What Is Colloidal Silver Good For?

Silver has been recognized for centuries as a natural antibiotic. In some areas, it was traditional to place a silver coin in a jug of milk to prevent it spoiling. Until inexpensive sulfa drugs came along in the 1930s, silver was widely used in hospital settings. Today, colloidal silver--microscopic silver particles suspended in water--is recognized as one treatment method for a wide range of diseases and conditions.

HIstory and Research

• Dr. Henry Cook, writing in 1910, observed that certain colloidal metals were highly effective at killing germs. He believed that any microbe exposed to colloidal silver was destroyed in minutes. In 1938, new antibiotic drugs came along that seemed to out-perform colloidal silver, and much of the research into silver was abandoned. Dr. Robert Becker began studying the effects of silver in the 1970s, and noted that it seemed to promote bone growth while killing bacteria.

  Perhaps the most quoted story regarding colloidal silver comes from the March 1978 issue of Science Digest. The article claims that colloidal silver kills more than 650 disease organisms, while most antibiotics are effective against only a handful. In 1988, researchers at UCLA Medical Labs observed that colloidal silver worked on every virus they tested. Today, many viruses and infections have become resistant to antibiotic drugs, and many people believe that colloidal silver is the perfect answer to the problem.

Mainstream Opinions

• The "traditional" medical view of colloidal silver is not friendly. The Quackwatch website, for example, lists 11 cases of Argyria--that is, black- or silver-colored skin--due to the use of colloidal silver. In 1999, the Food and Drug Administration declared that sellers cannot make specific claims about what their products can treat, and sent warnings to 20 companies in 2000 ordering them to change their claims. Since then, colloidal silver can be sold as a "dietary supplement."

  Silver's use as an antibiotic, however, is becoming more accepted and widespread. Silver is used in the bandages of burn victims, and in newborn eyedrops. One company has released adhesive bandages with silver in the gauze, and an appliance manufacturer has released a line of washing machines that releases colloidal silver into the water to remove bacteria from clothing.

Topical

• Dr. James F. Balch and Phyllis A. Balch, in "Prescription for Nutritional Healing," have this to say about colloidal silver: "Topically, it can be used to fight fungal infections of the skin or nails and to promote the healing of burns, wounds, cuts, rashes, and sunburn." Elsewhere in the same book, they suggest soaking in colloidal silver to treat ringworm and a variety of other conditions.

Mouthwash

• Dental infections are easily and effectively treated with a colloidal silver mouthwash. The tissues inside the mouth and below the tongue readily absorb materials; this is known as sublingual treatment, and is especially effective with colloidal silver. According to "Prescription for Natural Healing," "It can be used on toothaches and mouth sores, as eye drops, and as a gargle to fight tooth decay and bad breath."

Internally

• For internal treatments, the colloidal silver can be sprayed in the nose or simply swallowed. Nasal infections, bronchitis and pneumonia all respond better to nasal sprays, while stomach bugs and other diseases may be treated with teaspoons or even ounces. Specific dosage amounts vary depending on the condition being treated and the strength of the colloidal silver.

  According to "Colloidal Silver: Medical Uses, Toxicology and Manufacture (New and Updated Third Edition)," by John Hill, as a general guideline, the EPA rules regarding safe maximum daily amounts work out to about 14 tsp. per day at a strength of 5 ppm (parts per million). Based on animal lab tests, an average adult would have to drink at least 150 liters of colloidal silver in one day to approach a toxic dose.