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?
I have copd and have been researching ways to help my breathing.Colloidal Silver has come up in my research quite a bit,and the pros are outweighing the cons. I purchased 30ppm from Source Naturals,can anyone tell me if this is a good brand before I use it?
I used to use Source Naturals for years and then discovered they use many additives/preservatives that are contraindicated. I researched Colloidal Silver on Amazon and this brand seems to have the most/best reviews. Hope this is helpful. Sovereign Silver Natural Immunogenics
Get Mullein leaf tea. Lifesaver!!!!!! One cup in the morning one at night. No weeze. Colloidal is an antibiotic. You don’t have infection. Use that when you get a respiratory infection. Blessings
That is absolute nonsense! Silver’s Valence is AG+ (1) Therefore silver is “not” toxic like the other metals, rather it is dulciment. I’ve used colloidal silver in my eye when I had pink eye, and it was gone within the our. We all know that a doctor will prescribe us a antibiotic dropper and it takes forever for it to work. And another thing, millions of people use it every day and i don’t see them keeling over. I’ve been ingesting colloidal silver for years and i haven’t had any side effects of course. It works and it’s great stuff.
I could not agree more with you Shelbyoryan11. I use colloidal silver as a prophylactic aid. When I feel a sore throat or achy feeling coming on, I immediately start (1) tsp. of (4) tsp daily and within 12 hours, I’m totally fine. It will stop a cold, flu virus, etc.; I have not had a cold/flu/virus in seven years while others around me are always getting “something”. Yes, I definitely attribute this to colloidal silver. I’ve never experienced any side effects/complications/reactions whatsoever. I also use it topically on cuts, burns, ear infections, serious eye infections, mosquito bites, blisters, bacterial infections of the skin; it works both internally and externally. Personally, I don’t care who disagrees with me as I, and my family, am/are walking testimonies to the natural healing components of colloidal silver. I think too many negative posters have been overdosing with CS; I also believe many posters who subscribe to these blogs work for Big Pharma – it’s killing their business!
Just an FYI. If you’d like to learn more facts regarding colloidal silver, please check out the site I’ve listed below written by Byron J. Richards, Board Certified Clinical Nutritionist.
wellnessresources.com/health/articles/the_colorful_history_of_colloidal_silver_other_silver_compounds/
I agree,been using it for 16 years or more,rarely if ever sick.This stuff is nothing short of amazing.I have used it on cracked split athletes foot and they literally healed over night!
Just wanted to add something, from my understanding we swirl the CS under the tongue bcoz what is important is the particles of the silver to enter the blood easily. He does not make sense, as long as you are putting it in your mouth for a while then you should be blue by now.
I agree with both of you ladies! I just used it on my daughters staph skin infection. The prescribed antibiotics weren’t working so I put silver on the wound that was created from the bacteria and it cleared in a matter of hours. I put it in my cats eyes. He’s susceptible to pink eye. It clears in hours. I drink it at the first sign of flu or cold symptoms and I haven’t been sick or my husband for a year and a half now. We resorted to this stuff after years of getting sick. I find this alternative safer than a flu vaccine.
I need to know if I spray Collodial silver on a wound (wet it good) for a week every two hours, would it colour the skin. I need to know because the wound surrounding skin started to become darker and I need to know if it is just colouring because of the product or if there might be other problems inside like death of cells.
You should not use colloidal silver in anyone’s mouths. When it is in your mouth, that is not external use.
The article doesn’t mention that most harmful pathogens are aerobic, and will be killed by colloidal silver. Most helpful bacteria in the gut is anaerobic (requires no oxygen), hence will not be harmed by colloidal silver. The only way colloidal silver will turn a person gray or blue, is if it isn’t made using pure silver. So, while the article is mostly positive, it isn’t accurate in a very important way.
Thank you so much Sarah for posting this thread. I am intrigued reading it; and I still have questions. I also would like to see papers showing that mano silver or colloidal silver kills good intestinal bacteria? Please, anyone; apologies if I have missed any links? I respect your caution; and I personally believe/hesitate it should be taken thoughtfully and not on a regular basis; even though many appear to have no issues taking it long term. Although I hate to think what some of the antibiotics have done to me esp. CIPRO for UTI’s! (PS do you ingest col silver for UTI’s?) However I would like to point out a lot of you may have better results without having to ingest silver. I have spent thousands $ on a brilliant Bio Dr and testing (who incidentally a year and a half ago he also suggested my family go on GAPS) as a friend was already on it for her son; so we did so for 8-10 months; (and am still gluten free now) which was/is beneficial in some areas. Anyway, a very good tip for you coming from my Dr is to look at your sulphur pathways. He see’s teems of very sick people (people regular dr’s cannot treat) including treating them in private hospitals. He told me he put a tongue depressor stick in a very sick child’s mouth. He then put it in his own. He does not get sick because his SULPHUR pathway works well. sulforaphane. One of the very best things are broccoli sprouts (my 9 yr old has just started taking; his liver has not been detoxing greatly and we are currently trying to get excess copper out of his system as he has been very sick – anxiety, tension, constant sore throat, headaches, nausea, muscle soreness, picks up flus/viruses at the drop of a hat). Was diagnosed with OBD 3-4 yrs ago. Enduracel/DefenCell is a controlled form; which is proven to be brilliant. Thus of course garlic, onions (limited for us as he has histamine issues atm) broccoli, cabbage etc. I hope this helps. NAC can also help asthma, OCD I believe and some addictions. If ever I feel a sore thoat coming on (rarely) I take a little cayenne pepper; works for me every time. However; the Dr said correct mineral balance is at the base of the pyramid for good health. Zinc Copper should be the same. ie if you have level 18 zinc should be 18 copper for eg. I hope this helps others!! It’s very important. Note don’t start taking above without professional advise if copper zinc is out! Can send some kids nuts for awhile and is important to get zinc copper ratios corrected first. (except in my sons case where he needs it now) Was off topic; but I hope helpful. Anyway; the reason I found this thread; is 1.5 yrs ago my intestinal strep cons. was ridiculously high. 162 million when it’s considered respectable under 300 000. I went on a course of emycin; however had insane stressful events going on for the past year; which I have only just got on top of. (Stress changes gut bacteria a lot too). I was desperate recently; I went back on antibiotic emycin. However of course I would rather not. Dr told me I also have mitochondrial issues, which I am only just looking into; not to mention other issues. I am having 1 week off emycin right now; then prior instructions was to take another course in a week (which I dread) and am not confident it is killing enough strep anyhow. I really would appreciate evidence that silver kills good bacteria? One site I went to showed a sample of bad bacteria being smothered by the silver. They state it does’t kill good bacteria; but I want to see studies and coming from a non biased report?? Note my Dr said Oregano oil etc kills good and bad bacteria also; as I questioned using it/berbarine to kill some gut strep. I need to get strep down. I read of 1 woman who took 10 courses of antibiotics (emycin) to get hers down. (I really don’t want to do that). Thus I was wondering about silver?? Strep and enteroccocus (lactic acid bacteria cause cognitive and sleep disfunctions) may effect bile acids/fat malabsorbtion issues can cause high anxiety; joint pains, headaches feeling of acidity for me. He said my poor kidneys- pumping out all that acid. Any suggestions/links insight re studies; killing bad vs good bacteria?? Or info from people who have taken silver for gut bacteria; and how much; will be much appreciated, thanks! [email protected]
Please get your Vitamin D levels checked. It sounds like a severe vitamin d deficiency.
Silver is already a naturally occuring metal in our bodies, and our bodies already have a method of eliminating heavy metals. If you’re worried about too much accumulating, then take something with iodine in it, such as kelp. (But I would find a kelp supplement that was produced anywhere BUT the Pacific Ocean). There are ways to detox from heavy metals. I would not let this be a concern for taking colloidal silver. I take it all the time and have raised my family on it. And trust me, I am very much aware of toxic heavy metals, such as aluminum, barium, mercury, things from chem trails, etc.
I totally agree with this article, it is my gut feeling, no pun intended. I do think various colloidal silvers vary in how much/long they accumulate in the tissues. I would however during a case of food poisoning probably ingest a bit. I would love to see an accumulation study with various silvers so we could see what is the true complete, if any, transit time. I mostly use colloidal silver topically.
Well, I believe not all Colloidal Silvers are alike, thus probably some are not very good for us to injest. However, the one I use, made with a Sliver-Gen machine (I don’t work for, nor receive any compensation, although some more strips from them would be nice), is what I’ve been using for about 20 years. I take a little each day, and use it as a nasal spray when necessary.
I have not had the flue, much less a bad cold in all that time, nor have I had any digestive problems, indicating my flora is depleted, nor do I take any probiotics. So, I’m either a lucky SOB, or high quality CS is OK to use internally.
Like everyone from Gandhi to Dr. Weil, trusting any authority outside of what our own research affirms, is fraught with great risk, both of being wrong (I’ve seen so many things that were “do not eat” become “do eat” over the 45 years I’ve studied holistic health & nutrition), or hazardous to our health. So, like the two I mentioned, I’ve also discovered the absolute best test is to simply be our own guinea pig.
Since even things that may be great for many people might not be for us, you really do have to just try stuff, and see what happens, while of course keeping your eyes & mind open, and doing research at the same time.. But for me, CS is no danger.
I agree with you. We make this ourselves and there is no problem. The way I see it….if it works the FDA wants to get rid of it. If it is free fom the gov, like shots or even if they say it is good for you, stay away. Unless people do their research and see that they want to dispose of 2/3 of us and they want to be like ostriches, well maybe, they will see in the near future.
Ill bet the guy that wrote this article eats corn syrup, canola oil, packaged food, apples from the store which acre already approx 3 months old when they get to the store, etc. etc.He needs to do more research. Sometimes we need modern medicine but for the most part, I will stick with methods the Yahweh created and the foods He says to eat and not to eat. That right there is good. Silvef is valuable for things and that includes this.
serdlc64 – Your comments are further from the truth, quote: “Ill bet the guy that wrote this article eats corn syrup, canola oil, packaged food, apples from the store which acre already approx 3 months old when they get to the store, etc. etc”. Obviously you don’t follow this blog, or else, you would know that the “guy that wrote this article”, is actually a girl. She’s a big advocate for eating wholefood, home-made nutritious food, organic produce, living a non-toxic life, natural alternative medicine, etc. She most certainly do NOT eat or promote canola oil, packaged food, apples from the store, etc. Please do a little research, before making false assumptions about someone.
What can you tell me about a colloidal silver solution with 20ppm on the label as well as the manufacturing process that reads: Produced using steam distilled water in a pulse-phasic MHVAC system?
I’m guessing it is a system similar to what is sold on thesilveredge.com
I am new to this and am doing my own research. It would seem that the best option is to use it topically, inhaled nasally and orally under the tongue, but not ingested.
I would appreciate any input pro & con with factual data please.
Based on the the description, I’d say this is a rather typical colloidal silver solution. and definitely safe enough to use on the short term.
That said, I wouldn’t worry about ingesting it after holding it under the tongue either. As this wouldn’t be nearly enough to develop bioaccumulation from. ex: it would take in excess of 6 liters p/24 hours for a 100lb person to exceed the recommended dosage for safety using a 20ppm solution.
WOW. so many comments about colloidal silver. I believe moderation is the best protocol with anything. I personally prefer Oil of Oregano for infections, colds, bacterial problems…as opposed to the silver. however I will still use the silver with the oOO if I am not kicking the problem.
How do you use the oil of oregano, Anne?