Colloidal Silver!

Colloidal silver is a useful tool to combat many, if not all, pathogenic infections. The proper use can be discerned by looking at the way it is manufactured. When colloidal silver is manufactured, two types of the silver are created: ionic silver and silver particles. Both have the ability to disrupt pathogens at the cellular level but only one could be considered bioavailable. Ionic silver, when ingested, almost immediately binds to available chloride ions creating silver chloride. While advantageous in a topical application, this form is orally useless. Silver particles, however, do not bind to chloride ions and will remain in the bloodstream until they come into contact with a pathogen. Most preparations on the market are about 90% ionic silver and 10% silver particles.

Only products manufactured by a more refined process can be considered a true colloidal. Nano-silver is one such true colloidal. In this manufacturing process the silver molecule is reduced to such a degree that its size can only be calculated in billionths of a meter. Yet, this form of silver has the highest particle surface area and why nano-silver can effectively exert their anti-microbial/anti-pathogenic actions in such dilute quantities as 10 parts per million (ppm).

Neither the ionic nor nano-silver products exhibit the toxic aspects that worry some consumers. However, some companies produce a product claiming to be a colloidal silver which is actually known as a silver protein particle solution. They can sometimes be identified by their extremely high ppm count (from 30 to 20,000ppm!!) or by shaking the solution which will foam when agitated. These should be avoided because with extended use these can encourage argyria, a benign condition of the skin where a bluish/greyish tint manifests.

As with all supplements, always check your labels and ask questions about the product.