Colloidal Silver for Pennies

.999 Pure Silver Wire for Making Colloidal Silver

Subscribe to the Colloidal Silver Secrets Ezine

Videos on Making and Using Colloidal Silver

Real-Life Colloidal Silver Success Stories

Colloidal Silver Update (News & Views)

The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual

The Colloidal Silver Secrets Video

Colloidal Silver Cures MRSA

Colloidal Silver Kills Viruses

Colloidal Silver Secrets blog

Meet Steve Barwick

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 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 2016 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved.

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:

FREE Colloidal Silver Safe Dosage Report

Colloidal Silver Secrets Group on Facebook

Make Your Own Colloidal Silver for Pennies

.999 Pure Silver Wire for Making Colloidal Silver

Subscribe to the Colloidal Silver Secrets Ezine

Videos on Making and Using Colloidal Silver

Real-Life Colloidal Silver Success Stories

Colloidal Silver Update (News & Views)

The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual

The Colloidal Silver Secrets Video

Colloidal Silver Cures MRSA

Colloidal Silver Kills Viruses

Colloidal Silver Secrets blog

Meet Steve Barwick

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. 

Copyright 2016 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved.