Doctor Freeper in the House?

I found the link to the following in my email and I was wondering if anybody knows anything about "colloidal silver". (It was a sales pitch for a brand of this "colloidal silver". I replaced the brand name with XXX):

XXX Colloidal Silver is by far the Most effective Antibiotic known to science. XXX Colloidal Silver kills over 650 known Disease causing germs, fungi and viruses.There is no known disease causing organism that can live in the presence of even minute traces of Colloidal Silver. Colloidal Silver is used to treat and prevent a wide range of diseases and infections, both internally and externally.

One teaspoon a day of XXX Colloidal Silver kills over 650 known Disease causing germs, fungi and viruses.

So, what is this "silver ion"? Well, it's really more commonly known as "colloidal silver". It is presently available in health food stores and by mail order suppliers. Simply put, it is extremely minute-sized silver particles suspended in water, with a positive electrical charge. The smaller the silver particles, the more effective it has been proven to be. The best colloidal silver is produced at the molecular level. A small D.C. current is passed through an electrolyte with silver electrodes. Minute, molecular sized particles are drawn off of the positive electrode, having a positive electrical charge. This electrical charge is of primary importance to healing and anti-bacterial qualities.

Silver has been known to be a bactericide for at least 1200 years. Even in ancient times, it was known to prevent disease and it was said that disease could not be transmitted by drinking from a silver cup. Silver coins were commonly dropped into a jar to prevent the spoilage of milk and other drink, and silver containers were used to prolong the freshness of foods in general. Even today, we commonly call all tableware "silverware" although today it is more commonly stainless steel. Until almost 1970 it was common usage for scientists to put a silver dime in a petri dish to sterilize the dish. Silver was long used for plates for the surgical repair of bones.

In the 1920's, 30's and 40's, silver was ground very fine like flour, suspended in water and was used orally for many infections and disease conditions, topically on burns, and for fungal infections. Over 650 bacteria, virus, and fungi were considered treatable with this silver in 1938. With the development of the patented antibiotics, silver was forgotten in the United States and most other places, although the antibiotics are only effective against bacteria, not viruses, yeast, or fungi, as is silver. Now, with the greatly improved modern colloids, the tables are turning and silver may be the most effective treatment.

The 1994 issue of Newsweek featured a six page article, "Antibiotics, The end of Miracle Drugs?" as the cover story. "The rise of drug-resistant germs is unparalleled in recorded history," according to the article. "Penicillin and tetracycline lost their power over staph back in the 1950's and 60's. Another antibiotic, methicillin, provided a backup for a while, but methicillin-resistant staph is now common in hospitals and nursing homes worldwide...Trying to cripple bacteria's defenses...will not do much more than buy us five to ten years... A better strategy might be to abandon antibiotics altogether in favor of different kinds of drugs." Not a very pretty picture.

The September, 1995 issue of Time Magazine featured an article titled "Revenge of the Killer Microbes." Sounds like a science fiction thriller, doesn't it? But Time was serious. "Faced with AIDS, and with an ever increasing number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, doctors were forced to admit that the medical profession was actually retreating in the battle against germs. The question ceased to be, 'When will infectious disease be wiped out?' and became 'Where will the next deadly new plague appear?'...Humanity once had the hubris to think it could control or even conquer all these microbes. But anyone who reads today's headlines knows how vain that hope turned out to be. New scourges are emerging -- AIDS is not the only one -- and older diseases like tuberculosis are rapidly evolving into forms that are resistant to antibiotics,...In 1992, 13,300 hospital patients died of infections that resisted every drug doctors tried."

The basic problem is simply that bacteria have a tremendous ability to adapt to substances. They can and do mutate to overcome antibiotics. When the antibiotics destroy the bacteria which are susceptible to them, they can clear the way for the resistant bacteria to move in uninhibited.

Still another problem that has plagued the medical profession from the beginning with modern antibiotics has been that beneficial bacteria and organisms play various important, natural functions in the body. Antibiotics often play havoc with some of these friendly organisms, producing long-lasting side effects that may be difficult to correct. Science Digest suggested an answer to all of these catastrophic problems back in March of 1978 in an article titled "Our Mightiest Germ Fighter." This article by Jim Powell stated: "Thanks to eye-opening research, silver is emerging as a wonder of modern medicine. An antibiotic kills perhaps a half-dozen different disease organisms, but silver kills some 650. Resistant strains fail to develop. Moreover, silver is virtually non-toxic."

One reason that the antibiotics have been so popular in the medical field is due to the fact that they can be patented. Therefore, the pharmaceutical companies find it financially worth while to keep the doctors educated in their medicines, while other products go unnoticed. Silver, on the other hand, is not patentable and there are no huge profits in it, so it is not worth heavy promotion. The high-priced products run over the low cost products, simply because they are more profitable.

All of this is happening at the same time that disease bacteria are developing immunity to modern antibiotics. Furthermore, the immunity to the antibiotics seems to be developing all over the world, even in isolated areas. The medical profession is alarmed. Can silver save us? Many authorities think so.

In "Use of Colloids in Health and Disease", author Dr. Henry Crooks says that colloidal silver is highly germicidal. In laboratory test he found that "all fungus, virus, bacterium, streptococcus, staphylococcus, and other pathogenic organisms are killed in three or four minutes. In fact, there is no microbe known that is not killed by colloidal silver in six minutes or less in a dilution as little as 5 parts per million. Dr. Crooks found colloidal silver particularly effective in intestinal problems, and tells us there are no serious effects whatsoever from high concentrations.

In "Colloidal Silver" by The Association for Colloidal Research, it is reported that: "Medical Journal Reports and documented studies spanning 100 years indicate no known side effects from oral or I.V. administration of properly manufactured Colloidal Silver in animal or human testing."..."There has never been a reported reaction with Colloidal Silver and any prescription medication..."

In Perceptions Magazine May/June 1996, Mark Metcalf states: "I made a 16-ounce solution of well over 250 PPM and drank it. I repeated this procedure four days in a row, daily ingesting at least the equivalent of a 5-ppm solution! I did not eat yogurt or acidophilus or compensate for friendly bacteria loss in any way. The only side effect was that I seemed to feel better!"

Some other researchers do tell us, however, that in prolonged, very heavy doses, some silver compounds will leave gray deposits in the heavier skin folds such as the knuckles. This condition is known as "Argyria." The only problem to these deposits is said to be the cosmetic appearance and the condition is said to be rare. Some experts say this condition has never been known to occur from silver in the colloidal state. Other experts do, however warn that this might be a possible problem to extremely high, prolonged dosages. The very small particle size in the colloidal silver would seem to make this possibility remote and this very small particle size is by far the most effective form of silver. Argyria is correctable with laser treatment, like a tattoo. Furthermore, colloidal silver should not be used along with intravenous EDTA chelation, as silver is a metal and EDTA works by absorbing and removing metals from the blood. For this reason, the two work against each other.

The evidence appears to support the theory that colloidal silver is highly effective against all strains of pathogenic bacteria, while any one antibiotic is only effective against a few certain bacterial strains. Furthermore, antibiotics have never been effective against viruses, yeast, or fungi. Yet, researchers are telling us that colloidal silver has produced phenomenal results in tissue healing and reconstruction as well as reducing scar tissue in clinical tests. Severe cuts and wounds have healed in much less time."

Colloidal silver is indeed a potent and diverse antimicrobial agent, but it has not historically remained in the active form in the body, long enough to be effective as a therapeutic agent for human infection.

There are however protective timed-release delivery systems being investigated, which will overcome this problem. The early results are encouraging.

Colloidal silver is of no demonstrable benefit. It has demonstrable dangers. The use of silver as an ingredient in medicine was discontinued many years ago. Colloidal silver like other colloidal mineral preparations is hype in search of money with no scientific or medical basis. Go to Quackwatch.com "colloidal silver" search results, as well as to Colloidal Silver, Risk Without Benefit page, as well as to Colloidal Mineral Supplements: Unnecessary and Potentially Hazardous". I'm a Ph.D. in human nutrition/nutritional biology. I'm not selling any books or products. I have nothing to gain, unlike those peddling colloidal silver. Some people on FR will write in their typical testimonies. However, those who promote colloidal silver and other minerals have NO double blind experimental trials to substantiate their claims. The only reason they are able to slip through the cracks on this is because they are pushing their product as a "nutritional supplement" while hinting at health benefits because it is illegal for them to make health claims.

Fed Regist 1999 Aug 17;64(158):44653-8 Related Articles, Books: Over-the-counter drug products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Public Health Service (PHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Final rule.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule establishing that all over-the-counter (OTC) drug products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts for internal or external use are not generally recognized as safe and effective and are misbranded. FDA is issuing this final rule because many OTC drug products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts are being marketed for numerous serious disease conditions and FDA is not aware of any substantial scientific evidence that supports the use of OTC colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts for these disease conditions.

Not exactly pure quackery, but not yet ready for prime time either.

Owing to the volatility of the compound in the body, ridiculously large doses are req'd to achieve reasonable therapeutic results. The trick is acheiving stability in the body.

Delivery systems are the key.

Though I am a Freeper who despises overregulation and intrusion by the Government, I wish the FTC and the FDA would start doing something about these pseudo-Scientific quacks.

The magazine "Prevention" years ago won a ruling that they were publishing First-Amendment "Opinions".

Colloidal or nanophase silver, or silver compounds have been used for centuries as bacteriostats.

IMO, advocating the ingestion of a heavy metal known to cause argyrosis and kidney damage, or "Diet Supplements" such as selenium, need to be criminally prosecuted for reckless endangerment ASAP.

I cannot believe the claims I hear for quack products, even at prime commuting time.

People who tout these things belong in prison.

The only useful applications of silver I'm aware of are for physician use (not by a layman) and are the use of silver nitrate drops in the prevention of gonorrheal ophthalmitis in newborns, and the use of silver nitrate on burned skin surfaces.

Internal use of silver nitrate results in a disease known as argyria (silver poisoning) in which the major sign is that the skin turns grey. This change is not reversible. Silver solutions should NEVER be ingested by mouth.

See post above. Also this:

Fed Regist 1999 Aug 17;64(158):44653-8

Over-the-counter drug products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Public Health Service (PHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Final rule.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final rule establishing that all over-the-counter (OTC) drug products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts for internal or external use are not generally recognized as safe and effective and are misbranded. FDA is issuing this final rule because many OTC drug products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts are being marketed for numerous serious disease conditions and FDA is not aware of any substantial scientific evidence that supports the use of OTC colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts for these disease conditions.

Prevention Magazine isn't all that bad, IMO. When I was in medical school (1991-95), I remember being taught at least five "brand-new" (even "blockbuster") findings from the scientific mainstream concerning certain prevention and treatment modalities which I had heard about at least 10 years earlier in Prevention Magazine. (My wife is a long-time subscriber.)

I don't know a whole lot about colloidal silver, and I don't use it, but I think that if you will check the literature, you will find that the main concern about silver toxicity has to do with silver compounds, not the elemental form. (I seem to recall that the studies of arginism involved organosilver compounds in particular.)

We obviously need more studies of lots of so-called "nutriceuticals." Unfortunately, there are very few financial incentives for studying simple substances which can't be patented anyway.

I agree with your concerns about selenium, by the way. Anti-oxidants can be carcinogenic in high doses. When I find a patient who is taking mega-doses of these things for no particular reason, I tell them they ought to back off.

At the bottom-line, we need balance. We need to be scientific. (Alas, we physicians are not consistently as balanced and scientific as we ought to be.)

I had an persistent eye infection (pink eye)for two weeks. One shot of that silver spray and it started to heal up the next day.

Pink Eye usually clears up in 14 days with or without silver spray. But I am not a doctor, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

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