When ordering some food for our family preparedness plan, my wife heard the "sales rep" recommend she also purchase colloidal silver for health reasons. Just a sales gimmick, or does this stuff really work?

Anyone here want to share your opinion/thoughts/experiences RE: collodial silver? Would appreciate hearing from folks.

Much thanks.

-- JoB (jbabinsky@theriver.com), November 12, 1998

Answers

Stay away from it, unless you want to turn yourself ash grey.

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), November 12, 1998.

Ooooops

Sorry Gayla, I meant Zane Grey.

-- Uncle Deedah (oncebitten@twiceshy.com), November 12, 1998.

This is taken from my medical dictionary (Mosby's). Comments in brackets are my own.

"Silver [chemical description and properties skipped]...used extensively as a component of amalgams of dental fillings and many medications, especially antiseptics and astringents. Some antiseptics containing silver are mild silver protein and strong silver protein, preparations that render silver colloidal in the presence of protein. Mild silver protein contains not less than 19% and not more than 23% silver. Strong silver protein contains not less than 7.5% and not more than 8.5% silver. Both preparations are used externally as antiseptics and do not have irritating properties. Silver nitrate is also used externally as an antiseptic and astringent, especially in the prevention of ophthalmia neonatorium [prevention of eye infections in the newborn right after birth]. Silver picrate, the ionizable salt of silver, is used in the treatment of trichomoniasis and in the treatment of moniliasis of the vagina [both vaginal infections]."

I don't feel comfortable recommending you make your own antiseptics, but perhaps you could stock up on over the counter ones that contain silver.

Here's a webpage about colloidal silver. I don't nescessarily endorse it, it is simply to give you another view.

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), November 12, 1998.

Wouldn't be me if I didn't mess up my posts somehow ;)

Here's that webpage

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), November 12, 1998.

Before you try colloidal silver look at this page:

http://homepages.together .net/~rjstan

do you really want to look like that?

-- Ned (entaylor@cloudnet.com), November 12, 1998.

The amount of uninformed opinion about colloidal silver is greater than even that of y2k. I've been taking cs or colloidal silver for quite some time and I haven't turned grey, but I have avoided getting sick. After making several attempts to obtain factual information about the effectiveness and danger concerning colloidal silver, I've come to the conclusion that, aside for a few good quality, but highly specific studies (which are almost useless for understanding the general application of cs), there are practically no reliable data in the literature for at least two reasons: (1) colloidal silver research should not be lumped together with results from studies using silver salts, elemental silver, or silver bonded proteins, etc. (2) the concentration, stability and effectiveness of cs is HIGHLY dependent on the method of preparation, and without establishing a standard that will CONSISTENTLY produce high quality cs AT A KNOWN CONCENTRATION, no scientific reporting is possible.

Because of these problems, I have developed a reliable cs production method that achieves the objectives given above, and, using this product, I have tested cs on myself to establish a silver balance, excretion rates and mechanism as a function of cs and water intake rate. I have never published these results because commercial cs suppliers were uninterested in purchasing the rights to my study which, by the way, was quite costly to complete.

If anyone has any ideas how I can release this information while maintaining control over its distribution, i.e., how to deter people and perhaps companies from just sending unauthorized copies to their friends or customers, I would be happy to hear from you.

Dr. Roger Altman

-- Dr. Roger Altman (rogaltman@aol.com), November 13, 1998.

The amount of uninformed opinion about colloidal silver is greater than even that of y2k. I've been taking cs or colloidal silver for quite some time and I haven't turned grey, but I have avoided getting sick. After making several attempts to obtain factual information about the effectiveness and danger concerning colloidal silver, I've come to the conclusion that, aside from a few good quality, but highly specific studies (which are almost useless for understanding the general application of cs), there are practically no reliable data in the literature for at least two reasons: (1) colloidal silver research should not be lumped together with results from studies using silver salts, elemental silver, or silver bonded proteins, etc. (2) the concentration, stability and effectiveness of cs is HIGHLY dependent on the method of preparation, and without establishing a standard that will CONSISTENTLY produce high quality cs AT A KNOWN CONCENTRATION, no scientific reporting is possible.

Because of these problems, I have developed a reliable cs production method that achieves the objectives given above, and, using this product, I have tested cs on myself to establish a silver balance, excretion rates and mechanism as a function of cs and water intake rate. I have never published these results because commercial cs suppliers were uninterested in purchasing the rights to my study which, by the way, was quite costly to complete.

If anyone has any ideas how I can release this information while maintaining control over its distribution, i.e., how to deter people and perhaps companies from just sending unauthorized copies to their friends or customers, I would be happy to hear from you.

Dr. Roger Altman

-- Dr. Roger Altman (rogaltman@aol.com), November 13, 1998.

The link you give reports on a woman who took CSP internally over an extended period of time. I don't believe silver is toxic when used externally, as an antiseptic.

Here's another site that sheds some scientific light on silver,British Columbia Ministry of Environment, Land & Parks , discussing the safety and use of silver in canada's water. I quoted relevant paragraphs here.

"Silver Toxicity

A natural or man-made chemical present in the environment does not always lead to human or animal exposure. Exposure requires contact with substances containing the chemical. Exposure itself is not necessarily harmful; several other factors determine whether contact leads to harmful effects and the type and severity of these effects. These factors include the dose (how much), the duration (how long), the timing (when in the life cycle), the route of exposure (injection, inhalation, ingestion, contact) and individual characteristics and lifestyles (sex, age, health, habits, fitness, genetic predisposition).

Populations that are unusually susceptible to toxic effects from silver are those with dietary deficiencies of vitamin E or selenium, or those with genetically-based deficiencies in the metabolism of these essential nutrients. Those populations with damaged livers and those exposed to very high selenium levels in their diet are also at higher risk. Some people may exhibit an allergic response to silver."

"Silver is a disinfectant for non-spore forming bacteria at concentrations about 1000 times lower than the levels at which it is toxic to mammalian life. This extreme mammalian-to-bacterial toxicity differential is the definition of an oligodynamic material. The low concentration necessary for oligodynamic activity allows silver or one of its insoluble salts to be used indefinitely in contact with sterile liquids without silver levels building up to concentrations harmful to people.

The biological effects of silver are apparently due to reversible bonds with enzymes and other active molecules on the surface of cells. Due to its sulphydryl binding propensity, biologically-available silver disrupts membranes, disables proteins and inhibits enzymes. The ionic form of silver is necessary for biological activity and the lipid phase of the membrane appears to be important in adsorbing silver ions to living cells. The active sites on enzymes which are affected by silver are apparently the electron-rich functional groups such asSH groups.

Silver combines with plasma proteins, is removed by the liver and over 90% is eliminated in the bile; most of this in the feces with very little in the urine. That silver which is not excreted is deposited in the skin and mucous tissues. Tissue deposition of silver results from precipitation of insoluble salts such as silver chloride and silver phosphate. These may be transformed to soluble silver sulphide albuminates and bind with amino or carboxyl groups in proteins and nucleic acids. They may also be oxidized to metallic silver by ascorbic acid or catecholamines.

Argyria, silver deposition, occurs in all organs. Common deposition sites for people who have no history of therapeutic use are the liver, skin, pancreas, adrenals, glomeruli of the kidney, brain, bone marrow, walls of the blood vessels, thyroid, mesenteric glands, choroid plexus, spleen and testes. Generalized argyria is indicated by slate-gray skin and hair colouring, silver finger nails, a blue halo around the cornea and in the conjunctiva of the eye, disturbance of dark adaptation and turbidity of the anterior lens capsule. The tissue content and distribution pattern of silver deposition is a function of the intake route, quantity and chemical form.

The discoloured skin in argyric patients exposed to ultraviolet radiation is likely caused by photoreduction of silver chloride to metallic silver, which is then oxidized to black silver sulphide and bound by tissues. If the diet is high in selenium, the silver sulphide is converted to silver selenide which may result in higher silver deposition rates than with silver sulphide.

Silver is tightly bound by sewage sludge and elevated levels of silver are often associated with sewage outfalls receiving minimal treatment. In the absence of sewage, silver associates with iron oxides and humic substances. The relative bioavailability of either silver-inorganic complexes or silver-organic complexes appears to depend on the individual compounds. Silver-inorganic complexes are probably the most common in the marine environment. Silver-chlorides are generally not bioavailable except for silver chloride. Silver-iron oxides or silver-magnesium complexes in sediments increase the availability to bottom feeding organisms. Activated sludge organisms may bioaccumulate silver at 100 times the concentration in the effluent.

Silver has low toxicity to vertebrate animals and is eliminated rapidly when ingested orally. It is not a cumulative toxin. Since surface waters in Canada generally contain low levels of silver and there are few data on chronic silver toxicity to animals, no criteria seem to be justified at this time for wildlife, livestock or laboratory animal drinking water. Wildlife, free range and confined livestock and laboratory animals can safely drink water which meets the aquatic life criteria."

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), November 13, 1998.

I occasionally use Colloidal Silver both externally and internally. I find it helps in fighting infections. I haven't turned silver yet, nor have I experienced any side effects.

Also, I find colloidal minerals to be very good too.

-- Craig (craig@ccinet.ab.ca), November 13, 1998.

I and my family have used collodial silver for some time with no ill effects. The benefit is that we don't get sick. Be sure to use collodial silver and not some other form of silver. Learn to make your own, it's not hard. Do a search on it on the net - there are hundreds of pages on it.

-- Mark Johnson (johndale@ozemail.com.au), November 13, 1998.

I think I will stick to 1 oz. coins for my silver.

-- Bill (bill@microsoft.com), November 14, 1998.

Dear Y2K Friends, Remember this discussion and the Blue Lady? This was forwarded to me and I pass it on to you. At the end of the article, the following site is mentioned: genie@wishgranted.com with lots of favorable info on Colloidal Silver. Sue

-- Sue (here@home.com), November 28, 1998.

I have been taking cs for some time. Before taking cs my Dr orbserved some clinical and biological conditions which changed positively after just two weeks of taking cs. I would be sagastic to those who oppose cs for they are a bunch of cartel owners of the pharmaceaticals. Please we need alternatives. God gave it to mankind in abudance. We should now spend more time on alternatives. Remember if there is a clinical change,there should be a biological change taking place. God bless those who discovered the cs.

-- Nyamboli Emmanuel (emmanyams@yahoo.fr), December 05, 2004.