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?
Please disregard my comment about Herx reactions being targeted toward you. I was mistaken in thinking you were replying to the commenter above yours.
So how does all that you describe here relate to this commenter suddenly becoming anemic after use of silver? And how can you identify or diagnose a Herxheimer reaction from an online comment? Just curious.
Am I missing or misunderstanding something about your comment here?
I observe it to be *extremely* dangerous to appoint ourselves to be magical psychic physicians diagnosing every reaction someone has to our favorite products as immediately being a Herxheimer reaction! Plus, Herx reactions are UNDESIRABLE, damaging, dangerous, can cause slowing of the healing/detox process we seek – and can cause death if the reaction is extreme. If you call someone’s reaction a Herx reaction, you’d better be a licensed medical provider operating in an appropriately licensed setting. I strongly prefer self-care for my own health most of the time. I know my own system pretty well. But others’ reactions I can’t diagnose, esp online. Just saying!
Fwiw I use Mountain Wellbeing brand of colloidal silver, which is apparently unique in its tiny particle size. I just ate some food I had left out too long, forgetting it had some ingredients (mainly raw eggs in the sauce!) which could seriously food poison me. In my home life & work I get subjected to massive amounts of infectious microorganisms unfortunately. I suffered many years from pathogenic systemic debilitating infections Sometimes I can’t use other antimicrobials like oregano oil etc bc of frequently using too many e-oils in my work or home environments, bc of reactions or side-effects from strong e-oils, or bc the aroma is not allowed where I am. Sometimes the silver is the ideal resort in a tough situation. I also love olive leaf tea, Ancient Awakenings kefir made from coconut milk, and many other infection healing things. But I do not want to destroy my gut flora at all! Already had IBS etc for over 15 years. So silver is a last resort and a great topical antiseptic! Great comments here, blessings to all.
While I generally believe that ingesting the proper type of colloidal silver will not do serious damage to the body, I have refrained from doing so. I use colloidal silver to rinse my mouth to help with gum or tooth issues, but I do not swallow.
Like the author, I am concerned with ingesting any heavy metal in any form. And I have some experience with heavy metals having gone through lead detox for 2 years. Not a simple or fun process. For ingestion, I prefer natural antibiotics like garlic, oregano and olive leaf extract…..known to be effective and very good for the body.
Do you know if the affect on the gut would be the same in nebulizing colloidal silver?
Probably not unless any spray coming through to the throat was swallowed.
I used a small dose daily for about 3-4 weeks or so. Ended up in the hospital with what the doctors said was a horrible flu. The reason I ended up in the hospital was due to fainting. 3 times! Never had an issue before. When the results were back from the bloodwork they asked me how long I had been anemic. I said ‘3 seconds; you just told me!’. So I think CS might interfere in some way with Iron or Ferritin or maybe the B vitamins, whatever. I didn’t take it again until a year and a half later/present day. Oddly, I’m getting a sore throat. So I do wonder if some people at certain health levels cannot handle CS well.
Look up Herxheimer reaction. Silver was doing its job. It was causing immediate die off. Iodine eradicates heavy metals from the body. So even if, which it has not been proven to be, colloidal silver were a heavy metal- Iodine can clear it. Fluoride competes with Iodine. Iodine deficiency is terrible and wreaks havoc on the body. That’s why the govt added Iodine to our salt. However, there are many places that added Flouride to water, which negates the effects of the Iodine. Think this is why we have an Obese society? The cases where colloidal silver can be dangerous- is particle size. If the particle of silver is too big- it will accumulate. This is what causes Argyria. Making it wrong or making something other than true colloidal silver can cause Argyria.
While most of the information in this article is true with certain types of colloidal silvers, you have to understand that there are many types of colloidal silver on the market. If you want all of the health benefits without the aforementioned side effects, try Silver Biotics from American Biotech Labs–amazing product. There are independent studies proving that Silver Biotics does not harm probiotics or your gut health in any way. There are also studies showing that the silver doesn’t accumulate in the body. You can literally take it every day without risking your health in any way. I even give it to my kids daily.
I was an outside sales rep in the State of Texas for Source Naturals and we promoted a new product called Ultra Colloidal Silver which I lectured on at the Whole Foods stores and had wonderful positive feedback from our clients customers who had taken this product internally and externally. They had great beneficial responses to this trace mineral in a collodially suspended form that worked harder than other home made forms. I would recommend it to anyone that has blood moving in their artery s.
That was one small study from 2004. Here is a more current article on studies more recent. scientificamerican.com/article/silver-makes-antibiotics-thousands-of-times-more-effective/
My daughter lost 90% of her bowel at birth as well as her ilocecal valve. She now has the condition called Short Bowel Syndrome. The treatment plan for these kids is a continuous rotation of antibiotics, as each becomes ineffectual they move to the next. Their prognosis isn’t good and their livers generally fail after 5 years. These children suffer from behavioural problems, frequent and reoccuring sepsis, delays, hyperactivity, depression, dangerous systemic yeast overgrowth and many become vancomycin resistant. I have raised all of my children holistically and so my daughter was a challenge. All of the other natural antibiotics don’t hold a candle to what silver does. Garlic is hard on the stomach in high doses, and she is sensitive to it, oregano is taxing on the liver long-term, GSE works better than these but not reliably enough.
The plus side is we get weekly blood work so we can watch exactly the influence it has on her system as far as CO2 levels, absorption, trace minerals…. all stable when using silver.
We haven’t used prescription antibiotics in 3 years due to daily silver use combined with GSE (to cover a couple of yeasts that are particularly stubborn). Before that the antibiotics they would give were Flagyl, erithromycin, vancomycin, gentamicin and more (awful known horrific side effects).
She’s thriving compared to her peers and has zero other medications other than IV nutrition. She has no mental delays or behavioural problems. If we miss even one day of it, she becomes gassy, 2 days, distended and finally after a few days, begins vomiting. Her liver numbers are perfect and she hasn’t had a hospital admission in 3 years (average for these kids is 2-3/month.)
Silver has saved her quality of life, if not her life. The only side effect is that she has a tendency to have low serum iron/hgb but that’s easily accounted and corrected for. I’m not saying it’s for everyone, but proof for me is obvious. *she also eats fermented foods (probiotics are not allowed due to a central line) and beverages. She hasn’t has as much as a cold in 3 years since starting it and she’s considered immune-compromised.