Wednesday, May 8, 2013

90% of Ground Turkey Meat Contaminated With Drug-Resistant Bacteria

Fresh on the heels of the recent admission by health authorities and news media outlets that 50% of all beef and pork tested in supermarkets are contaminated with potentially deadly MRSA bacteria…

…Consumer Reports is now reporting that 90% of all raw ground turkey meat tested by their researchers turned out to be contaminated with up to five different bacterial pathogens, most of which were drug-resistant forms.

Can colloidal silver help?  Here’s the good news…

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

According to a news article published in the Science section of Business Insider:

“Ground turkey bought at retail stores nationwide contains disease-causing bacteria, a new study by Consumer Reports suggests.

At least one disease-causing strain of bacteria was found on 90% of ground turkey samples.

They tested 257 samples of ground turkey from 21 states and 27 different brands for the presence of five different bacteria: campylobacter, salmonella, staphylococcus aureus; Enterococcus; and Escherichia coli.

These bacteria can cause food poisoning but also urinary, bloodstream, and other potentially serious infections.”  (See the Consumer Reports testing results, here.) 

Even scarier, almost all of those bacteria were resistant to at least one — and usually multiple — antibiotic drugs, the report says.”

Is Colloidal Silver Effective?

Fortunately, the five bacteria named in the report, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus and Escherichia coli have all been demonstrated to one extent or another to be susceptible to antimicrobial silver.

Here’s what you need to know: 

Campylobacter –There’s not a lot in the medical literature about colloidal silver and Campylobacter.  However, the company that produces Axen 30, an EPA-approved topical disinfectant composed of a stabilized form of ionic silver, had their product independently tested in accord with EPA standards, and found that it killed Campylobacter as well as numerous other pathogens in both two minute and five minute test periods.  Another topical disinfectant product, called IV-7, also claims that it’s stabilized ionic silver product produces “complete kill” against Campylobacter jejuni

Salmonella – Researchers at Brigham Young University tested colloidal silver against Salmonella and found it to be highly effective at very low concentrations.  What’s more, a clinical study titled “Colloidal Silver as a New Antimicrobial Agent” published in the International Journal of Microbiological Research, found that colloidal silver was highly effective against Salmonella typhi, as well as three other disease-causing pathogens.  You can read my previous article on Colloidal Silver and Salmonella, documenting these fascinating studies, here.

Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli – Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated antimicrobial silver to be highly effective against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli (i.e. E. coli).  See for example, this study and this study and this study and this study.  Even multi-drug-resistant forms of these two pathogens have been demonstrated to be susceptible to antimicrobial silver (see this study).  For even more studies, you can read my previous article on Colloidal Silver and E. coli, here.  And finally, see the clinical evidence for colloidal silver’s effectiveness against the drug-resistant form of Staphylococcus aureus, here

Enterococcus – While there’s not much clinical literature on the use of colloidal silver against Enterococcus, a water quality company called NVID International tested ionic silver against numerous pathogens including Enterococcus faecium, and found it to be highly effective.  What’s more, a time-kill study conducted at the University of North Texas found colloidal silver to be highly effective against Enterococcus faecalis.  Finally, the EPA-approved topical disinfectant silver products mentioned earlier, Axen-30 and IV-7, both claim their products have tested effective against VRE, the drug-resistant form of the Enterococcus pathogen (see here and here).

Keep in mind that all of these eye-opening studies were in vitro laboratory studies (i.e., test tube studies), or topical disinfectant studies, or water quality studies. They were not internal ingestion studies.

Nevertheless, these studies strongly indicate the astonishing effectiveness of antimicrobial silver against the five pathogens now know to be contaminating up to 90% of the ground turkey meat found in supermarkets. 

How to Protect Your Family

Most people understand that cooking raw meat thoroughly after preparation is the safest and most sure-fire way to kill these pathogens and avoid food poisoning.  It is handling the meat before cooking that can be problematic. 

As Dr. Tara Smith, an assistant professor of Epidemiology at the University of Iowa has stated, “Anyone handling raw meats should be careful about cross-contamination of cooking areas or other food products, and should make sure hands are washed before touching one's face, nose, lips, etc."

In other words, while thoroughly cooking the meat may well kill the pathogen, it can nevertheless get spread all over your kitchen during the preparation phase, contaminating cutting boards and counter tops, sinks and faucets and even kitchen utensils while you’re preparing the meat for cooking.

And the pathogens can quite easily get transferred from the raw meat to your hands, and then to your face, giving them access to your body through your eyes, nose, mouth, ears, etc. 

Dr. Stuart Levy, M.D., a Tufts University Professor of Microbiology, points out that food-borne pathogens often thrive on the surface of skin, so you can end up contracting an unwanted infection simply by touching contaminated raw meat. 

What’s more, such an infection can go invasive if you have a cut on your hand, or if you unconsciously touch your contaminated hand to your eye, ear or nose. 

Patting your child on the head as he or she walks by while you’re preparing raw meat products for cooking can also transfer the pathogens from you own skin onto theirs.

What’s more, family members can also contract the pathogens by inadvertently touching the kitchen countertop or cutting board where you were preparing the meat before cooking, or even by touching the kitchen sink or faucets, or any of the utensils you used. 

Here’s Where Colloidal Silver Comes in Handy

This is where having plenty of colloidal silver on hand can come in handy. 

Simply spraying kitchen countertops, cutting boards, sinks, faucets, and other “touch surfaces” with colloidal silver before and after handling raw meats in the kitchen can go a long way toward eliminating the potential  for infection. 

Washing your hands in warm soapy water, and then washing the cutting board, the kitchen counter top, and any utensils involved in the meat preparation process will help clean the pathogens away, to a great extent.

But for maximum protection, spraying one’s hands with colloidal silver after washing, and then spraying the kitchen cutting board, countertop, utensils, sink and other contact surfaces with colloidal silver after washing will provide a powerful added layer of protection that will let you sleep soundly at night.

Simply by keeping a pump spray bottle full of colloidal silver next to your kitchen food preparation area, and using it when preparing meats and other foods, you can do much to protect your home and your family from potential infections and food-borne illnesses.

Plus, if you or a family member were to ever contract a nasty food-borne infection from one of these bacteria (God forbid!), you’ll likely be able to cure it yourself with your homemade colloidal silver.  (Warning:  Food-borne infections can be very serious.  Never wait too long to see a doctor if a serious infection takes place.)

As I mentioned in my previous article on MRSA-contaminated meats, you simply can’t afford to wait for the meat processing industry to do something about the growing problem of bacteria-contaminated raw meat. It’s a problem that’s likely going to get a lot worse before it ever gets better.    

You have to take matters into your own hands, for the safety and well-being of your family.

Make sure colloidal silver plays a central role in your after-preparation food clean up, and you’ll slash your family’s risks of food-borne illness dramatically.

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,


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

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

First Ever Colloidal Silver Human Ingestion Safety Study

American Biotech Labs has just released what is believed to be the first ever human ingestion safety study on a colloidal silver supplement.

The published abstract for the study states that ingestion of the patented ABL nanosilver product showed no negative effects on any tested system in the body. 

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

One of the charges commonly laid against colloidal silver supplements by critics and natural health skeptics is that there have been no “double-blind, placebo-controlled human ingestion studies” conducted on the substance.  

Well, now one has.  

American Biotech Labs has just released the preliminary data from a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over phase study conducted by researchers at the University of Utah, at Salt Lake City. 

Study Details

The new study is titled An In Vivo Human Time-Exposure Investigation of a Commercial Silver Nano-Particle Solution.

In the study, healthy volunteer subjects ingested American Biotech Labs 10 ppm colloidal silver solution for periods of three days, seven days and 14 days.

There were 36 subjects in all, 12 per each of the three time-exposures studied. 

The study subjects took one tablespoon of the American Biotech Labs colloidal silver product per day (15 mL/day) for their assigned period. 

Afterwards, at the end of each phase, they underwent extensive tests for:

·       Metabolic rate

·       Blood and platelet count

·       Urinalysis

·       Sputum hyper-responsiveness and inflammation evaluation

·       Physical examinations

·       Vital sign measurements

Plus, the researchers conducted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations of the chest and abdomen at baseline, and at the end of each phase. 

According to the study authors:

“No clinically important changes in any metabolic, hematologic, or urinalysis measure identified were determined.

No morphological (or structural) changes were detected in the lungs, heart (cardiac function) or abdominal organs.

No changes were noted in sputum reactive oxygen species or in pro-inflammatory cytokines.”

Important Data

These results are important, because critics often charge that colloidal silver ingestion harms blood cells, kidney function or function of other organs in the body. 

And some critics even falsely charge that ingestion of colloidal silver boosts the body’s production of potentially dangerous free radicals and inflammatory cytokines. 

Of course, in previous in vitro clinical studies (i.e., laboratory test-tube studies), colloidal silver has actually been demonstrated to protect human nervous system cells from harm.

Colloidal silver has also been demonstrated in in vitro clinical studies to prevent blood clots without causing harm to red blood cells. 

What’s more, in another in vitro clinical study, researchers found that instead of colloidal silver causing an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, it actually reduced them

And on page 235 of The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual, I write extensively about a recent in vitro clinical study demonstrating silver’s ability to significantly quench free radical activity in brain cells, rather than cause it as critics so often charge. 

Finally, a 2011 oral ingestion study and a 2012 oral ingestion study, both using animals, demonstrated that even relatively high doses of silver nanoparticles taken over short periods of time caused no mortality or acute toxic signs in the animals tested. 

So the shrill cries of the skeptics, critics and colloidal silver naysayers remain completely unfounded to date.

Now, the positive results determined by this University of Utah human ingestion study constitute another milestone in negating the hyperbolic accusations of the critics of colloidal silver. 

As the study authors conclude:

In-vivo oral exposure of a commercial 10-ppm silver nano-particle solution over 3, 7, and 14-day exposures does not exhibit clinically important changes in metabolic, hematologic, urine, vital sign changes, physical findings or imaging changes visualized by MRI. 

Further study of increasing time-exposure, dose, and additional organ systems, including cytochrome P-450 enzymes, is warranted.” 

In short, this first preliminary study demonstrated that the daily consumption of the colloidal silver product tested was safe for the time exposures studied, and indicates that longer-term human ingestion studies need to be conducted for further insight.

No Silver Deposition

As a prelim to the human ingestion study, Keith Moeller, a managing director at American Biotech Labs who has been taking small amounts of colloidal silver almost daily for over 15 years, volunteered to be checked for silver deposition in his body.

The researchers did an array of blood tests, as well as a full body MRI scan that took nearly two hours while they checked each organ looking for evidence of silver deposition in his body.  

No silver residue was found anywhere in Moeller’s system.  No harm to his bodily functions was discovered.  No abnormalities were found.

In short, properly made colloidal silver, used responsibly in small daily amounts, appears to be abundantly safe even over the long-term. 

The Bottom Line:
Widely Used With Amazing Safety!

The bottom line is that hundreds of thousands of oral colloidal silver doses are used every month in the United States with no significant adverse effects or detrimental consequences. 

Now, for the first time ever, a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover phase study has demonstrated conclusively what’s already been demonstrated for the past 60-plus  years in uncountable numbers of real-life situations, i.e.,:

Colloidal silver when properly made and responsibly used has one of the safest toxicological profiles of any nutritional supplement. 

In contrast, prescription drugs, even when properly used, result in an average of 106,000 deaths per year, plus untold adverse reactions and side effects, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.

While the critics ignore the above data and tout the very small handful of cases in which negative effects were attributed to colloidal silver after it was used abusively over long periods of time, they will now have to admit that responsible use of colloidal silver has no serious clinically discernible negative consequences.

Learn more about colloidal silver and its usage by clicking the link in this sentence.

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




Sunday, April 14, 2013

Video: Use Colloidal Silver and a Neti Pot to Cure Sinus Problems

In this brand new video, you'll learn how to use a simple device called a Neti Pot, along with a small amount of colloidal silver, to cure stubborn sinus infections and sinus congestion, quickly, easily and effectively...

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

A stubborn sinus infection and related congestion can be a real beast to cure. 

Many times, multiple courses of antibiotic drugs have to be used. And sometimes, even the antibiotics won't do the trick. 

But many people have found profound relief from sinus conditions using safe, natural colloidal silver in a simple and inexpensive device called a Neti Pot. 

The Neti Pot

Neti Pots are available in almost any drug store, such as Walgreen's or the drug department at Walmart. 

These simple devices allow you to safely and easily "pour" colloidal silver directly into your sinuses, and wash them out.

This gets the powerful all-natural healing and infection-fighting qualities of colloidal silver directly into your sinuses. 

To learn how simple it is to use colloidal silver and a Neti Pot to cure stubborn sinus infections and related sinus conditions, just watch the short video demonstration at this link. 

It's quick, easy, and remarkably effective!

And when you're ready 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.

I'll be back next week with another great article on making and using 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 2013 | Life & Health Research Group, LLC | PO Box 1239 | Peoria AZ 85380-1239 | All rights reserved


Video: How to Make Colloidal Silver Gel and Soap

In this short but enlightening new video you'll learn how to make your own highly antibacterial colloidal silver gel and colloidal silver soap for just pennies, rather than spending big bucks on commercial products online or at your local health food store.

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

Colloidal silver gel and colloidal silver soap products are widely available, commercially.

You can purchase them over Amazon.com, for example.  Or you can find them at most well-stocked health food stores.

However, they're awfully expensive. 

For example, a single tube of colloidal silver gel can cost upwards of $18 or more for just a couple of ounces. And sometimes they contain only barely detectible homeopathic amounts of colloidal silver, rather than therapeutic amounts.

What’s more, a single bar of colloidal silver soap can cost anywhere from $6 to $8, to as much as $20 per bar.  I've even seen luxury bars of colloidal silver soap that cost $125 per bar (see here)!

Make Your Own

Regardless of the exorbitant prices of these commercial products, if you’re a bit creative you can make your own high-quality colloidal silver gel, or colloidal silver disinfectant soap, quickly and easily, for just pennies.

And frankly, you’ll get more therapeutic silver in each of your homemade products than you’re likely to get in the commercial products.

You can use the colloidal silver gel on cuts, burns, insect bites, skin eruptions, sunburn and much more. And you can use the colloidal silver soap for maximum disinfection purposes when washing your hands.

It's one of the easiest ways in the world to put the healing antimicrobial power of colloidal silver to work for you. And it's so simple to do, you'll wonder why you didn't think of it yourself!

To learn how to do it, just watch my new video!

And if you're interested in learning 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, 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,


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

Friday, April 12, 2013

How Much Colloidal Silver Can You Take Safely Each Day?


The most frequently asked question I get is “How much colloidal silver can I take safely each day?” 

Of course, the answer varies from person to person.  It depends upon a number of factors, including body weight, overall health, and even antioxidant levels.

I personally like the Silver Safety Guideline published by the Silver Safety Council, which I discuss below. 

They have a very conservative method for calculating your maximum daily safe dosage level for a lifetime of colloidal silver usage.

Here’s what they recommend…

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

According to the Silver Safety Council, the formula for determining your maximum safe dosage level if you plan on using colloidal silver DAILY as a nutritional supplement is as follows:

First, multiply your body weight by 12.  And then divide that total by the ppm of the colloidal silver solution you're using.

This will tell you how many DROPS (i.e., from an eye dropper) of colloidal silver you can take each day, safely, for a lifetime, without fear of ending up with argyria (i.e., skin-staining).

For example, if you're 125 pounds, and you're using a 10 ppm colloidal silver solution, you'd multiply 12 times 125 = 1,500.  Then divide 1,500 by 10 (ppm), which is 150. 

So at a body weight of 125 pounds, you can safely take 150 drops of colloidal silver per day, for your entire life, according to the Silver Safety Council. That's a little bit over a teaspoonful a day.

My Personal Daily Dosage

Obviously, people have taken more colloidal silver than that, daily, for years on end – and have done so without incurring any harm. 

For example, I'm tall and nearly 240 pounds.  So my daily dosage should be about two teaspoons full, based upon the Silver Safety Council’s conservative calculation. 

But I take about an ounce of colloidal silver daily, and I've done so for nearly 20 years as part of my ongoing nutritional supplement regimen. 

However, I also take regular "colloidal silver holidays" during which I purposely abstain from colloidal silver usage for a week or two – sometimes even for a month or two.

And regardless of whether or not I’m taking colloidal silver, I always drink plenty of fresh, pure water each day to help flush any excess silver from my system. 

What's more, I always take a daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement that includes 400 IU of Vitamin E, 200 mcg of selenium, and about 500 mg of NAC (N-acetyl cysteine).

Why?  Because cutting edge medical practitioners like Dr. Jonathan Wright, M.D. say these particular antioxidant supplements are necessary to help process silver out of the body effectively.

As Dr. Wright has written previously:

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

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

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

-- Dr. Jonathan Wright, MD

Naturally, Dr. Wright is not saying you can take all of the colloidal silver you want, as long as you have plenty of antioxidants in your diet. 

He’s simply saying the body requires antioxidants in order to process silver effectively.  And if you’re low on antioxidants, you’re at greater risk of silver accumulation, even at normal daily dosage levels.

The bottom line is that I take great pains to make sure my regular colloidal silver usage – though slightly above average for my body weight – does not become abusive

Just Trying to Make a Point

So please understand: I'm not trying to dictate how much colloidal silver anyone can use. It's not my business. 

Some people tell me they’re taking anywhere from four ounces, to six ounces, to eight ounces, or even 16 ounces of colloidal silver a day.  If you want to abuse your body and take big risks by ingesting astronomically larger than recommended dosages like that, that's up to you.

Just be sure you're willing to take personal responsibility for it. Once you end up with argyria – the blue-gray skin-staining that typifies long-term excessive usage of colloidal silver – you can't switch gears and start blaming others for it. 

So what I am trying to do is this:  Make the point that when people say they're taking 4 ounces, or 6 ounces, or 8 ounces or in some cases even 16 ounces of colloidal silver per day…

…and they've been doing this for months on end when a responsible daily dosage would be closer to somewhere between a teaspoonful and an ounce a day…

…then it's clear to me they're operating WAY outside of the bounds of safety (and sanity) in terms of the very real risk of ending up with argyria. 

Those kinds of overly-high dosage levels – which are 400%, 600%, 800% and even higher than normal levels – are not just excessive. They're downright abusive, particularly when taken regularly, over long periods of time.

Another Colloidal Silver Blue Man

I spent nearly a half hour on the phone today with an elderly colloidal silver user who's face and neck are now colored, in his own words, "pastel blue." 

It was heart-breaking. He says children snicker at him in the stores.  People stare at him in wonderment everywhere he goes and point fingers at him.

And nurses have actually stopped him on the street and asked if they can call him an ambulance, thinking he's suffering from cardiac hypoxia -- i.e., lack of oxygen to the body when the heart isn't pumping strongly enough, which can cause the face to turn blue. 

How did he end up in that condition?  Well, his heart is just fine.  But he drank a quart of colloidal silver a day, he told me, for two years straight. 

And why?  Because someone told him you can drink all of the colloidal silver you want and it can't hurt you.

Listen to me, please.  Argyria from excessive, daily long-term colloidal silver usage is very real.  It’s not a joking matter.  And it will change your life forever, and most definitely not for the better. 

What’s more, it doesn't matter what kind of colloidal silver you're taking. Don't let anyone ever tell you they have a special kind of colloidal silver that "can't cause argyria."  It's a crock. 

There’s simply no such thing as a form of colloidal silver that can’t cause argyria if used at excessive levels for long periods of time. 

They key to successful colloidal silver usage – regardless of which kind you use -- is the responsible use of the substance.

Safe, Sane and Responsible Usage

I've been a very vocal advocate for the safe, sane and responsible usage of colloidal silver for nearly 20 years now, ever since colloidal silver saved my wife’s toes from amputation after she came down with a nasty bone infection called osteomyelitis.

Colloidal silver has also been a very successful mainstay in my daily nutritional supplement regimen for chronic fatigue syndrome – a condition I had previously suffered horrifically from. 

What’s more, I’ve seen colloidal silver used as a nutritional adjunct to help the body heal literally hundreds of incidences of infection and disease over the past 20 years, like those you’ll find at the Colloidal Silver Success Stories website.   

But over these past 20 years, I’ve also seen a handful of cases of arygria – sometimes in people who drank as little as four or five ounces of colloidal silver a day, for only a few short years in a row. 

Listen, there’s ZERO need to take such excessive daily amounts of colloidal silver for months and years on end.  A few days here and there, when really needed, perhaps

But if you have a health condition and you're taking huge amounts of colloidal silver as a nutritional adjunct for it, and you’re doing so for months and years on end, and it hasn't helped your body heal itself of that condition...guess what?  It ISN'T going to! 

You're taking the silver for NOTHING.  And you're putting yourself at big risk for argyria.  And if you’ll just be honest with yourself, you’ll see that you really need re-evaluate your obsessive desire to take so much of this otherwise very beneficial substance.

I’m Staggered

I don't know what else I can say. 

I'm absolutely staggered by some of the things I've seen posted on the internet lately from people taking huge amounts of colloidal silver on a daily basis for months or even years on end, and worse yet, urging other people to do the same.

When I gently chastised one of these abusive users of colloidal silver, recently, I was brusquely informed by him, “I’ve done my research.  I know what I’m doing.  I’m convinced taking this much colloidal silver is safe for me.”  

Well, so be it.  As Forest Gump says, “Stupid is as stupid does.”

In another instance, a man who was clearly in the beginning stages of argyria on his face and neck was confronted by a friend of mine and handed a copy of the Colloidal Silver Safe Dosage Report.  The man threw the report down and, after admitting he was taking high daily dosages of a super-concentrated colloidal silver solution, said, “I’ve read that report.  It’s crap.  I know what I’m doing.”

Well, I know what he’s doing, too.  He’s turning himself blue from taking huge daily dosages of colloidal silver.

Very Real Dangers

As a long-time vocal advocate of responsible colloidal silver usage, I’ve written emphatically about the dangers of excessive colloidal silver usage over and over and over again. 

And I’ve even posted the well-known clinical study on argyria, titled “Exposure-Related Health Effects of Silver and Silver Compounds: A Review,” here

I’ve also repeatedly tried to make the point that if you started taking two vitamin tablets a day, and they helped you feel better, you're not going to increase your dosage to half a bottle of vitamin tablets a day, right? 

I think just about everyone would agree it would be crazy to take such an excessive amount of vitamins.  So why in the world would you take 100 or 200 times the normal amount of colloidal silver each day?

That’s NOT safe, NOT sane, and NOT responsible.  It’s obsessive

So if you’re one of those people who are taking such large daily amounts of colloidal silver, and intend to keep on doing so, please reconsider.  That's all I can ask of you.

If you haven’t done so already, you can learn more about the safe, sane and responsible usage of colloidal silver by obtaining a FREE copy of the Colloidal Silver Safe Dosage Report

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,


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


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Colloidal Silver Boosts Effectiveness of Antibiotic Drugs

Why do critics with strong ties to institutional medicine and Big Pharma continue to say colloidal silver can interfere with the absorption of antibiotic drugs, when in reality studies show that it actually boosts their effectiveness?

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

Clinical research from the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology at Brigham-Young University, and published in the journal Current Science, Vol. 91, No. 7, October 10, 2006, has demonstrated that colloidal silver works synergistically with antibiotic drugs, and often produces an “additive” effect when used alongside them. 

In other words, in many cases colloidal silver actually increases the infection-fighting qualities of those drugs. 

What’s more, antibiotic drugs that had previously lost their effectiveness against drug-resistant pathogens suddenly regain their full effectiveness when colloidal silver is used with them!

Below is a list of the antibiotic drugs successfully tested in combination with silver in the above-linked study. 

Most of these antibiotic drugs were demonstrated by the researchers to be synergistic with colloidal silver.  And the colloidal silver even increased the efficacy of many of them against deadly pathogens such as MRSA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and E. coli

·       Amikacin
·       Amoxicillin
·       Carbenicillin
·       Cefoperazone
·       Ceftizidime
·       Ciprofloxacin
·       Clindamycin
·       Doxycycline
·       Erythromycin
·       Gentamycin
·       Kanamycin Syn.
·       Nalidixic Acid
·       Oxacillin
·       Penicillin-G
·       Rifampin
·       Streptomycin
·       Tetracycline
·       Tobramycin
·       Trimethoprim

(See full results in the clinical study linked to in the first paragraph above.)

Further Confirmation

The fact that silver can increase the efficacy of antibiotic drugs was further confirmed in research published in the journal Nanomedicine in June 2007. 

In a study titled “Synthesis and Effect of Silver Nanoparticles On the Antibacterial Activity of Different Antibiotics Against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli” the researchers discovered that:

The antibacterial activities of penicillin G, amoxicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and vancomycin were increased in the presence of silver nano-particles (Ag-NPs) against both test strains.

The highest enhancing effects were observed for vancomycin, amoxicillin, and penicillin G against S. aureus."

In other words, the efficacy of powerful antibiotic drugs like erythromycin and clindamycin against potentially deadly pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus were increased when silver was used alongside them. 

And the efficacy of antibiotic drugs like penicillin G, amoxicillin and vancomycin were increased by an even wider margin when silver was added. 

More Research Confirmation

So why would adding antimicrobial silver increase the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs? 

Researchers from the Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology & Regenerative Medicine in Spain think they’ve found the answer. 

They confirmed that nanosilver, when used in conjunction with antibiotic drugs like ampicillin, produces an extremely strong synergistic effect against drug-resistant gram positive and gram negative bacteria, largely because of a powerful “one-two punch” the combination delivers. 

Here's a quote from their recent study:

“Recently…the synergetic effect of silver nanoparticles with antibiotics has been studied combining silver nanoparticles with different antibiotics like ampicillin, kanamycin, erythromycin and chloramphenicol against gram positive and gram negative bacteria.

The antibacterial activities of these antibiotics increase in the presence of silver nanoparticles against gram positive and gram negative bacteria…

…The combination effect of nanosilver and ampicillin has more potential compared to the other antibiotics and may be caused by both the cell wall lysis action of the ampicillin and the DNA binding action of the silver nanoparticles.

The antibiotic molecules contain many active groups such as hydroxyl and amido groups, which react easily with silver nanoparticles by chelation. 

For this reason, the synergistic effect may be caused by the bonding reaction with antibiotic and silver nanoparticles.”

In other words, the researchers say molecules of the antimicrobial silver actually bond with the antibiotic drug through a process of chelation. 

Then the antibiotic drug bursts the cell wall of the pathogen, while the antimicrobial silver binds the pathogen’s DNA.  This combined action destroys the ability of the pathogen to infect. 

Of course, antimicrobial silver hasn’t been tested in conjunction with every antibiotic drug on the face of the earth.  But the results from clinical studies conducted so far appear to be nothing short of stellar.

And Even More Research

In fact, in another study, titled “Antibacterial Efficacy of Colloidal Silver Alone and In Combination With Other Antibiotics on Isolates from Wound Infections,” published in Academic Journals, researchers further confirmed that colloidal silver had a significant additive effect on many antibiotics tested. 

What’s more, while there were very few antibiotic drugs which colloidal silver failed to enhance the effectiveness of, even among those few there was nevertheless “no antagonism” between the drugs tested and the colloidal silver. 

In other words, colloidal silver did not decrease the effectiveness of the antibiotic drugs, even in the very few cases where it failed to increase the effectiveness of the drugs. In short, it didn’t interfere with the absorption or efficacy of the drug in any case. 

Of course, the simple fact that antimicrobial silver kills drug-resistant pathogens – with, or without antibiotic drugs -- has been re-confirmed time after time. 

As recently stated in a 2010 clinical study published in the World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology:

"Infections caused by drug-resistant microorganisms result in significant increases in mortality, morbidity, and cost related to prolonged treatments.

The antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles against some drug-resistant bacteria has been established…

Hence, we challenged different drug-resistant pathogens of clinical importance (multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, ampicillin-resistant Escherichia coli O157:H7 and erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pyogenes) with a suspension of silver nanoparticles.

By means of a luciferase-based assay, it was determined that silver nanoparticles:

(1) inactivate a panel of drug-resistant and drug-susceptible bacteria (Gram positive and Gram negative),

(2) exert their antibacterial activity through a bactericidal rather than bacteriostatic mechanism, and

(3) inhibit the bacterial growth rate from the time of first contact between the bacteria and the nanoparticles."

-- World J Microbiol Biotechnol (2010) 26:615–621

This is important, because it not only confirms the simple fact that silver inhibits the growth rate of potentially deadly pathogens that have become resistant to antibiotic drugs, it also confirms that it inactivates and then outright kills the drug-resistant pathogens. 

The Critics

Of course, some critics have issued dire warnings that colloidal silver interferes with the absorption and efficacy of antibiotic drugs.   

These critics – often operating under the imprimatur of organizations with strong ties to institutional medicine and big drug companies -- generally regurgitate the warning from the FDA’s 2009 Consumer Advisory Bulletin, which states: 

“…the use of silver-containing dietary supplements may interfere with the body's absorption of some drugs, such as quinolone antibiotics [ciprofloxacin (Cipro), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin], tetracycline antibiotics, thyroxine, and penacillamine (Cuprimine).”

But in reality, there appears to be no documented evidence whatsoever for this claim.  At least, the FDA can’t provide any. 

In fact, when I recently filed a Freedom of Information Act Request with the FDA, asking them to document their claims that ingesting colloidal silver could interfere with the absorption of certain antibiotic drugs and other types of drugs, they had to admit they had no evidence whatsoever for their claims! 

The bottom line is that to date, there’s no significant evidence for the long-standing claim that colloidal silver usage can interfere with the absorption or efficacy of antibiotic drugs. 

It appears to be a completely fabricated claim, perhaps designed by medical bureaucrats to scare the bejabbers out of colloidal silver users.

And unfortunately, it is regurgitated ad nauseum by organizations with close ties to institutional medicine and Big Pharma, such as WebMD.com, MayoClinic.com, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and even Livestrong.com, among others. 

In Conclusion…

As you’ve seen above there’s plenty of solid clinical evidence that colloidal silver works synergistically with many antibiotic drugs, and even noticeably increases the effectiveness of many of them. 

There’s also a plethora of evidence demonstrating that in many cases antimicrobial silver can even restore the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs against potentially deadly drug-resistant pathogens.

If these clinical findings are followed up on, they portend great hope for victims of deadly, antibiotic-resistant pathogens that now kill over 94,000 Americans each and every year, as well as hundreds of thousands more worldwide. 

While colloidal silver itself would probably do the job in many cases, the medical establishment is not going to allow that to happen since colloidal silver cannot be patented and monopolized by Big Pharma. 

However, combining antibiotic drugs with some form of antimicrobial silver is something the medical establishment might well go for, since the result would be considered a “novel invention” that can be patented. 

(See my article on one new “Frankensilver” drug now in development.)

And if saving lives is the goal, then I suppose this is something we can look forward to.  After all, it will ultimately bring colloidal silver even more strongly into the limelight, in terms of its infection-fighting capabilities. 

To learn how to make your own high-quality colloidal silver, quickly and easily, in the comfort and privacy of your own home, 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,


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