The Safety of Colloidal Silver

Some people believe that colloidal silver fights germs, boosts the immune system and treats cancer, HIV/AIDS, eye problems and more. However, Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic reports say there is no evidence that colloidal silver benefits users, and it may harm them.

What Is Colloidal Silver?

• Colloidal silver is finely divided silver particles--the same type used in jewelry and silverware--suspended in a fluid, usually water, that is sold as a natural antimicrobial.

Unintended Effects

• Unintended effects of colloidal silver can include headaches, stomach distress and argyria, a condition in which the skin permanently discolors to bluish-gray, according to a Harvard Medical School press release. The longer you take colloidal silver, the more the silver can accumulate in your system, and the bluer you get.

Rare Side Effects

• Rare side effects include seizures and other neurological problems, kidney damage and skin irritation, according to the Mayo Clinic's Dr. Bauer.

Interactions

• Colloidal silver may interact with medications, according to Dr. Brent Bauer of the Mayo Clinic, including thyroxine and tetracycline medications, penicillamine and quinolones.

Organ Accumulations

• "Animal research demonstrates that silver accumulates throughout the body, even in the central nervous system," says Narda Robinson, DVM, of Colorado State University Veterinary School. She specifies "the skin, liver, spleen, and adrenals, with lesser deposits in brain and muscle."