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| '''Colloidal silver''' refers to ] particles of ] that are held in a ] ]. A ] is technically defined as particles which remain suspended without forming an ], or dissolved solution. The broader commercial definition of colloidal silver includes products that contain various concentrations of ionic silver, silver colloids, ionic silver compounds or mild silver proteins in purified ]. Colloidal silver with concentrations of 30 ] (ppm) or less are typically (but not always) manufactured using an ] process, whereas colloidal silver with higher concentrations of 50 ppm or more are usually (but not always) either silver compounds such as silver chloride and silver iodide or are solutions that have been bound with a protein to disperse the particles. | |||
| '''Colloidal silver''' is a ] of ] particles in ]. It has ] properties and was, in the past, used on external wounds and burns to prevent infection. Some alternative-health practitioners claim that it is a beneficial nutritional supplement. Others also claim that it is a powerful ]<ref name="SilverBenefits">Silvermedicine.org: </ref> which is relatively safe for human consumption, though this is disputed because of the risk of ],<ref name="jtct">Fung MC, Bowen DL. Silver products for medical indications: risk-benefit assessment. Journal of Toxicology and Clinical Toxicology 34:119-26, 1996. </ref> a permanent blue or gray skin condition which is otherwise benign. The intake of some silver products in large quantities over long periods of time has caused argyria in some people,<ref name="epa">{{cite web |author=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |title=Silver | | |||
| year=2003 |accessdate=2006-08-05 |url=http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0099.htm#reforal.%20Last%20accessed%202/01/05 }}</ref><ref name="pillsbury">{{cite book |last=Hill |first=W. R. |coauthors=Pillsbury, D. M. |title=Argyria: The pharmacology of silver |publisher=Williams & Wilkins Co. |location=Baltimore, MD |year=1939 |pages=131 }}</ref><ref name="staud">{{cite journal |last=Gaul |first=L. E. |coauthors=Staud, A.H.|title=Seventy cases of generalized argyria following organic and colloidal silver medication, including biospectrometric analysis of ten cases |journal=AMA |volume=104 |pages=1387-1390 |year=1935}}</ref><ref name="bbc">, 2002-10-03, ''BBC''</ref><ref name=tga> ''Australian Adverse Drug Reactions Bulletin'', Volume 26, Number 5, October 2007. Therapeutic Goods Administration</ref> though at dosage levels generally considered normal, the risk for argyria is low. | |||
| ==Applications== | ==History and Applications== | ||
| Prior to ], colloidal silver was widely used by physicians as a mainstream ].<ref>Journal of American Science, 3(3), 2007, Ma Hongbao, Horng Dengnan, Cherng Shen, Colloidal Silver </ref> It was produced by pharmaceutical companies under various names, including Protargol. But the electro-colloidal production process was costly and the ] ] developed fast-acting, less-expensive sulfa drugs and penicillin. Silver nitrate solutions are still used in ] units to protect newborn infant's eyes from ].<ref>http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=727485</ref> Silver-based cremes have been used in burn centers for more than 100 years.<ref name="cedars"> - Information about complementary & alternative medical therapies, Cedars-Sinai Health System</ref> Colloidal silver can be used to keep drinkable water ] over a long period.<ref name="SilverBenefits"/> Concentrations of colloidal silver at 5 parts per million or higher have been found to kill numerous infectious ].<ref></ref> Colloidal silver has been approved by the EPA as a disinfectant for hospitals and medical centers.<ref>http://www.newstarget.com/013028.html</ref> It's also been sprayed on most public surfaces of the London and Hong Kong subway and train stations.<ref>http://www.newstarget.com/013028.html</ref> | |||
| ==Method of Action== | |||
| Colloidal silver is also used in some ]s, due to silver's high ]. | |||
| Colloidal silver kills invading ]s by way of an ] reaction that immobilizes the oxygen-metabolizing enzyme of ], ], ] ], ] and ]. This lack of ] causes the organism to suffocate and die. In it's colloidal form, silver is a ] ] that carries a positive charge. Colloidal silver inhibits germ growth when the ] charge of the silver particles bind with the negative charge of the pathogen. This causes an interuption of the biological function of the pathogen, which prevents it from reproducing.<ref>Dhyana L. Coburn, </ref> Colloidal silver also has a unique advantage of being rapidly fatal to parasites, both bacterial and otherwise, without any toxic effects on the host.<ref>Health Consciousness, Vol 15, No. 4, "Report: Colloidal Silver" Ref. 1, p. 34</ref> Medical researcher N.R. Thompson of the Runcorn Health Laboratory in ], ] states, "To primitive life forms, silver is as toxic as the most powerful chemical disinfectants."<ref>Health Consciousness, Vol 15, No. 4, "Report: Colloidal Silver" Ref. 1, p. 34</ref> | |||
| ==Controversies== | ==Controversies== | ||
| ===Argyria=== | ===Argyria=== | ||
| Long-term intake of high doses of certain silver products may result in ], |
Long-term intake of high doses of certain silver products may result in an extremely rare condition known as ], which is a blue or gray discoloration of the skin.<ref name="epa"/><ref name="pillsbury"/><ref name="staud"/> While generally considered permanent, some have claimed to have reversed it.<ref name="ArgyriaReversalClaim"></ref> Argyria is non-fatal<ref>ATSDR-ToxFAQs: </ref> and has no other known negative health implications.<ref>"Joshua B Glenn, Anna N Walker: Argyria In An Elderly Man. The Internet Journal of Dermatology. 2002. Volume 1 Number 2 </ref> An FDA “Talk Paper” references silver ingredients and silver salts that include silver proteins, mild silver protein, strong silver protein, silver chloride, and silver iodide. They correctly claim that the use of these “gelatinous” silver solutions have resulted in cases of Argyria.<ref> Can colloidal silver cause Argyria?</ref> Almost all known cases of argyria resulted from exposure to or use of silver compounds, such as silver oxide, silver nitrate or silver chloride and not the electrolyte-manufactured varieties, which contain only ionic and colloidal silver, typically with concentrations of 30 ppm or less. Even the well-known case of ], a ] ] candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2006, was found, after a scrutiny of his production methods, to have likely been caused by silver chloride and/or other silver compounds. This was due to (1) his use of mineral-rich well water, (2) his adding of salt as an accelerant, (3) his unusually long production times, and (4) his failure to filter the final product.<ref></ref> Mr. Jones began producing and ingesting his silver product in 1999, due to fears of antibiotics being unavailable due to "Y2K" bug problems.<ref name="bbc"></ref> Advocates assert that, under careful use of properly produced colloidal silver, argyria is virtually impossible,<ref>Silvermedicine.org: </ref> though these claims are anecdotal and have not been confirmed by scientific study.{{Who|date=August 2007}} In any case, very few modern-day cases are known to exist and advocates view the entire issue as an orchestrated scare tactic by special interests who deliberately exaggerate and make misleading claims against colloidal silver products.<ref>http://educate-yourself.org/lte/colloidalsilver27jan05.shtml</ref><ref>http://www.utopiasilver.com/faq/can-colloidal-silver-cause-argyria.htm</ref> | ||
| ===As a supplement=== | |||
| Advocates of colloidal silver claim it to be a useful supplement to their diet, providing them with improved health and well being and (among other things) a low incidence of ] and ].{{Fact|date=February 2007}}<!-- cite the advocates --> These claims are not supported by scientific study and are not accepted by the mainstream medical community. | |||
| ===Corporate changes=== | |||
| Though colloidal silver was once produced by pharmaceutical companies under various names including Protargol, it gradually fell into disfavor, with the development of ] in the 1930s and the development of ] in the 1940s. By the mid 1970s, all major U.S. pharmaceutical companies had ceased production of colloidal silver.<ref name="silversolutions">{{cite book |coauthors=Medical Review Board of GHI/MRI |title=Silver Solutions |publisher=GHI/MRI |location=Tampa, FL |year=1996 |pages=3 }}</ref> | |||
| ===Government reactions=== | ===Government reactions=== | ||
| The ] ] (FDA) banned over-the-counter sales in the U.S. of any product claiming to have therapeutic value, health benefits, or making any medical claims, unless it is a drug. Despite colloidal silver's earlier history as a drug, the product now has the status of a dietary supplement in the US (dietary supplements cannot claim to cure diseases, only that they "support healthy functioning").<ref name="fda"> | The ] ] (FDA) banned over-the-counter sales in the U.S. of any product claiming to have therapeutic value, health benefits, or making any medical claims, unless it is a drug. Despite colloidal silver's earlier history as a drug, the product now has the status of a dietary supplement in the US (dietary supplements cannot claim to cure diseases, only that they "support healthy functioning").<ref name="fda"> FDA reports "Use of colloidal silver ingredients in food-producing animals constitutes a potentially serious public health concern", Wednesday, February 12, 1997</ref> Some consumer health advocates claim that colloidal silver works so well against bacterial strains -- including antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA -- that it has been under constant attack in the United States by the FDA, which views colloidal silver as a threat to the profits of drug companies that manufacture prescription antibiotics.<ref>http://www.newstarget.com/020851.html</ref> The FDA has issued warnings to Internet sites selling or promoting colloidal silver as an antibiotic or for other medical purposes.<ref name="fdawarn"></ref> If no medical benefits are claimed, colloidal silver is sold as a supplement, and as long as the products comply with all other FDA regulations, its sale is considered legal.<ref name="fdafinal"> FDA, 1999-08-17</ref> In ], the ] ] made a similar ruling.<ref name="Australia">TGA. Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Order No. 1 of 2005 revoked Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Order No. 1 of 2004. 9 November 2005 update</ref> | ||
| FDA reports "Use of colloidal silver ingredients in food-producing animals constitutes a potentially serious public health concern", Wednesday, February 12, 1997</ref><ref name="fdafinal"> FDA, 1999-08-17</ref> The FDA has issued warnings to Internet sites selling or promoting colloidal silver as an antibiotic or for other medical purposes.<ref name="fdawarn"></ref> If no medical benefits are claimed, colloidal silver is sold as a supplement, and as long as the products comply with all other FDA regulations, its sale is considered legal. In ], the ] ] made a similar ruling.<ref name="Australia">TGA. Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Order No. 1 of 2005 revoked Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Order No. 1 of 2004. 9 November 2005 update</ref> | |||
| ===Terminology=== | |||
| The term, "colloidal silver", has been used inaccurately by some to advertise products which are mostly silver ] or proteins bound with silver{{Fact|date=October 2007}}. This has contributed to over-all confusion about the term, "colloidal silver", in the market. In order for a mixture to be a true silver colloid, the silver atoms must be tiny metallic particles suspended in solution. | |||
| ===Differing preparations=== | ===Differing preparations=== | ||
| Confusion around colloidal silver is increased by the fact that there is more than one manufacturing process, and that these lead to a number of significantly different products, all of which go by the name "colloidal silver" |
The term, "colloidal silver", has been used inaccurately by some to advertise products which are mostly silver ] or proteins bound with silver{{Fact|date=October 2007}}. This has contributed to over-all confusion about the term "colloidal silver" in the market. In order for a mixture to be a true silver colloid, the silver atoms must be tiny metallic particles suspended in solution.Confusion around colloidal silver is increased by the fact that there is more than one manufacturing process, and that these lead to a number of significantly different products that have differing properties, all of which go by the name "colloidal silver". | ||
| Preparations called 'colloidal silver' include: | Preparations called 'colloidal silver' include: | ||
Revision as of 16:00, 14 November 2007
Colloidal silver refers to microscopic particles of silver that are held in a liquid suspension. A colloid is technically defined as particles which remain suspended without forming an ionic, or dissolved solution. The broader commercial definition of colloidal silver includes products that contain various concentrations of ionic silver, silver colloids, ionic silver compounds or mild silver proteins in purified water. Colloidal silver with concentrations of 30 parts per million (ppm) or less are typically (but not always) manufactured using an electrolyte process, whereas colloidal silver with higher concentrations of 50 ppm or more are usually (but not always) either silver compounds such as silver chloride and silver iodide or are solutions that have been bound with a protein to disperse the particles.
History and Applications
Prior to 1938, colloidal silver was widely used by physicians as a mainstream antibiotic. It was produced by pharmaceutical companies under various names, including Protargol. But the electro-colloidal production process was costly and the pharmaceutical industry developed fast-acting, less-expensive sulfa drugs and penicillin. Silver nitrate solutions are still used in neonatal units to protect newborn infant's eyes from infection. Silver-based cremes have been used in burn centers for more than 100 years. Colloidal silver can be used to keep drinkable water potable over a long period. Concentrations of colloidal silver at 5 parts per million or higher have been found to kill numerous infectious bacteria. Colloidal silver has been approved by the EPA as a disinfectant for hospitals and medical centers. It's also been sprayed on most public surfaces of the London and Hong Kong subway and train stations.
Method of Action
Colloidal silver kills invading pathogens by way of an electrochemical reaction that immobilizes the oxygen-metabolizing enzyme of bacteria, viruses, protozoal parasites, fungi and yeasts. This lack of oxygen causes the organism to suffocate and die. In it's colloidal form, silver is a bioelectric mineral that carries a positive charge. Colloidal silver inhibits germ growth when the positive charge of the silver particles bind with the negative charge of the pathogen. This causes an interuption of the biological function of the pathogen, which prevents it from reproducing. Colloidal silver also has a unique advantage of being rapidly fatal to parasites, both bacterial and otherwise, without any toxic effects on the host. Medical researcher N.R. Thompson of the Runcorn Health Laboratory in Cheshire, England states, "To primitive life forms, silver is as toxic as the most powerful chemical disinfectants."
Controversies
Argyria
Long-term intake of high doses of certain silver products may result in an extremely rare condition known as argyria, which is a blue or gray discoloration of the skin. While generally considered permanent, some have claimed to have reversed it. Argyria is non-fatal and has no other known negative health implications. An FDA “Talk Paper” references silver ingredients and silver salts that include silver proteins, mild silver protein, strong silver protein, silver chloride, and silver iodide. They correctly claim that the use of these “gelatinous” silver solutions have resulted in cases of Argyria. Almost all known cases of argyria resulted from exposure to or use of silver compounds, such as silver oxide, silver nitrate or silver chloride and not the electrolyte-manufactured varieties, which contain only ionic and colloidal silver, typically with concentrations of 30 ppm or less. Even the well-known case of Stan Jones, a Montana Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and 2006, was found, after a scrutiny of his production methods, to have likely been caused by silver chloride and/or other silver compounds. This was due to (1) his use of mineral-rich well water, (2) his adding of salt as an accelerant, (3) his unusually long production times, and (4) his failure to filter the final product. Mr. Jones began producing and ingesting his silver product in 1999, due to fears of antibiotics being unavailable due to "Y2K" bug problems. Advocates assert that, under careful use of properly produced colloidal silver, argyria is virtually impossible, though these claims are anecdotal and have not been confirmed by scientific study. In any case, very few modern-day cases are known to exist and advocates view the entire issue as an orchestrated scare tactic by special interests who deliberately exaggerate and make misleading claims against colloidal silver products.
Government reactions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned over-the-counter sales in the U.S. of any product claiming to have therapeutic value, health benefits, or making any medical claims, unless it is a drug. Despite colloidal silver's earlier history as a drug, the product now has the status of a dietary supplement in the US (dietary supplements cannot claim to cure diseases, only that they "support healthy functioning"). Some consumer health advocates claim that colloidal silver works so well against bacterial strains -- including antibiotic-resistant strains like MRSA -- that it has been under constant attack in the United States by the FDA, which views colloidal silver as a threat to the profits of drug companies that manufacture prescription antibiotics. The FDA has issued warnings to Internet sites selling or promoting colloidal silver as an antibiotic or for other medical purposes. If no medical benefits are claimed, colloidal silver is sold as a supplement, and as long as the products comply with all other FDA regulations, its sale is considered legal. In 2002, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration made a similar ruling.
Differing preparations
The term, "colloidal silver", has been used inaccurately by some to advertise products which are mostly silver compounds or proteins bound with silver. This has contributed to over-all confusion about the term "colloidal silver" in the market. In order for a mixture to be a true silver colloid, the silver atoms must be tiny metallic particles suspended in solution.Confusion around colloidal silver is increased by the fact that there is more than one manufacturing process, and that these lead to a number of significantly different products that have differing properties, all of which go by the name "colloidal silver".
Preparations called 'colloidal silver' include:
- Electrolytic silver (most common method used today)
- Ground silver (standard form of colloidal silver pre-World War II)
- Electrolysis of salt solution (produces a yellow product)
References
- Journal of American Science, 3(3), 2007, Ma Hongbao, Horng Dengnan, Cherng Shen, Colloidal Silver
- http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=727485
- Complementary Medicine - Information about complementary & alternative medical therapies, Cedars-Sinai Health System
- Cite error: The named reference
SilverBenefitswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - BYU Study
- http://www.newstarget.com/013028.html
- http://www.newstarget.com/013028.html
- Dhyana L. Coburn,
- Health Consciousness, Vol 15, No. 4, "Report: Colloidal Silver" Ref. 1, p. 34
- Health Consciousness, Vol 15, No. 4, "Report: Colloidal Silver" Ref. 1, p. 34
- Cite error: The named reference
epawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - Cite error: The named reference
pillsburywas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - Cite error: The named reference
staudwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - Argyria-Reversal Claim
- ATSDR-ToxFAQs: Silver
- "Joshua B Glenn, Anna N Walker: Argyria In An Elderly Man. The Internet Journal of Dermatology. 2002. Volume 1 Number 2 available online
- Can colloidal silver cause Argyria?
- Stan Jones letter
- True-blue bids for Senate
- Silvermedicine.org: Argyria - Colloidal Silver Safety.
- http://educate-yourself.org/lte/colloidalsilver27jan05.shtml
- http://www.utopiasilver.com/faq/can-colloidal-silver-cause-argyria.htm
- COLLOIDAL SILVER NOT APPROVED FDA reports "Use of colloidal silver ingredients in food-producing animals constitutes a potentially serious public health concern", Wednesday, February 12, 1997
- http://www.newstarget.com/020851.html
- FDA warning healthymagnets
- FDA ISSUES FINAL RULE ON OTC DRUG PRODUCTS CONTAINING COLLOIDAL SILVER FDA, 1999-08-17
- TGA. Regulation of colloidal silver and related products Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Order No. 1 of 2005 revoked Therapeutic Goods (Excluded Goods) Order No. 1 of 2004. 9 November 2005 update
See also
External links
- Wadhera, Akhil (2005). "Systemic argyria associated with ingestion of colloidal silver". Dermatology Online Journal. 11 (1): 12. Retrieved 2006-02-25.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) A report on one of the few known cases of argyria caused by colloidal silver. - Rosemary's Story - Argyria after using silver as an alternative medicine.
- Worth more than its weight in silver for burns - Mass. firm taps growing market for dressings infused with the metal, Ross Kerber, The Boston Globe, 2005-05-10