Silver particles suspended in a liquid are known as colloidal silver, and the product is sold by alternative medicine purveyors. Its advocates claim that the benefits of colloidal silver are wide ranging, such as that it boosts the immune system and helps fight fungi, bacteria and viruses. They claim that it effective at treating a variety of illnesses, including pink eye, sore throat and the common cold. There is little scientific evidence to back up these claims, however. Ingesting the product can have serious side effects, which might outweigh any potential benefits of colloidal silver.
The benefits of colloidal silver products, according to some manufacturers, include favorable effects on the immune system. Consumers might be advised by the alternative medicine company to use the product instead of antibiotics to kill infectious microorganisms. The list of infectious diseases the substance is purported to cure also includes syphilis, scarlet fever and herpes.
The concept that colloidal silver is a potent antimicrobial substance is not supported by scientific studies. Newborn babies receive silver nitrate drops to kill potentially disease-causing bacteria, but silver nitrate is a different compound from colloidal silver. Another silver compound, silver sulfadiazine, can be used as a burns ointment. Dressings that contain silver are approved by organizations such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in covering wounds, burns and infections, but the primary purpose of these dressings is as barriers to possible infection and not to cure an existing infection. Conventional medicine does not use silver or silver compounds for internal ingestion.
Other claims made for the benefits of colloidal silver include medicinal effects on cancer, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and diabetes. None of these claims are supported by scientific studies. Much of the research into the benefits of colloidal silver used by alternative medicine companies to promote their products do not even refer to published, peer-reviewed studies. Published studies that have undergone review by qualified experts in the field are more trustworthy because the other experts search for flaws in the method and mistakes in the data.
In 1999, the FDA banned the promotion of colloidal silver products as medicines in the U.S. As of early 2011, all colloidal silver products sold in the U.S. were sold as dietary supplements. Dietary supplements do not have to undergo product testing or adhere to strict manufacturing or labeling standards.
Silver is not necessary for human health, and the body does not use silver for any function. Colloidal silver collects in the body over time. Ingesting silver can result in a condition known as argyria, in which the skin and organs change to a blue-gray color. Argyria is not dangerous to health, but the condition is permanent. Other side effects include kidney damage, fatigue and seizures.
Using colloidal silver is not recommended by the conventional medicine community for any medical issue or for the prevention of illness. Apart from potential toxicity, the delay in commencing effective treatment can cause the issue to worsen and become harder to treat. The product also can reduce the effectiveness of some antibiotics. Another issue with colloidal silver is that some product tests have shown that the actual silver content does not accurately reflect the labeled concentration.
