Colloidal Silver and Shingles

Does colloidal silver work for shingles outbreak and shingles neuralgia – i.e., the excruciating nerve pain that often goes along with a shingles outbreak?

While there have been no clinical studies on this subject, the anecdotal evidence is compelling.  Here’s what we know so far…

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

Most people know that “shingles,” also known as herpes zoster virus outbreak, can cause a painful, blistering skin rash that can last two to four weeks, or even longer.

Some victims might also develop severe nerve pain that can last for months, or even for years after the rash goes away. This is called post-herpetic neuralgia, and it’s the most common complication of shingles.

Shingles is caused by the varicella zoster virus – the same virus that causes chickenpox. Apparently, if you’ve ever had chickenpox, this virus resides inside you for life, normally in a dormant state. 

But experts say it can “reactivate” years later, particularly during times of physical or mental stress, and when immunity is low.  This is why it so often afflicts the aged.  Only, instead of causing chickenpox, it causes the painful “shingles” outbreaks.

Pain from shingles can be excruciating, oftentimes described as deep burning or “stabbing” pain, often in conjunction with uncontrollable itching and deep, debilitating aches. 

Experts say that’s because the shingles virus prefers to live in the nerve cells of the human body, and when reactivated it inflames those cells.

Colloidal Silver and Shingles

According to the book Prescriptions for Natural Healing by Phyllis A. Balch and her husband Dr. James F. Balch, M.D., colloidal silver is indeed effective for treating shingles. 

Here’s from page 622 of the 3^rd edition of their book, listing shingles as a condition that can be treated effectively with colloidal silver:

Shingles (Herpes Zoster) – “A natural antibiotic that has shown effectiveness in treating shingles. Can be taken internally and used topically.” (p. 622)

And according to a very old issue of the British Medical Journal (December 15, 1917), researcher J. Mark Hovell wrote:

“Colloidal silver has also been used successfully in septic conditions of the mouth (including pyorrhea alveolysis - Rigg's disease), throat (including tonsillitis and quincies), ear (including Menier's symptoms and closure to Valsalva's inflation), and iin generalized septicemia, leucorrhea, cystitis, whooping cough and shingles."

Small Silver Particles Work Best

Radio talk show host Robert Scott Bell says “actively charged silver nanoparticles or cations (positively charged silver ions) are effective against shingles outbreaks, “if the silver particles are small enough.”

The smaller the silver particles, the more easily they can penetrate the virus itself, he explains, and bind to the genetic material combined within it, rendering the shingles virus unable to replicate.  “This,” he says, “can stop an infection in its tracks.”

For a shingles outbreak, Bell first recommends topical application of a high-quality silver gel such as Sovereign Silver First Aid Gel. 

And he recommends oral consumption of a good, high-quality silver hydrosol such as Sovereign Silver brand colloidal silver. 

“Just one teaspoon held sublingually for about a minute before swallowing, taken every waking hour while in the throes of an outbreak can be of great assistance.  Spread doses out as symptoms improve.”

Bell says he has seen the topical application of the silver gel and concomitant oral ingestion of the colloidal silver dramatically shorter the duration and severity of shingles outbreaks. 

He goes on to say “If you feel like you may be susceptible or on the verge of a shingles attack, you can prophylactically begin frequent dosing with silver. Longer-term prevention for those vulnerable would include using one teaspoon three to five times daily to assist with immune system rebuilding.”

But Does Colloidal Silver Really Work?

I’ve had quite a few experienced colloidal silver users over the years write to tell me that colloidal silver helped immensely with shingles outbreaks.

And I've posted several testimonials directly below, from the Testimonials page at TheSilverEdge.com.

As noted earlier, shingles is caused by a virus that likes to "hibernate" in the nerve cells of your body.

In other words, this virus generally lies dormant when residing in the nerve cells. This is why it is so painful when they finally become active. Their renewed activity apparently causes severe irritation and inflammation to the nerves.

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to get colloidal silver deep into the nerve cells where the viruses dwell in their dormant state, as the nerves are protected by the myelin sheath which acts as "insulation" to the nerves.

Nevertheless, based upon numerous communications I've had with shingles victims who have used colloidal silver successfully for this debilitating condition, once the viruses have become active the silver appears to be effective in killing many, and driving the rest back into their dormant state.

Many researchers say colloidal silver also helps stimulate immunity, which is important, because lowered immunity is often one reason why the shingles virus can become active from its normally dormant state.

In many cases, when colloidal silver is used daily, in small amounts (i.e., one teaspoonful to one tablespoonful per day) between shingles outbreaks, the length of time between those outbreaks is often dramatically increased, with many people saying they can go for years without another shingles outbreak. 

What’s more, when an outbreak finally does occur, the duration is often dramatically lessened. People who had usually endured shingles outbreaks lasting for weeks at a time find that new outbreaks last only for a few days to a week at most, when colloidal silver has been used faithfully in the interim.

Finally, experienced colloidal silver users tell me that during the course of a shingles outbreak, taking somewhat higher daily dosages of colloidal silver can help reduce the symptoms dramatically, and reduce the length and severity of the outbreak. 

Most of the colloidal silver users I’ve spoken with on this subject tell me they’ve ingested anywhere from two ounces to four ounces of high-quality micro-particle colloidal silver daily during the course of the outbreaks (i.e., for no more than 10 days), while also spraying 10 ppm micro-particle colloidal silver topically onto the shingles outbreaks three to five times a day, or as needed to help stop the itching and surface pain, and heal the skin lesions.

What Shingles Victims Say

Here are some real-life accounts from the Testimonials page of The Silver Edge web site:

“I’ve had the Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator for some years now and have found many uses for the silver water, ranging from flyblown sheep, to toe fungus, to of course the usual cold, flu treatments.

But the most dramatic use I have found was for a case of shingles I had two and a half years ago.

It started with nerve pain in my back. When the little red spots appeared, I went to the doctor, got it diagnosed, and came away with prescriptions for $250 worth of salve, pain pills, antibiotic pills, and a warning from the doctor that in all likelihood I would have to come back for more.

Two days later the pain had increased to the point that it was unbearable.

Knowing that something other than the doctor's prescriptions was needed, I had my wife pour colloidal silver in her hand and literally wash my back with it. Fifteen minutes later the pain was gone. Not just diminished, but GONE!

And it never came back. Also, the outbreak, the little red spots, never got any worse than if they were pimples, did not scab, and soon disappeared.”

-- A. D. Robinson, UT

“I also gave some colloidal silver to a friend who was suffering with a bad case of shingles.

I gave her colloidal silver in combination with olive leaf extract and her shingles and pain disappeared in days. She told me that her Shingles usually last 6-8 wks.

The outbreak that was inside her mouth healed within 12 hrs. She swished the colloidal silver around in her mouth for 1 min. before swallowing it.

She drank 1-2 oz. about 5-7 times per day for 3 days along with about 1 TBL. of olive leaf extract.”

-- T.R.B., Montgomery, TX

“I was experiencing cold sores (the herpes kind, little clusters of blisters) in multiple places on my face, while having light sensitivity and head pain!

A nurse said that it sounded like shingles. So I contacted a friend, who had done a cleanse for viral infections, and it involved the use of 1 ounce of 10 ppm colloidal silver every 4 hours, for a month.

He knew that to purchase a month’s worth of colloidal silver in a store would be far more than the cost of a generator, so he researched and recommended the Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator.

This cleanse was for 1 month (that included night doses) and symptoms of the herpes sores were gone for 2 years as a result.”

-- Johanna Brosie, AZ

"My husband and I have been using the Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver generator for five years. The same generator. We love it.

When I had shingles, I put it on the spots and drank about 2 oz every four hours. I never, never took the medicine they prescribed for me.

I believe catching it as fast as I did (I had a doctor's appointment and one spot was on my forehead), probably helped matters.

I think the secret for us, since we have never had the flu nor the shot, is taking it like you would your medicine. Keeping it in your system every four hours during the outbreak has been what worked for us."

-- Linda F.

Here are some additional testimonials on colloidal silver and shingles from the WebMD.com web site. 

This first one is from an elderly individual who had shingles in around her right eye:

“I have suffered from Shingles Neuralgia around my right eye for over 2 years. The optic nerve was not affected. I had continual irritation of the eye lid and the whole eye orbit, with a small weeping itching area on the lower lid.

I applied the colloidal silver solution over the lid and right side of the face. The weeping area disappeared and has not returned for 2 months. It interrupted my sleep at night, and would drain into the right eye. No more eye lid drainage.

The general burning, pain and swelling around the orbit has greatly decreased and my sleep had improved. I am also full of energy and regaining my exercise program, along with daily yoga stretches.

I'm 77, and was thinking that life was not worth living. Now I am planning a whole new life and moving from AK to Hawaii.”

Here’s another testimonial, this one from a lady who was able to get rid of a painful shingles outbreak in just a few days using colloidal silver:

“I realized I had the start of shingles one Friday night. The stinging and irritation was getting worse and worse.

I was trying to think what I could do to relieve the pain when I remembered I had a bottle of colloidal silver in the back of the cabinet. My mom had given it to me a few years earlier.

I started applying it and immediately I felt relief. I would have relief for about 1/2 an hour and then would apply it again. I wondered if cool water would give the same relief -- it did not. The silver was actually doing something to relieve the pain.

I started taking it orally then, and continued to apply it to relieve the pain. I planned to go to the doctor on Monday morning, but by Monday the shingles were almost completely gone!

That sold me. I now make my own colloidal silver and have used it to cure ear infections, sinus infections, pink eye, and sore throats. I use it on cuts and burns, insect bites, etc.

Sometimes I add some to the rinse cycle of my laundry. It takes away the musty smell that sometimes is in the dishcloths and towels during the hot summer months. I LOVE colloidal silver!”

Here’s a testimonial I found on the IndiaDivine.org website:

“I have personally given colloidal silver to SIX different people in my small town that had shingles - both externally and internally - and every single one of them have completely recovered after only spraying it on externally and/or taking doses of it internally at one ounce three times a day for a week or less!!!

Those with exposed nerve endings and multiple lesions had instant pain relief when they sprayed the colloidal silver on or dabbed it on with a q-tip.

One man tried to go back to the prescription his doctor had given him, an antibiotic ointment, and he got much worse and had to quickly stop the ointment and start spraying the colloidal silver on again -- and within 48 hours, his healing resumed, and his pain was GONE. Not so with ANYTHING antibiotic!!

Shingles are a viral infection, and colloidal silver is a proven antiviral, antifungal, antimicrobial, anti-everything solution.”

Here’s another very interesting testimonial, this one from the CureZone.com site:

“I seem to have Shingles…It’s only a mild case, thankfully…I’ve had the rash down my left side for 36 hours now.

At first for the whole day I thought it was an allergic reaction, but when it started blistering last night I put 2 + 2 together. I shall come back & do a proper update when I’m better…

I’ve been taking regular doses of vitamin C - 3 to 10 grams daily. And secondly, Colloidal Silver applied topically has given AMAZING relief from the itching!

The itching went soon after application of the colloidal silver & didn’t come back. In addition the rash started to improve and the swelling went down somewhat.”

Not “Proof”

Keep in mind, of course, the standard FDA-required disclaimer that anecdotal reports like these are not “proof” of effectiveness – obviously, because they cannot be construed as double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical studies. 

But they do indicate, to my mind, that more research needs to be conducted on this topic so a standardized dosage and treatment can be developed. 

Of course, once that’s done, the FDA will probably declare colloidal silver to be a “drug” and make you get a prescription for it…

…which is another good reason to own the means of colloidal silver production, i.e., a high-quality home colloidal silver generator such as the Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from The Silver Edge, which allows you to make all of the safe, natural colloidal silver you could ever need, for the rest of your life, for less than 36 cents a quart!

That way, should the medical bureaucrats ever try to declare colloidal silver to be a “drug,” you’ll be able to make all you want without worry.  

Additional Ideas

Finally, many people I've spoken to have also found that taking one capsule of the immune-boosting supplement, Beta-1,3, 1,6-glucan, several times a day during a shingles outbreak, dramatically lessened the pain and shortened the outbreaks compared to previous outbreaks. 

This specific immune-boosting supplement is available at www.NSC24.com.  Keep in mind that it’s when immunity has been compromised that these viruses are so often at their worst.  So anything you can do to boost immunity is crucial.

Also this:  Some shingles outbreaks are much more severe than others.  A family member who had a very severe case of shingles last year found that the only thing that worked for the horrific underlying pain was a colloidal silver cream product called Silver Pure (available at www.SilverPure.com) which contains a whopping 30,000 ppm silver nanoparticles. 

While colloidal silver liquid, applied topically, was helpful in stopping the horrific itching, in this particular case it barely put a dent in the underlying nerve pain that seemed to emanate from just below the surface of the skin. 

But the Silver Pure cream did the trick.  It stopped the terrible nerve pain in just moments after each application, and only had to be applied about three times daily during the course of the shingles outbreak. 

What’s Your Story?

As you can see, different people have used colloidal silver in a variety of ways (topically, orally, etc.), and sometimes in combination with other substances, such as Olive Leaf extract (which is said to be highly antiviral) or Vitamin C (immune-boosting, antiviral) or immune-boosting supplements like Beta-1,3-1,6-glucan. 

If you have a colloidal silver and shingles success story, be sure to join us on the Colloidal Silver Secrets Community and post your story so others can learn from it.

Finally, if you’d like 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, 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 about 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

                                                                                                                                                 

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: Heal Infected Boils With Colloidal Silver and Clay

Here’s a new video on how to use colloidal silver and a clay poultice to heal infected boils quickly and easily, and avoid painful surgical lancing in the process…

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

This simple trick for healing infected boils with colloidal silver and a clay poultice is extremely effective. 

It entails mixing colloidal silver with a little bit of Bentonite clay (available in most health food stores, or online), in order to make an antimicrobial poultice to place over the boil. 

As you’ll learn in the video, the Bentonite clay gently draws the infected material (pus) from the boil, while the colloidal silver you've mixed with the clay kills the staph and other bacteria present, in order to heal the infection. 

Just watch the 3-minute video at this link to learn more.

Much to the chagrin of my doctor, I was able to avoid a painful lancing of an infected boil by using this very simple and effective method.

At this link you can also read my article, Colloidal Silver and the Demon Boil from Hell, explaining how I used colloidal silver and a clay poultice to heal my own infected boil. 

And at this link you can read my article on healing infected boils in inconvenient places (such as under your armpit or near your private parts) with colloidal silver and Tea Tree oil.

Finally, if you’d like to learn how to make your own high-quality colloidal silver like I do, for less than 36 cents a quart, just click the link in this sentence. 

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

                                                                                                                                                  

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.

Study: Silver Boosts Effectiveness of Antibiotics By Up to 1,000x!

The news media has been awash lately with stories about a brand new clinical study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, in June 2013, which concluded that antimicrobial silver can be used to boost the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs against drug-resistant bacteria by up to 1,000 times. 

But is this actually “new” information?  Or is it old news?

I suppose it really doesn’t matter, because it’s helping bring the infection-fighting qualities of colloidal silver back into the public limelight again, and awakening the general public to its powerful healing attributes.  But here’s the real scoop on the story you won’t get anywhere else…

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

In April I wrote an article titled Colloidal Silver Boosts the Effectiveness of Antibiotic Drugs, in which I covered all of the main studies up to that point demonstrating that colloidal silver and other forms of antimicrobial silver, when added to antibiotic drugs, tends to boost their effectiveness many times over.

For example, I pointed out the 2006 study conducted at the Department of Microbiology/Molecular Biology at Brigham-Young University, which found that numerous antibiotic drugs that had previously lost their effectiveness against drug-resistant pathogens suddenly regained their full effectiveness when colloidal silver is used in conjunction with them.

What’s more, I pointed out another study from the Andalusian Center for Molecular Biology & Regenerative Medicine in Spain, which concluded:

“The synergetic effect of silver nanoparticles with antibiotics has been studied combining silver nanoparticles with different antibiotics including 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.”

And I pointed out the study published in Academic Journals, titled “Antibacterial Efficacy of Colloidal Silver Alone and In Combination With Other Antibiotics on Isolates from Wound Infections,” which concluded that “colloidal silver had a significant additive effect on many antibiotics tested.”

Also, close to seven years ago, on the Colloidal Silver Cures MRSA website, I pointed out another study titled “Synthesis and Effect of Silver Nanoparticles on the Antibacterial Activity of Different Antibiotics Against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.” 

This study concluded that the effectiveness of antibiotics like penicillin G, amoxicillin, erythromycin, clindamycin, and vancomycin were all increased in the presence antimicrobial silver. 

On that same website I pointed out that since the antibiotic drugs tested had previously lost their effectiveness against the drug-resistant pathogens, these studies clearly demonstrate that the silver was the deciding factor in the deaths of the deadly pathogens!

Critics of Adding Silver to Antibiotics

I’ve also pointed out that there are critics of the idea of adding antimicrobial silver to antibiotic drugs. 

These critics claim that silver actually interferes with the absorption and effectiveness of antibiotics.

Indeed, these critics – including WebMD.com, MayoClinic.com, Livestrong.com and even Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. who must be going soft in his old age -- 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 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 the stated antibiotic drugs and other types of drugs, they had to admit they had no evidence whatsoever for their claims! 

Silver Back in the Limelight

Now, as you’ll see in just a moment, major news media from around the world are reporting the results of the latest clinical study on silver’s ability to dramatically boost the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs. 

And they’re reporting it as if this study constituted brand “new” information that’s rocking the medical establishment.  

Truth be told, however, as I’ve pointed out above, the medical establishment has long since been aware of the fact that colloidal silver by itself is highly antimicrobial in nature, and that silver in any form tends to boost the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs, often many times over. 

Love-Hate Relationship

Before we take a quick look at what the worldwide news media is saying about this new study on silver’s ability to boost the effectiveness of antibiotics drugs, please keep in mind that the orthodox medical establishment seems to have an ongoing “love-hate” relationship with silver. 

They love it, because it works so darned well, and has so much infection-fighting potential, particularly in its ability to boost the effectiveness of their expensive antibiotic drugs which now largely fail to kill drug-resistant pathogens.

But they hate it, because it’s a substance the average Joe has easy access to (in the form of colloidal silver), and doesn’t generally need a doctor’s prescription in order to obtain and use. 

So they’re hard-pressed to figure out a way to patent it, monopolize it, and market it as a high-ticket drug item.

After all, when you and I can simply drive over to our local health food store and pick up a bottle of colloidal silver for twenty bucks, or make our own high-quality colloidal silver for just pennies, who needs some over-priced new silver-laced antibiotic drug from Big Pharma?

But now that the medical establishment is decidedly losing the battle against antibiotic-resistant pathogens, this new study seems to indicate that drug researchers are at least willing to take another good, long look at silver. 

Don’t Be Fooled

Don’t be fooled, however: 

One of the lead researchers on the new study, Jim Collins, a biomedical engineer at Boston University, has already stated that “…other researchers might now attempt to find non-toxic compounds that mimic silver’s bacteria-weakening mechanisms.”

Indeed, in an interview with another news media outlet, he stated, “We’re also encouraging people to look at what features of silver caused the helpful effects, so they can look for non-toxic versions.”

In other words, now that they’ve demonstrated how silver boosts the effectiveness of the medical establishment’s failing antibiotic drugs, they can start looking for other substances that “mimic silver’s bacteria-weakening mechanisms” and have similar “helpful effects.”

So the likelihood is that they may still have no intention whatsoever of incorporating antimicrobial silver into their failing antibiotic drugs. 

They may, in reality, be looking to find a chemically synthesized substance they can patent, which would duplicate the ability of silver to boost the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs.

What the News Media is Saying

Nevertheless, the news media appears to be ecstatic about the new study, which of course is good to see. 

Here are a few quotes from the various news articles I’ve seen so far:

From a news article in prestigious Scientific American (re-printed from the journal, Nature), we learn that the study authors discovered that it’s the silver ion that helps increase the efficacy of antibiotic drugs against drug-resistant bacteria, by breaking down the cell wall of the bacteria to allow more of the antibiotic drug to penetrate. 

This, of course, is nothing new.  I’ve written about it years ago in this article, titled, “Experts:  It’s the Silver Ion That Gives Colloidal Silver It’s Antimicrobial Power.” 

Nevertheless, as stated in the Scientific American news article:

“Like werewolves and vampires, bacteria have a weakness: silver.

The precious metal has been used to fight infection for thousands of years — Hippocrates first described its antimicrobial properties in 400 bc — but how it works has been a mystery.

Now, a team led by James Collins, a biomedical engineer at Boston University in Massachusetts, has described how silver can disrupt bacteria, and shown that the ancient treatment could help to deal with the thoroughly modern scourge of antibiotic resistance.

…Collins and his team found that silver — in the form of dissolved ions — attacks bacterial cells in two main ways:

It makes the cell membrane more permeable, and it interferes with the cell’s metabolism, leading to the overproduction of reactive, and often toxic, oxygen compounds.

Both mechanisms could potentially be harnessed to make today’s antibiotics more effective against resistant bacteria, Collins says.”

Of course, silver’s ability to break down bacterial cell membranes and interfere with the bacteria’s metabolism is most definitely not a new discovery.  It’s been known for decades, actually.

As reported in the 2008 study, Nanotechnology In Medicine and Antibacterial Effect Of Silver Nanoparticles:

“Nanoparticles mainly in the range of 1-10 nm attach to the surface of the cell membrane and drastically disturb its proper function, like permeability and respiration.”

As Dr. Murray J. Height, Ph.D., and Chief Technology Officer of the Silver Nanotechnology Working Group pointed out several years ago:

“All silver-based antimicrobials act against bacteria through the action of silver ions.  Silver ions interact with bacteria cells through three mechanisms:  1.) Damage cell membranes, 2.) Displace Ca2+ and Zn2+ ions, 3.) Interact with sulphur, oxygen or nitrogen.” 

And as pointed out in the medical textbook by silver researcher Alan B. Lansdown, Silver in Health Care:  Antimicrobial Effects and Safety in Use, published in 2010:

“The antimicrobial action of silver or silver compounds is proportional to the bioactive silver ion released and its availability to interact with bacterial or fungal cell membranes.”

Finally, as I pointed out in my article “Experts:  It’s the Silver Ion That Gives Colloidal Silver Its Antimicrobial Power,” the Handbook of Hospital Corps of the United States Navy stated way back in 1953:

“Silver compounds have a wide variety of uses as caustics, astringents, antiseptics, and germicides. Their activity resides in the silver ion, which is a protein precipitant [in that] it is toxic to bacteria by precipitating the protein in the bacteria protoplasm.”

So while it’s good to see the media touting the findings of this new study, it’s almost laughable to call much of the information derived from the study “new.”  It’s actually been known since the 1950’s, and even before that.

Next, from an article on FoxNews.com, carried by the Daily Mail news website, we learn that the new study demonstrated “just a small amount of silver” made pathogens up to 1,000 times more sensitive to penicillin. 

What’s more, the study demonstrated that silver actually boosts the effectiveness of the antibiotic tetracycline against E. coli bacteria:

“A new study from Boston University revealed that adding silver to antibiotics enhanced the drugs’ abilities to fight off lethal infections in mice. 

…Through their tests, the team showed that just a small amount of silver made E. coli bacteria between 10 and 1,000 times more sensitive to commonly prescribed antibiotics, such as penicillin.

…Most importantly, the researchers showed that silver helped the antibiotic tetracycline fight a previously resilient strain of E. coli. 

This signified that the combination of silver and antibiotics could be used to resensitize antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria. 

‘Overall, what we show is that small amounts of silver, non-toxic levels, can be used in conjunction with commonly used antibiotics to treat persistent infection and to treat bio-film based infections, which are problematic for medical implants,’ Collins said.’

Well, that’s quite fascinating, especially since the antibiotic drug tetracycline, mentioned in the third-to-last paragraph of the Fox News article excerpt above, is one that the FDA claims is inhibited by silver. 

Of course, it would hardly seem that tetracycline could be inhibited by silver, if silver increases this drug’s effectiveness against drug-resistant strains of E. coli, as the new study demonstrated.

Perhaps this is why the FDA could not produce any evidence or documentation of their claims that silver inhibits the absorption of tetracycline, when I asked them for it. 

According to an article about the new study on NatureWorldNews.com, the researchers found even more interesting information about silver’s abilities to kill the microbes:

The study also found that silver increased the efficiency of Vancomycin, an antibiotic that isn't known to kill gram positive bacteria…

… Interestingly, silver treated bacteria weren't able to produce a biofilm and didn't turn dormant. Usually it takes several rounds of antibiotics to kill bacteria that become dormant…

… Researchers even tested various doses of silver compounds that could kill the bacteria.

They found that the amount of silver required to make bacteria more sensitive to antibiotics would not cause any harm to human tissues. Oral or injectable silver could be used in humans, they said. 

Amazingly, most critics of colloidal silver claim it can’t possibly work when orally ingested.  This, of course, flies in the face of decade’s worth of successful oral use of colloidal silver by literally millions of people worldwide. 

But now we have top researchers from Boston University claiming oral use of silver will not only work (in terms of boosting the effectiveness of antibiotic drugs), but such small amounts are needed that it “would not cause any harm to human tissues.” 

What’s more, the researchers found that when silver is used, the bacteria aren’t able to produce biofilms, which are like fortified colonies the bacteria hide in to escape the lethality of antibiotic drugs. 

This, too, of course, is not “new” information.  It’s long been known that silver ions can prevent or even destroy bacterial biofilms (see 2005 study here). 

So while there is some new information one can glean from the study, in reality much of what the researchers “discovered” has been known for a long time. 

One Thing Missing In This Study

One thing you might have noticed in all of this hoopla, of course, is that there’s been no mention whatsoever made of the fact that numerous studies have demonstrated that colloidal silver can kill these pathogenic microorganisms all by itself, without the concurrent use antibiotic drugs!

See for example, this study, and this study, and this study, and this study, and this study, and this study and this study and dozens of other clinical studies and reports at this link.

Indeed, the researchers in this new study appear to have studiously avoided testing the antimicrobial silver by itself against the same pathogens they tested the silver and antibiotic drug combinations against.

Why? 

Could it be because the medical establishment fears that if the general public becomes aware that antimicrobial silver is indeed this effective against pathogenic microorganisms, they’ll flee from the use of potentially toxic antibiotic drugs altogether and embrace colloidal silver in its place, costing Big Pharma billions of dollars in annual profits? 

What the Experts Say About Colloidal Silver

As Dr. Joseph Weissman, M.D. board certified immunologist and Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California Medical School has stated:

"Today, many antibiotics are losing the battle with germs.

Fortunately, the best germ killer, which was discovered over 2,000 years ago, is finally getting the proper attention from medical science - natural silver.

I sincerely recommend that everyone have electrically generated colloidal silver in their home as an antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal agent."

And as Harvard-educated Dr. Jonathan Wright, M.D. has stated:

“Colloidal silver just might be the next germ-fighting wonder drug. And not just for the serious threats making headlines: It's also effective against bacterial infections like strep throat, viruses like the flu, and fungal infections like Candida.

No matter how much a germ mutates, it can't change enough to escape the damaging effects of colloidal silver.

And in the process, the silver doesn't harm human tissue or kill off the good bacteria in the intestine the way antibiotics and other medications do."

And as author Zane Baranowski, CN, has stated:

"Silver is one of the most universal antibiotic substances. When administered in the colloidal form, it is for all practical purposes non-toxic.

Silver has been proven to be effective against hundreds of infectious conditions.

It has tremendous anti-microbial power; the history of safe and successful colloidal silver use is extensive, and the number of current health professionals and individuals that successfully utilize colloidal silver to reduce the length and severity of infectious disorders is growing exponentially."

And as Dr. Nenah Sylver, Ph.D has so astutely pointed out:

“Companies that sell colloidal silver or the equipment to make it are forbidden by the FDA to tell their customers about colloidal silver’s healing properties.

Interestingly, this has not stopped major pharmaceutical companies from producing other silver products that are approved for medical purposes.

These products include silver gels, for cuts, burns and wounds (silver sulfadiazine cream, a compound, is extensively used); silver coated bandages, widely and successfully used in hospital burn units; and various silver compounds, for other purposes.

The existence of these products makes it difficult for government agencies to deny the health benefits of silver any longer."

And as Dr. Ron Leavitt, Ph.D., of the Department of Microbiology at Brigham Young University has stated:

"The data suggests that with the low toxicity associated with colloidal silver, in general, and the broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity of this colloidal silver preparation, this preparation may be effectively used as an alternative to antibiotics."

And as best-selling author Dr. James Balch, M.D. has stated in his book, Prescription For Nutritional Healing:

"Topically, colloidal silver can be used to fight fungal infections of the skin or nails and to promote the healing of burns, wounds, cuts, rashes, and sunburn.

It can be used on toothaches and mouth sores, as eye drops, and as a gargle to fight tooth decay and bad breath.

It can also be used as sterilizer and can even be sprayed on air-conditioning filters and air ducts and vents to prevent germs from growing."

And as Byron J. Richards, CCN (Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist) and author of Fight for Your Health:  Exposing the FDA’s Betrayal of America, has stated:

"Colloidal silver is the product the FDA and many mainstream medical people love to hate.

…Their worst nightmare is people taking colloidal silver to combat the H1N1 swine flu – the nightmare for them is that it might actually work.

…The high efficacy in the use of silver to kill bacteria and fungus is not in question by anyone. This does not mean it kills every type of bacteria or fungus. And in the ones it does kill it does not mean it kills all of them.

It simply means that the antibiotic properties of silver are quite potent – and the risk to human health in terms of toxicity is negligible. This is a far better risk/benefit profile than commonly used antibiotics."

Do YOU Have Access to Colloidal Silver?

The easiest and very best way to guarantee yourself life-long access to high-quality colloidal silver is to learn how to make it yourself, quickly and easily, in the comfort and privacy of your own home. 

Fortunately, it is not only amazingly easy to make high-quality colloidal silver, but it’s also remarkably inexpensive to make, particularly compared to the exorbitant prices charged by health food stores and online vendors. 

So be sure to check out the two links directly above and learn all you can about making your own high-quality micro-particle colloidal silver with a Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from The Silver Edge – the world’s #1 best-selling colloidal silver generator for over 10 years running!

And if you’d like to learn even more about making and using colloidal silver, check out the short videos at this link. 

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

                                                                                                                                                 

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.

Colloidal Silver and Double-Minded Bureaucrats

If there’s one thing that typifies all government bureaucracy, it’s that it’s completely double-minded. 

This seems to apply even more so when the subject is colloidal silver and its usage.

For example, in the European Union (EU), colloidal silver supplements meant for ingestion are banned.  But clothing that’s been impregnated with antimicrobial nanosilver is allowed (see link below).

On the other hand, here in the U.S., colloidal silver meant for ingestion is reluctantly allowed.  But clothing impregnated with antimicrobial nanosilver is considered to be a “threat to the environment” and is largely disallowed.

That which is verboten here in the U.S. is allowed with open arms in the EU.  And that which is verboten in the EU, is allowed here in the U.S.  It’s as kooky as the Adam’s Family.

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

The European Union banned the sale of oral colloidal silver supplements several years ago.

Yet apparently the EU has no problem with allowing the sale of nanosilver-infused clothing, such as nanosilver socks. 

In fact, as you can see at this link, in the EU companies can even claim in their advertising that nanosilver-embedded socks will kill over 600 pathogens, including the following nasty, disease-causing microbes:

·       Escherichia coli (E. coli)

·       Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

·       Chlamydia trachomatis

·       Providencia stuartii

·       Vibrio vulnificus

·       Pneumobacillus

·       Nitrate-negative bacillus

·       Candida albicans

·       Bacillus cloacae

·       Bacillus allantoides

·       Morgan's bacillus (Salmonella morgani)

·       Pseudomonas altophila

·       Pseudomonas aeruginosa

·       Neisseria gonorrhoeae

·       Bacillus subtilis

·       Bacillus foecalis alkaligenes

·       Streptococcus hemolyticus B

·       Citrobacter

·       Salmonella paratyphi C

Plus these EU clothing manufacturers claim their nanosilver socks will:

·       Prevent the occurrence of dermal infections, mycoses and eczemas and aid in their treatment.

·       Absorb sweat and by killing bacterial help eliminate unpleasant foot odour. 

·       Improve blood supply to the feet and have an overall positive effect on circulation.

·       Prevent the feeling of cold feet and decrease the risk of frostbite.

Massive Fines from EPA

As I've pointed out in previous articles (see here, for example), these antimicrobial claims for nanosilver products would bring massive fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) if they were made for consumer products sold here in the United States.

Why can claims for the antimicrobial qualities of silver be made throughout the EU, but not here in the United States? 

It's simple. 

In the U.S., the radical anti-silver environmentalists, who have been taking millions of dollars in funding from charitable foundations set up by Big Pharma (see here) have been working to force the EPA to ban the sale of consumer products that incorporate antimicrobial silver into their make-up.

I document this in my article, How Environmentalists Are Destroying the Market for Antimicrobial Silver.  And you can learn even more in my article, In Defense of Colloidal Silver Nanoparticles. 

What's more, here in the U.S. the radical anti-silver environmentalists have even called publicly for an EU-style ban on the sale of all colloidal silver products, and have demanded that any colloidal silver sold should be regulated as a "drug."

So while the EU apparently allows antimicrobial claims to be made for products that incorporate silver into their makeup, in the U.S. it's extremely difficult to get approval for such claims. 

On the other hand, the EU has banned the sale of colloidal silver supplements, while the U.S. has not done so…yet. 

It’s completely cuckoo, I know.  But that’s the way it is.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that there's simply no accounting for the double-minded nature of government bureaucracies.

But one thing we know for sure is that sooner or later bureaucrats want to regulate, or ban, just about everything. 

After all, the more things they claim jurisdiction over, the more powerful their reach and grasp into our daily lives.  And that’s what bureaucrats seem to live for.

That’s why it’s so important to own the means of colloidal silver production. 

If you own a home colloidal silver generator, such as the Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from TheSilverEdge.com, you can make your own high-quality colloidal silver for the rest of your life, and for less than 36 cents per quart.

That beats the heck out of paying exorbitant health food store prices of $20 or $30 for a tiny four-ounce bottle!

 And more importantly, it allows you to use colloidal silver for hundreds of different purposes. (And there’s not a darned thing the double-minded bureaucrats can do about it!)

Myriad Uses for Colloidal Silver…

For example, when you own the means of colloidal silver production by obtaining a high-quality home colloidal silver generator for your family… 

·       You can use colloidal silver orally, to help boost immunity and eradicate colds and flu. 

·       You can spray colloidal silver topically onto cuts and burns to prevent infection, and to stimulate rapid wound healing.

·       You can add four or five ounces of colloidal silver to your bath water, to help rapidly clear up skin infections or other pesky skin conditions.

·       You can spray colloidal silver onto kitchen counter tops and cutting boards to kill germs, mold, mildew and other microbes.

·       You can soak your store-bought fruits and vegetables in colloidal silver to eradicate potentially harmful bacteria and fungus from the food surfaces.

·       You can clean and decontaminate faucets, door knobs, and other contact surfaces such as that filthy blade on your kitchen can opener, simply by spraying a little colloidal silver on them from time to time.

·       You can add a couple of ounces of colloidal silver to the rinse cycle of your daily laundry as a natural antiseptic agent that will keep clothes, bath towels, dish rags, and other fabrics fresh and germ-free for weeks on end.

·       You can soak your toothbrush in colloidal silver to prevent microbial contamination (your toothbrush is said to be the most bacteria-laden implement in your household, with the exception of your can opener).

·       You can spray colloidal silver directly onto the plants in your home or garden to stop fungal and bacterial outbreaks.

·       You can spray colloidal silver around sinks, bathtubs and other contact surfaces to stop mold and mildew in its tracks

·       You can spray colloidal silver on your scalp each day to stop itching and dandruff almost instantly.

In fact, there are so many powerfully beneficial ways you can use colloidal silver to protect your household and family, failing to own a high-quality colloidal silver generator makes no sense whatsoever. 

For example:

·       Did you realize you can use colloidal silver to stop lung infections? (See short video here.)

·       Did you realize you can make your own colloidal silver toothpaste to help heal tooth and gum infections? (See short video here.) 

·       Did you realize you can make your own colloidal silver gel and colloidal silver soap to heal skin problems?  (See short video here.) 

·       Did you realize you can heal infected boils with colloidal silver?  (See short video here.)

·       Did you realize you can heal your pets of infections with colloidal silver, and save tons of money in veterinarian bills?  (See short video here.) 

·       Did you realize you can cure sinus infections with colloidal silver, quickly and easily?  (See short video here.) 

·       Did you realize you can cure an earache with colloidal silver?  (See short video here.) 

All of this, and much more, is possible when you own the means of colloidal silver production, which is to say, when you own a high-quality home colloidal silver generator such as the Micro-Particle Colloidal Silver Generator from TheSilverEdge.com.

So don’t let the double-minded bureaucrats control your access to the infection-fighting power of colloidal silver. 

In these days of strange diseases, weird infections and mutating microbes, owning the means of colloidal silver production is the #1 most important thing you can do for your family’s overall safety and well-being. 

So be sure to check out some of the links above to learn more. 

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

                                                                                                                                                  

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.