Colloidal silver is a suspension of the element silver in a solution usually water.
Where is it found?
Colloidal silver is sold as a water-based solution.
Colloidal Silver has been
used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the
individual health concern for complete information):
| Science Ratings |
Health Concerns |
 |
Minor burns (topical
antiseptic)
|
Who is likely to be deficient?
Silver is not an essential nutrient, and thus no deficiency state exists.
How much is usually taken?
The typical recommendation is 1 teaspoon per day, with each teaspoon (5 ml) containing 10
parts per million (ppm) of silver or 50 mcg of silver. This amount is in keeping with the
average amount of silver consumed from food and water: roughly 350 mcg per day for most
people. However, little in known about the relative absorption and toxicity of colloidal
silver, compared with that of the silver naturally present in our diet. Because of the lack of
long-term safety or efficacy data for colloidal silver, its use cannot be recommended.
Are there any side effects or interactions?
When taken in low amounts (e.g., 50 mcg daily), the body appears able to efficiently
excrete silver. However, any silver the body is unable to excrete accumulates in body tissues
and can result in argyria—the depositing of silver in the internal organs, tissues, and
skin.1 Argyria causes the skin to turn gray or bluish gray and to turn dark on
exposure to strong sunlight. This discoloration is permanent and there is no known effective
treatment for it. In addition to argyria, the intake of very large amounts (far in excess of
the amount that causes discoloration of the skin) of silver can cause neurological and organ
damage and atherosclerosis.
The estimated amount of silver accumulation over a one-year period that is required to
produce argyria is 1 to 6 grams. This amount is very large compared to the 50 mcg typically
recommended and consumed by people using OTC colloidal silver products. Using the most
conservative figure, 1,000 mg (1 gram) of silver corresponds to the silver content in 100
liters of 10 ppm colloidal silver, 50 liters of 20 PPM colloidal silver, or 33.3 liters of 30
PPM colloidal silver.
At the time of writing, there were no well-known drug interactions
with colloidal silver.
References:1. Hollinger MA. Toxicological aspects of topical silver pharmaceuticals.
Crit Rev Toxicol 1996;26(3):255–60.