Colloidal silver is a very effective home remedy, but it’s best used externally and never swallowed as it harms gut flora. More recent research has found that colloidal silver harms the brain.
What is Colloidal Silver?
Colloidal silver is one of the most effective natural antibiotics widely available to the public.
What’s more, colloidal silver is cheap and easily obtained at many health food stores. Some people make it at home. It consists of tiny silver particles suspended in liquid for use either externally or internally.
The remarkable antibiotic nature of silver has been known for centuries. In the early 1900′s, the founder of Searle Pharmaceuticals, Alfred Searle, wrote in his book The Use of Colloids in Health and Disease:
Applying colloidal silver to human subjects has been done in a large number of cases with astonishingly successful results…having the advantage of being rapidly fatal to microbes without toxic action on its host. It is quite stable. It protects rabbits from ten times the lethal dose of tetanus or diphtheria toxin.
In the 1970s, Dr. Robert O. Becker at Syracuse Medical University began to intensively research colloidal silver. He discovered that silver not only kills bacteria, but it actually killed bacteria that were resistant to all known antibiotics with no undesirable side effects.
Moreover, unlike prescription antibiotics, pathogens do not become resistant or immune to silver over time. It even has the ability to eradicate antibiotic-resistant microbes like MRSA.
This is because colloidal silver doesn’t poison the microbes like antibiotics do, but rather smothers them by adhering to their cell walls and inhibiting their enzyme production.
Internal Use of Colloidal Silver
Despite its stellar reputation as a natural antibiotic, I never swallow colloidal silver and don’t allow my children to ingest it either. I only use colloidal silver for externally based infections such as swimmers ear. Others I know use it to gargle with as a strep throat home remedy.
My reasons are fairly simple.
First of all, silver is a heavy metal that accumulates in the body over time, the same as lead, cadmium, and aluminum. Why would anyone knowingly consume heavy metals?
It never made any sense to me which is why I have always avoided consuming any silver solution including silver nitrates, ionic silvers, colloidal silvers, silver chlorides, and silver proteins.
The claim that colloidal silver is the only safe silver solution has never been at all convincing to me.
Dr. Kaayla Daniel PhD writes in her marvelous piece Mad as a Hatter: How to Avoid Toxic Metals and Clear Them from the Body:
Although the mental and physical problems from metal toxicity have escalated in recent years, our very language tacitly acknowledges the historic toxicity of certain metals: “Mad as a hatter” from the Civil- War-era’s crazed use of mercury sizing in hat manufacture, “gold fever” from the murderous greed of early prospectors, “lead poisoning” as black humor for “getting shot,” and, more recently, “get-the-lead-out” exhortations from trainers who would have us exercise long and hard in order to sweat out toxins and melt excess fat.
Certainly, occasional use of colloidal silver internally probably does no harm. This would including gargling with it to resolve strep throat without antibiotics.
Why risk it when there are plenty of natural antibiotics such as garlic, turmeric, cayenne, manuka honey, and oregano oil (oreganol) that are highly effective and present no metal toxicity issues?
Risks to Beneficial Bacteria
While the fact that silver is a heavy metal with accumulation in the body that is difficult to undo (and yes, it can permanently turn your skin blue if you get too much which happens with some forms of silver solution) is reason enough in my book to keep the colloidal silver for external use only, the biggest reason of all is to protect the gut microbiome.
You see, colloidal silver works not by poisoning microbes like antibiotics do, but by smothering them by adhering to their cell walls and inhibiting their enzyme production.
While colloidal silver’s unique method of killing bacteria is highly effective and does not lessen over time as microbes do not become resistant to it, it is not selective in the bacteria it kills.
In other words, colloidal silver can decimate beneficial bacteria in the gut just the same as pathogenic strains. Isn’t this exactly why conventional antibiotics are so problematic?
Reducing the population in the gut of beneficial bacteria is serious business no matter what the cause …natural or drug-based.
Dr. Martin Blaser MD of New York University’s Langone Medical Center who writes in the August 2011 edition of Nature, warns against harming the beneficial microbes in the gut:
Early evidence from my lab and others hints that, sometimes, our friendly flora never fully recover. These long-term changes to the beneficial bacteria within people’s bodies may even increase our susceptibility to infections and disease.
False Marketing Claims
Some colloidal silver manufacturers claim that their product does not harm beneficial microbes. Even some prominent alternative physicians deceptively claim it does not harm flora.
However, this information is usually a ploy to sell product and ignores the chemical realities of the metal’s effect on living organisms.
Silver Kills Microbes Indiscriminately
Steve Barwick, author of The Ultimate Manual on Colloidal Silver sets the record straight about this false advertising regarding colloidal silver:
But the truth is, colloidal silver does indeed act as a broad spectrum natural antibiotic. As such, if enough mineral silver reaches the intestinal tract it most certainly can kill off the friendly (i.e., beneficial) bacteria that thrive there.
Colloidal silver simply has no way of knowing a beneficial microbe from an infectious microbe. If the microbe is sensitive to silver, then silver will kill it whether it is a beneficial microbe or an infectious one.
Proponents of small amounts of colloidal silver taken internally say it won’t harm delicate gut balance. However, I choose not to take any chances given that many food-based natural antibiotics work just as well or even better for resolution of internal infections. This article details the best natural antibiotics to choose from instead of colloidal silver when an internal agent is required.
Why risk it where your delicate gut microbiome is concerned? Colloidal silver is a broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Just because it wasn’t obtained via prescription makes it no less of a risk to your delicate intestinal health.
Contraindicated on GAPS Diet
Due to its ability to upset the delicate gut balance and harm beneficial gut flora, colloidal silver is contraindicated on the GAPS Protocol for gut healing developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD.
Certified GAPS Diet Practitioners trained by Dr. Campbell-McBride recommend avoiding the ingestion of colloidal silver. This is necessary while attempting to rebuild the gut environment with beneficial microbes and healing/sealing the gut wall to put autoimmune disease in remission. L. D. Moore, a practicing GAPS Diet Practitioner, had this to say:
As a certified GAPS practitioner protecting the gut is the highest priority. I am SO careful at what my clients ingest that may destroy that delicate balance. I put colloidal silver in the no ingest bucket.
Do you take colloidal silver internally? Why or why not?
Wouldn’t it be better to use plant-based medicines such as garlic that have no risk in comparison, don’t build up in the body, act as food for flora, and are equally effective?
I’m interested to hear your reasons for this as my research tells me to just say no.
References
(1) The Use of Colloids in Health and Disease
(2) How to Avoid Toxic Metals and Clear Them from the Body
(3) The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual
(4) Stop the Killing of Beneficial Bacteria
(5) Does Colloidal Silver Kill Both Good and Bad Bacteria?
this is a good point that you made…
I’ve often wondered about this. I also question, “do the plant based antibiotics, like garlic or oregano, also kill beneficial gut bacteria?” I would assume that with all of these remedies, the good bacteria is killed along with the bad if taken internally.
Actually no … the natural antibiotic I use most frequently, garlic, is a prebiotic and is beneficial to good flora.
Hi Kathy, my Bio Dr says oregano oil and berbarine (sp) do kill good and bad bacteria
I have used colloidal silver internally for years on occasion, and it is recommended by my naturopathic doctor as well – Though I do also use the plant-based natural antibiotics. In my research, I have concluded that true silver is non-toxic and harmless when used in normal dosages. Everyone must choose what they feel is best for their family!
I take it internal and external, especially as a mouth wash. I give it to my teenager when in school a flu or virus breaks out, gargle for sore throats- it works like nothing else. As far as harmful to your gut: OK you have a good point, but your gut flora can be in tact with pre and probiotics. I regularly soak in foot baths and bath tubs to get rid off heavy metals in my body ( Redmond bath salts or make your own with either Epson or sea salt, vinegar and most importantly Bentonite clay). I think everything in moderation to keep your body in sync is the key. It would be great if you could write in depths about your alternative herb remedies garlic, turmeric, cayenne, and oregano oil and compare the benefits over the outcome of colloidal silver.To our health and keep inspiring.
What about Zinc, that’s a metal listed in the same charts as other heavy metals yet it is necessary for our health, it’s also toxic in the wrong dosages. The same is true of many different metals. Saying all metals are bad because some are isn’t a very good argument. If your body’s elimination functions are impaired and you take extreme doses then most anything will build up and cause issues. There have been tests done that show properly prepared Colloidal Silver in EPA standard safe dosages are expelled with little to no residual build up in a human body with a properly working expulsion system. And while the EPA isn’t perfect, it has certified Colloidal silver as safe in their published dosages. And for Argyria, that is due to silver salt compounds, there is a difference.
Silver will not distinguish between “good” and “bad” bacteria as you said. But studies again have shown that in appropriate internal dosages the majority if not all of the silver gets absorbed into the blood stream.
I’m not trying to say you’re wrong for not ingesting Colloidal Silver, I don’t think there have been enough invivo tests done to say for sure it is a great benefit, but at the same time I don’t think there is enough evidence to suggest it is as harmful as your article suggests. If anyone reading this is on the fence I’d suggest doing some searches online for discussions on both sides of this debate, there have been numerous papers and studies done around this to support both arguments, even though there is still much to be discovered.
http://www.silver-colloids.com/Papers/AltmanStudy.PDF
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/814960-overview
Good points! It’s good to hear both sides. 🙂
Thanks for the interesting, well researched and thoughtful article. I will post this on my health facebook page. I have only used colloidal silver externally, but it does make sense to use for a serious infection that may not respond to conventional or more natural treatments. As a last resort, given a risk, benefit analysis, it may be a good option for life threatening infections.
I appreciate you sharing this!
As a side note, I use silver drops for all sorts of topical infections (ear, cuts, even in our eyes) and it has worked wonders. So much easier (for minor infections anyway) to use that before having to truck our whole fam to the doctors.
Oh Sarah, so sorry to hear you post this. I too have done extensive research on this topic. http://www.natural-immunogenics.com/ Sovereign Silver Hydrosol “cured” my daughter of the disabling autoimmune disease PANDAS/PANS. This disease is effecting more and more children everyday. Antibiotics, Steroids, IVIG, etc.. are the treatment options. That was NOT an option for our family as we are very health conscious and live mostly on WAP/GAPS diet for the past 10 years (Our personal story is in Dr McBrides GAPS book) I don’t know what I would have done without Silver in our lives to nip PANDAS/PANS in the butt. We did a hard core Silver protocol for 6 months stop the insanity. (Silver paired with Aloe) internally and in a nebulizer (to stop breathing issues) followed by Homeopathy to fix the core root problem. Many are overcoming ALL sorts of diseases using Silver. Silver is not processed in the body as you write. Mike Adams is respected in the health field: http://www.naturalnews.com/037683_sovereign_silver_colloidal_emergency_first_aid.html
I just ask that you please read more about Silver as it could help MANY of your readers. I have nothing but positive things to say about its effectiveness. xxx
So glad it was helpful to you! I’ve done a lot of reading on colloidal silver over the years and nothing can change the fact that it is a heavy metal that accumulates over time in body tissues and harms beneficial flora. I think in the majority of cases, colloidal silver is best skipped in favor of a food based natural antibiotic that doesn’t build up in the body and harm the balance of good bacteria in the gut. This article is about why I personally never consume it. If you wish to consume it yourself, that is of course your choice.
Sarah, you state: “fact that it is a heavy metal that accumulates over time in body tissues and harms beneficial flora.”
Please note, this is “opinion”, no different then my “opinion”. Please, facts are –we need air to breathe, water to drink, shelter etc…
SO MANY are gaining control of their “out of control” gut issues USING SILVER. Getting that pathogen load down, so that the good bacteria can take over. People with chronic GI issues. So, I heavily disagree. Although, I spent quite a few years following these silver-using people’s cases, and saw the positive effects (not negative). Silver helped RESTORE gut, not destroy as you imply. That has been my experience, so please, given your broad audience, please just open your mind to “possibilities” in life vs. saying such and such is a FACT. Very few FACTS on this planet. Most “opinion” and opinions rise from what you have been taught, what you have read and what you have experienced. Which, is SO limited in the grand scheme of life!
It’s not opinion unfortunately. I’m finding via this article that colloidal silver fans are a bit in denial about the product they love and its downsides.
So if it’s a fact and not an opinion (or someone else’s opinion) please cite your reference proving that colloidal or ionic silver accumulates over time in the body. Saying that you saw a blueish person does not constitute proof.
Jeni, Thank you so much for sharing the link to your story. My hubby takes CS internally when the kids are sick, but he has NO issues with elimination & he has a very healthy gut. The kids & I get a drop of diluted Oil of Oregano, because we do not have his gut & I was afraid the CS would kill off the good bacteria too.
Your story is amazing. I just shared it with my mom & husband. My oldest is on the spectrum & I keep reading & searching for answers.
Hi Jeni; would you be so kind to email me if you have any literature re silver not effecting good bacteria? I am trying to reduce high numbers of intestinal strep and am very interested. (For me). My son is currently detoxing from copper (and bloods showed he has a harder time detoxing it thus just now stared taking broccoli sprouts – note 3 years ago he was diagnosed with BDD; we did gaps for 8 mnths or so which was helpful at the time however sure doesn’t help copper overload in his system); I am not sure if he could take (I suspect he has high strep again intestinal) Thank you ever so much if you can [email protected]
Interesting, thanks!
It was once suggested to me to inhale colloidal silver (via a nebulizer) to help with asthma. My gut feeling (no pun intended) told me not to, so I refrained. After reading your article, I am glad I listened to that voice inside.
Always listen to that little voice! I remember back in the 1990’s when people were so enamored with colloidal silver and used it for *everything*. I never did even though I didn’t have any research to support my position at that time. It just didn’t seem right to put metal in your body even if it did work to resolve infections particularly since other food based natural antibiotics work just as well or better.
Hi Sarah, Is colloidal silver and silver sol the same thing? Ive heard it is not and that taking silver sol internally is not harmful like colloidal silver might be. Do you have any information on silver sol?
Since I have been on herbal supplements all I hear from the shops I use talk against metals, so why would you use a supplement with metals? Just saying
Metals are crucial to our survival as human beings. We should eat a varied diet with foods rich minerals such as potassium, iron, chromium, copper, zinc, etc. The soil our food is grown in has been significantly depleted of necessary minerals, so proper supplementation is necessary while we work to rebuild our ecosystems.
This doesn’t exactly apply here because we’re talking about supplements, but I felt it would help give you a better understanding of why sometimes things that are seemingly bad for us are used to heal us. It’s kind of like how apple seeds have cyanide.
“The second principle of homeopathy is the use of poisons to treat diseases. Homeopathy employs watered down poisons to treat disorders. A similar principle is used in the production of vaccines in conventional medicine. If a natural compound may cause certain symptoms and signs in high doses, homeopaths believe very low doses of the dilute solution of the compound can also relieve the same symptoms and signs. Despite the apparent confusion and the seeming lack of coherence, homeopathy has been largely successful and in some cases, its practices and remedies can be backed up with scientific evidences.” – Homeopathy for Thyroid Problems by Brad Chase.
I’d like to note here that we must be careful with supplements in general. Multivitamin and mineral supplements may not be fully absorbed due to crystallization and herbal supplements may contain harmful chemicals used when growing the plants. May companies often use additives or even just sources that are not good for us. Think fluoridated toothpaste. Fluoride is found in nature and very good for us humans, but the fluoride commonly used in conventional toothpaste and city water is an industrial waste-product that acts as a neurotoxin in humans.
Or angstrom silver like offered at Mother Earth Minerals?
Different brands … same problem. Heavy metals being ingested and damage to gut flora.
From what I see here, you still don’t have any research to support your position. Also you have yet to address a question that has been asked several times by commenters. That being, How do you know that other natural antibotics are not harming gut flora? Any antibotitic, natural or otherwise, is going to kill good bacteria. That is why a person should always make an educated decision about their course of treatment and proceed with caution. Too much of anything is bad for you, but you can’t cut out things that can help in certain situations because it may hurt you if you overuse it. Moderation is key. Silver may be a heavy metal but it is NOT a toxic metal, silver salts are toxic and also what causes blue skin, your information is misleading.
Any metal, even iron, is toxic when it builds up in the body. Too much iron causes heart disease in men, for example (blog post on this for those interested).
Salts and proteins added to certain brands of colloidal silver may be able to cause toxicity. I think this may be where the confusion is coming from…
are you sure silver is a heavy metal, science dictionary says not