Guide To Understanding Colloidal Silver

The internet is full of information that promotes different dietary supplements and supposed medical miracles. This information can even be found in the dieting sections of bookstores and grocery stores. Unfortunately, it is very easy for misinformation and complete lies to profligate. In some cases, this can be harmless. For example, individuals adding a harmless but non-beneficial substance to their diet often only experience the placebo effect in regards to a health boost.

Sadly, other trends on dietary supplements and daily vitamins, especially in high amounts, are harmful. Colloidal silver supplements and liquid colloidal silver are perfect examples. Get the details on what colloidal silver is and why individuals should always research and ask their doctor about vitamin and mineral supplements and other trends before taking anything now.

What Is It Exactly?

Colloidal silver is a liquid that contains tiny silver particles. These suspended particles are small enough not to be removed through the body's normal filtering processes. Manufactured filters may not catch them as well. Some of the particles can be so minuscule that they are called nanoparticles. A particle must be lower than one hundred nanometers in size to be classified as a nanoparticle. This so small that the naked eye cannot detect it, so to see the silver particles, an individual would need to use a microscope.

Before modern antibiotics, colloidal silver was a common treatment for a variety of different illnesses and infections. In recent decades, the substance has experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly on the internet. Many individuals believe this substance can help with a variety of illnesses and afflictions. However, there is little to no scientific evidence supporting this. In fact, multiple studies show that colloidal silver can have serious and permanent side effects. There are healthier ways to achieve the claimed effects of colloidal silver.

Speaking of claimed uses for colloidal silver, get to know some of them now.

Claimed Uses

Before the development of modern antibiotics, colloidal silver was used as a remedy for illnesses and infections. There has been an internet-coordinated movement to reject modern medicine. Some of these individuals believe colloidal silver is a better treatment than antibiotics. Individuals who take this compound often take it as an oral supplement or directly apply the liquid to their skin. Some patients who are seeking modern medicine alternatives claim this substance can act as a replacement for antibiotics that treat fungal, viral, and bacterial infections. However, no scientific evidence exists indicating that colloidal silver is an effective antibiotic.

There are also small but vocal subsets of individuals who claim this compound can treat certain conditions, including tuberculosis, Lyme disease, and cancer. There is no scientific basis for this claim. While research indicates this compound may have served a purpose historically, it does not work better than modern antibiotics. The exact way colloidal silver works is not understood. However, the main theory is that the silver attaches to bacterial cell walls, damaging the membranes.

Read about the side effects of colloidal silver next.

Side Effects

The side effects of colloidal silver have been significantly documented. However, there is not enough information to predict them accurately. Research indicates that it can create or compound existing health issues. The effects seem to vary based on the shape and size of the silver particles, along with how concentrated they are. As there is no documented benefit, there are no medical guidelines for dosage. Exposure to silver is not necessarily toxic right away. In fact, the environment exposes individuals to tiny amounts of silver daily.

Silver can be found in the air, food, and drinking water. Environmental silver is considered safe. However, silver nanoparticles carry potential health risks, and health professionals have deemed purposefully ingesting colloidal silver unsafe. The biggest potential side effect is argyria. This is a permanent medical condition that causes the skin to turn bluish-gray because of the way silver particles build up in the skin and body. It is also possible that silver deposits will occur in the kidneys, intestines, liver, and other organ systems, which can impair function.

Learn about what medications this compound may interact with next.

Medication Interactions

Individuals must always check a list of medication interactions before taking any new dietary supplements, vitamins, or over-the-counter medicines. In addition, if individuals start any new medications, they should tell their doctor about all the herbal supplements they take regularly. Multiple organizations have indicated that colloidal silver is unsafe when applied directly to the skin or taken by mouth. If individuals still decide to take this compound, they should be aware of potential medication interactions first.

When taken with antibiotics, colloidal silver may decrease the amount the body absorbs. At best, this decreases the antibiotic's effectiveness. At worst, it can cause an infection to become antibiotic-resistant. This compound can also decrease the amount of levothyroxine the body absorbs. Colloidal silver can harm the liver by creating silver deposits. Thus, an individual's risk of liver damage becomes much higher if they are also taking hepatotoxic drugs. These drugs can harm the liver as well.

Get familiar with healthier alternatives next.

Healthier Alternatives

Despite the push toward using natural supplements and ancient methods to treat illnesses, it is much more effective to use proven treatments instead. Colloidal silver was used as an antibacterial treatment before antibiotics. While it does seem to have the ability to destroy the cell walls of bacteria and break bacterial cells down, the effects are not sustainable or well-proven. By contrast, a course of antibiotics can tackle the same infection in a proven and predictable way.

Some individuals believe colloidal silver has antiviral properties. However, they would incur fewer health risks by simply letting the virus take its course. In a similar vein, the antifungal effects of this compound are much better achieved by using actual antibiotics, which kill the infection at the source. Patients should not mix colloidal silver with antibiotics. This compound will not strengthen the treatment. In fact, it will weaken the antibiotics instead.

Learn about dosing directions for colloidal silver next.

Dosing Directions

At the moment, there is insufficient scientific evidence available to provide an accurate recommendation for colloidal silver dosing directions. As discussed, colloidal silver is often unsafe to take. In addition, as a natural supplement, it is vital to choose a dosage carefully. Thus, patients should discuss colloidal silver with their doctor if they still wish to try this supplement. It is worth noting that experts, including the Environmental Protection Agency, believe that most individuals are exposed to enough silver in their environment already. However, this agency also created a chart indicating that an individual's silver exposure should not exceed five micrograms for every kilogram they weigh. This includes silver from the environment as well as colloidal silver supplements and topical colloidal silver.