Risks of Colloidal Silver
There are only two known side effects of colloidal silver. The best-known one is Agryria, and the other is the Herxheimer’s Effect.
We’ll start with the simplest one first: the Herxheimer’s Effect.
Colloidal silver is a popular silver supplement. To create the supplement, pure silver ions are suspended in purified water. Before antibiotics, people would use silver to “kill” viruses. Buy The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual Underlining and Notation by Barwick, Steve (ISBN: ) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
If features Steve Barwick, author of The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual, being interviewed relentlessly by television personality Kristyn Burtt on just about every aspect of colloidal silver. Colloidal silver is a popular alternative therapy. Its advocates claim that it’s an effective treatment for all sorts of infections and diseases, ranging from the common cold to cancer.
Herxheimer’s Effect
The Herxheimer’s Effect is not exclusive to colloidal silver. You can potentially feel the Herxheimer’s Effect when you start any antibiotic treatment. What essentially happens is that too many good bacteria are dying off too quickly in addition to the bad bacteria that you’re targeting. Steve Barwick explains, “The resulting pathogen die-off is too much for the body process at one time, and painful and sometimes serious symptoms can result. “[1]
It usually only occurs when people start using colloidal silver for the first time. Common symptoms of Herxheimer’s include flu like symptoms or diarrhea.
The Herxheimer’s Effect is easy to remedy. Simply back off your colloidal silver use until your body gets used to it. Consume less and you will shortly start to feel better. Mark Metcalf recommends, “Should this happen, stop administering colloidal silver and drink a lot of water to help clear out the dead pathogens and thereby cause the symptoms to cease.”[2]
Once you have built up a tolerance, you can increase your dose if you feel its necessary.
You can also counter the Herxheimer’s Effect by doing something as simple as eating probiotic yogurt or taking a probiotic pill to restore the good bacteria in your system.
The Herxheimer’s Effect is a temporary side effect that is easily and quickly remedied. It can be brought on by many different drugs or antibiotics.
Easing into colloidal silver use gradually will ensure that you do not suffer from the Herxheimer’s Effect.
Argyria
Argyria is the only known negative side effect of colloidal silver, and it is often what gives colloidal silver a bad reputation. People will start doing research into colloidal silver and some of the first search results bring up photos of people who have turned blue from drinking colloidal silver.
So, what is Argyria? It is the permanent discolouration of skin (usually to a bluish grey tinge) caused by silver build up underneath the skin. It is a purely cosmetic side effect, although certainly not a pleasant one.
Douglas Brandt says, “Medicinal use of silver first occurred in the 8th century. Bluish discoloration of the eyes caused by silver ingestion was also described near the same time.”[3] Steve Barwick actually describes Argyria as “archaic.” Regardless, the condition has been around as long as silver has been used medicinally.
Alan Lansdown offers a definition for Argyria as “a permanent or long-lasting grey or blue-grey discolouration of the skin attributable to prolonged exposure to metallic silver or ionisable silver salts. … At most, Argyria should be considered as a cosmetically undesirable occupational risk or complication associated with consumption of unregulated colloidal silver products….”[4]
Lansdown does not define what he means by “unregulated colloidal silver products,” but any book or article promoting colloidal silver is quick to point out that there have been no incidences of Argyria resulting from properly prepared colloidal silver.
Is the Risk of Argyria Higher for Some than Others
Many people, including Lansdown, Barwick, Metcalf and Hill have all reported a potential link between those with liver and/or kidney conditions and the incidence of Argyria. Lansdown states, “The liver and kidney are major organs in the metabolism and elimination of silver from the body, but neither is a target organ for silver toxicity.” [5]
The United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Health Advisories cite a number of tests that indicate silver is primarily excreted through faeces.[6] Barwick explains that those with poor kidney or liver function are thus at increased risk for Argryia because excessive daily intake of silver results in a residual build-up, which the body then tries to push away “from the tissues out toward the skin, at which point the skin turns grey upon exposure to sunlight.”[7]
Speaking of sunlight, several people have noticed that Argyria occurs primarily in areas that are exposed to sunlight – such as your face and hands. Bu Kwon Hyok says, “Argyria pigmentation is usually only recognized in sun-exposed areas. Even though the silver is deposited in both exposed and unexposed areas of skin, the discoloration is more pronounced in areas that have been exposed to sunlight, such as the face and hands.”[8]
How Can You Treat Argyria
There are no known sure-fire cures for Argyria, just as there are no known ways to chelate potential silver build-up in your body.
Mark Metcalf, author of Colloidal Silver: Making the Safest and Most Powerful Medicine on Earth for the Price of Water suggests that supplementing your colloidal silver use with vitamin E and selenium can help chelate any silver that might remain in your body, which will reduce the risk of silver build-up.
Metcalf, in addition to Steve Barwick and John Hill, offer recipes that they claim will help counter the effects of Argyria.[9] They are all very similar to each other and include ingredients such as Vitamin C and Kelp in addition to Vitamin B and Selenium.
There are also clinics in Asia that have tried laser treatment to cure Argyria with varying degrees of success.[10]
Luckily, the risks of getting Argyria are slim to none if you use safe colloidal silver in moderation.
How to Reduce the Risk of Argyria
The best way to reduce the risk of Argyria is to make sure that what you’re drinking is safe colloidal silver. You now know how to determine if your colloidal silver is safe, and that information is essential in preventing any side effects. If you can’t be sure that what you’re drinking is the best quality colloidal silver, then simply use it in moderation.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Health Advisories has stated that, “a concentration of silver in water of 100 ug/L or 0.1 mg/L is considered protective of the cosmetic effect of silver (Argyria) for the general population.”[11] That is actually quite a generous daily serving of silver to ingest, so as long as you stay belong that figure, you shouldn’t even have to worry about Argyria.
Where to go for More Information
If you wish to learn more about Argyria, there is a plethora of information out there. We refrain from listing specific websites as web addresses can (and often do) change. Virtually every book that has been published on colloidal silver has a chapter on Argyria and how to minimize its risk. Particularly informative books are:
The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual by Steve Barwick
Colloidal Silver: Making the Safest and Most Powerful Medicine on Earth for the Price of Water by Mark Metcalf
Colloidal Silver: Medical Uses, Toxicology & Manufacture by John Hill
Silver in Healthcare: Its Antimicrobial Efficacy and Safety in Use by Alan Lansdown
The best book on silver toxicity by far is Silver in Healthcare by Alan Lansdown. He has the results from many lab tests that show silver build up in the body as a result of using various medical silver products. He also has a very informative chapter on Argyria, its causes and effects. If you are concerned about silver in your body from any source, this is definitely a book you should read.
You can also easily fine online a study performed by the Australian government on drinking water contaminants that has values for how much silver occurs naturally in tap water. The United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Health Advisories has also published a similar document.
Summary
Colloidal silver is one of the safest supplements available. If it is used moderately and properly, the risk of suffering any side effects of colloidal silver is very small.
The 2 common side effects are the Herxheimer’s Effect and Argryia. You can cure the Herxheimer’s Effect by cutting back on your colloidal silver intake. While you cannot cure Argyria, you can nearly eliminate the risk of it by consuming safe colloidal silver in moderation.
Disclaimer
This information has not been evaluated by any official agency. The content of this website is intended for information only and is not intended to be used as medical advice. For medical advice, please consult a medical professional.
We are not doctors and are not prescribing colloidal silver to you for any use. Please consult a medical professional before consuming colloidal silver, or to find out what dose or ppm solution is right for you.
The author and publisher of this information disclaims responsibility or liability for any hardship or loss that may be incurred as a result of the use or application of this information.
Information that is referenced is believed to be from reliable sources, but no guarantee can be made regarding the accuracy of sources.
References
Barwick, Steve. The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual: Introducing the Powerful Natural Antibiotic They Want to Take Away from You. Life and Health Research Group, 2009.
Brandt, Douglas, Betty Park, et al. “Argyria secondary to ingestion of homemade silver solution.” Journal of theAmerican Academy of Dermatoloy, August 2005.
Used Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual Pdf Free
Bu Kwon Hyok, Joon Ho Lee, et al. “A Case of Argyria Following Colloidal Silver Ingestion.” Ann Dermatol, February 2009.
Hill, John. Colloidal Silver: Medical Uses, Toxicology & Manufacture. 3rd ed. Clear Springs Press, 2009.
Lansdown, Alan B. Silver in Healthcare: Its Antimicrobial Efficacy and Safety in Use. RCS Publishing, 2010.
Metcalf, Mark. Colloidal Silver: Making the Safest and Most Powerful Medicine on Earth for the Price of Water.
Rhee, Do-Young, Sung-Eun Chang, et al. “Treatment of Argyria after Colloidal Silver Ingestion Using Q-Switched 1,064-nm Nd:YAG Laser.” American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Inc, 2008.
United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Health Advisories. Health Advisories for Drinking Water Contaminants. Lewis, 1993.
[2] Metcalf 34
[4] Lansdown 165
[6] United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Health Advisories, 118-120.
[8] Hyok 309
[10] Do-Young Rhee, Sung-Eun Chang et al document a case of a woman who was treated with a YAG laser for Argyria with favourable results in their article “Treatment of Argyria after Colloidal Silver Ingestion Using Q-Switched 1,064-nm Nd:YAG Laser” published by the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery Inc in 2008.
[11] United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water Health Advisories, 230.
Beat Toenail Fungus With Colloidal Silver
I recently received an interesting report from a member of my Colloidal Silver Secrets Community on Facebook who’s invented a unique, and relatively quick and easy way to cure a nasty case of toenail fungus using colloidal silver. Now, there’s no reason whatsoever to live with toenail fungus, thanks to this safe, easy and effective method!
I’ve reported on colloidal silver being used to heal toenail fungus, both in my book, The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual, and in my 60-minute DVD, the Colloidal Silver Secrets Video.
The process I’ve reported on is a bit tedious and time-consuming, and uses up a LOT of colloidal silver. But it works like a charm if you stick with it.
Fortunately, a member of my Colloidal Silver Secrets Community on Facebook (join here; it’s FREE) named Diane has just reported a much simpler, quicker and more efficient way to heal toenail fungus using colloidal silver.
First, the Old Method
Usually, a person using the old method would pour a significant amount of colloidal silver (as much as one full quart) into a square glass baking pan, and then soak the entire foot with the infected nail in the silver solution for as many as 20 to 30 minutes a day.
This might go on daily, for as long as a month. And it can be quite boring, so get a good book out, or set your glass baking pan down in front of your couch so you can watch TV while soaking your foot and infected nails.
Generally, if you’re consistent about it, within three or four weeks you’ll start seeing nice, shiny new pink toenail starting to grow in at the base of the toenail. And as it gradually grows in, you simply trim off the old, greenish-gray outer infected nail as it grows out.
While you only need to do the nightly colloidal silver soaks for about a month, it will take many months – sometimes up to a full year – for the toenail to grow out fully to the point at which you can finally get all of the ugly, greenish infected nail clipped off.
So as your nails grow, you simply clip off the old discolored and disfigured nail, and allow the bright shiny pink new, infection-free nail to grow in, in its place.
Of course, the problem with this method – besides how time-consuming it is – is that you have to use such a large amount of colloidal silver each night in your foot soak…as much as one full quart, depending upon the size of your foot and the size of the glass baking pan you use.
So curing toenail fungus with colloidal silver can be an expensive proposition, unless of course you’re wealthy, and have nothing better to do with your money than spend it on expensive commercial colloidal silver preparations costing between $20 to $30 for a tiny 4 ounce bottle!
Of course, if you own a high-quality home colloidal silver generator (see one, here), you can make all of the fresh, pure colloidal silver you’ll ever need, any time you need, it, for less than 36 cents a quart.
So owners of colloidal silver generators find this method of curing toenail fungus to be very reasonable, in terms of cost.
Best yet, thanks to the infection-fighting power of the colloidal silver, these toenail infections rarely re-occur. The colloidal silver seems to be a permanent solution!
Out With the Old,
In With the New Method!
But the new method Diane wrote me about is much easier…faster…more effective… and far less expensive, because you use so much less colloidal silver. In fact, all you do is soak a cotton ball in it each night and apply it to your toe!
Here’s how it’s done, in Diane’s own words. She wrote:
“Steve, I cleared up my toenail fungus using colloidal silver, and documented the progress with “before” and “after” photos … it was pretty ugly…but I am fungus-free now!
I was using home-made 8-10 ppm colloidal silver. Here’s how I did it:
First, I filed my thick, discolored and disfigured fungal-infested nail down a little bit with a nail file.
Then I put a cotton ball soaked in colloidal silver directly on top of the infected toenail, and used a homemade “toe condom” (i.e., a finger cut off from a rubber surgeon’s glove) to cover the toe and hold the wet cotton ball firmly in place overnight. (See photos below – ED)
I did this each night for only 2 weeks. Then I stopped, and simply let the nail start growing out, clipping off the old infected nail as the new nail grew in.
Amazingly, over the next few months as new nail grew back in, and as I clipped off the old greenish-gray nail as it grew out, I saw nice, healthy and pink nail coming in. The infection had been killed.
Seven months later, the awful greenish fungal infected nail was completely gone. And I’ve had NO reoccurrence of the infection whatsoever!”
I wrote back and asked Diane if she would share some of her “before and after” photos, elaborate a bit on her method, and allow me to publish her story. And she agreed.
Before and After
First, here are before and after photos of her infected toes:
BEFORE: You can see that the nails on the big toes are terribly distorted and discolored with thick greenish fungal growth.
This particular infection, known as onychomycosis, is caused by a group of fungi called dermatophytes.
These fungal pathogens are harmful because as they grow they feed on the keratin that makes up the surface of the toe nail, causing disfiguration and discoloration, and sometimes even infecting the surrounding tissues.
In essence the fungus becomes deeply “imbedded” in, under and around the nail, which is one reason why it’s so difficult to cure without expensive prescription medications like Lamisil that can potentially cause liver damage.
AFTER: Here’s the “After” photo, seven months later. As you can see the end result is – a complete cure!
Only two weeks of colloidal silver treatment, in a most unique fashion (see below for full explanation), using safe, simple, all-natural colloidal silver –
– and Diane has achieved what most prescription anti-fungal drugs simply can’t achieve in twice the time.
And best yet, there’s been no re-occurrence of the fungus!
How Did She Do It?
How’d Diane do it? It’s quite simple, really.
Here’s her step-by-step instructions, with illustrative photos she has graciously provided:
First, choose a finger on a rubber surgical glove that will easily fit over the infected toe; then start by filing the top of the infected nail lightly with a standard nail file. |
Second, cut off the appropriate glove finger in order to make a “toe condom”; this will be used to cover the toe and the cotton ball that will be soaked in colloidal silver and set on top of the infected nail. |
Third, soak a small cotton ball with 8-10 ppm colloidal silver. |
Fourth, place the wet cotton ball on top of the infected toenail. |
Fifth, cover the entire toe and cotton ball with the “toe condom” and sleep with it, leaving it on all night; repeat this procedure each night for 2 weeks. |
Colloidal Silver Instructions
The “toe condom” helps keep the cotton ball moist and in place. (And it also keeps the bed from getting wet.) Warning: The toe will appear to be a bit “shriveled” after sleeping with it wet overnight. Be sure to use a nail file to lightly file the nail at the start of this process, and from time to time during the two week period the colloidal silver is being used, so it can more easily soak into the nail and surrounding tissues and get to the fungus.
Used Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual Book
Here’s a photo of Diane’s shriveled toe after her first night of treatment (below):
And here’s the same toe today (below):
As you can see, the end result is nice, beautiful, infection-free toes…and the knowledge that if such a thing ever happens again, you’ll know exactly how to deal with it.
Old v/s New
Whether you choose to use the old-fashioned method with the glass cake pan, or Diane’s simple, time-saving, money-saving method with the soaked cotton ball and the “toe condom” –
– there’s simply no reason for you to have to put up with toenail fungus any longer.
Colloidal Silver Uses
And by the way, colloidal silver works just as well for fingernail fungus.
So, if you’re plagued by nail fungus, give Diane’s simple method a try.
And in the meantime, be sure to join the Colloidal Silver Secrets Community on Facebook (join here, FREE) so you can report your progress to the whole group.
There’s now over 2,800 avid colloidal silver users in the group, and each day we share new ways of using colloidal silver successfully!
So if you love using colloidal silver as much as we do, please join with us, today.
Helpful Links:
FREE Colloidal Silver Safe Dosage Report
Colloidal Silver Secrets Group on Facebook
Make Your Own Colloidal Silver for Pennies
.999 Pure Silver Wire for Making Colloidal Silver
Subscribe to the Colloidal Silver Secrets Ezine
Videos on Making and Using Colloidal Silver
Real-Life Colloidal Silver Success Stories
Colloidal Silver Update (News & Views)
The Ultimate Colloidal Silver Manual
The Colloidal Silver Secrets Video
Colloidal Silver Cures MRSA
Colloidal Silver Kills Viruses
Colloidal Silver Secrets blog
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