Colloidal silver is a liquid solution created using electrolysis to suspend pure, metallic elemental silver (in groups of particles 15 atoms or fewer, each with a positive electric charge) attached to simple protein molecules, in distilled water.

Colloids of silver will stay suspended, rather than sinking to the bottom, as the electric charge is stronger than gravity. Good quality colloidal silver should therefore not require shaking before use, or be dark in colour. Clear or pale yellow colloidal silver is the best as the particle size affects the colour of the solution and the larger particles produce a darker coloured liquid, and aren’t easily absorbed by the body.

What is Silver?

Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag and atomic number 47 on the Periodic Table of Elements. It is a lustrous, white, and ductile metal with a high electrical conductivity. Silver has been known to humans for thousands of years and has been used for various purposes, including as a form of currency, in jewellery, and for its antimicrobial properties.

History of Colloidal Silver Use

Before the invention of antibacterial soap, colloidal silver was used as a disinfectant. It is still most commonly used to kill bacteria. Silver is effective at both preventing and combating bacterial, viral and fungal illnesses and infections .

In Ancient times, silver was used in wound dressings and it was frequently used for the same purposes in America following the Civil War. It is also why churches use silver chalices in Communion to stop disease spreading through the congregation. Silver fell out of favor with the advent of regulated synthesized medications but has become popular again along with lifestyle trends that promote natural organic food.

Colloidal Silver and the term Blue Bloods

Even thousands of years ago, Ancient Greeks realised that the rich families who ate, drank and stored food in silverware were much less likely to be ill than the commoners who ate from ceramics and used iron utensils. The rich people developed a slight blue tinge to their skin from years of silver ingestion, hence the term Blue Bloods was born.

To be fair, this wasn’t the only reason rich people were called Blue Bloods. It was also as they mostly avoided working outdoors in the fields, and they tended to marry within their own social group, so they maintained their very pale skin and hence their veins appeared blue through their skin.

Blood is not actually blue, although it does become a deeper maroon colour when it has given most of its oxygen to the body and is travelling back to the lungs and heart in veins, compared to the bright red colour of blood in arteries fresh from the lungs and full of oxygen. But blood is never actually blue, it simply appears that way with mostly pale skinned people due to the absorption of light by the blood, reflection of light by the skin, as well as colour perception.

How Colloidal Silver Works

Proponents of colloidal silver claim that it is effective against every virus and illness, and that it has never reacted dangerously with other medications. Scientific studies have shown that pure silver quickly kills bacteria. It even kills the super-bacteria that evolve after conventional disinfecting agents kill the weak strains of bacteria. Silver acts as a catalyst and disables an enzyme that facilitates actions inside cells. It is not consumed in the process so it is available to keep working again and again.

The enzyme silver destroys is required by anaerobic bacteria, viruses, yeast and molds. (Unfriendly bacteria tend to be anaerobic and friendly bacteria aerobic). This is the action that destroys pathogens. It stops them from using the body’s own cells as vehicles for replication. Colloidal silver creates an environment that makes it impossible for pathogens to survive and multiply.

Colloidal silver is thought to suffocate single celled organisms by disabling the oxygen metabolism enzyme. This allows the bodies own immune system to become more effective at removing these residue pathogens, and thereby become more effective at fending off disease.

Silver can kill bacteria through several mechanisms, although the exact processes aren’t entirely understood.

Here are some ways in which silver can have antibacterial effects:

Silver Ions: Silver releases positively charged silver ions (Ag+), which can interfere with bacterial cell functions. These ions can bind to proteins and enzymes within the bacterial cell, disrupting their structure and function. This interference can inhibit the bacteria’s ability to carry out essential metabolic processes.

Cell Membrane Damage: Silver ions can damage the bacterial cell membrane. They can disrupt the integrity of the cell wall and cell membrane, leading to increased permeability. This, in turn, can cause leakage of cellular components and ions, eventually leading to cell death.

DNA Binding: Silver ions can also interact with bacterial DNA, potentially leading to DNA damage. This interferes with the bacteria’s ability to replicate and carry out normal cellular functions.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) Production: Silver nanoparticles, in particular, can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bacterial cells. ROS are highly reactive molecules that can cause oxidative stress and damage to various cellular components, ultimately leading to cell death.

It’s important to note that the exact mechanisms of silver’s antibacterial action can vary depending on factors like the type of silver compound or nano-particles used and the specific bacterial strain.

Healing Severe Burns with Colloidal Silver

When colloidal silver is used as a broad-spectrum viral and bacterial preventative it may cure other seemingly unrelated ailments. People who have sustained severe burns can use colloidal silver to promote healthy cell growth and fend off infections.

Fight Infections with Colloidal Silver

Since it is not designed to combat a specific pathogen but rather works against the very nature of their life cycles, silver is an effective preventative agent against all illnesses caused by all pathogens including future mutations.

There is no known disease-causing organism that can live in the presence of even minute traces of colloidal silver. Laboratory tests show that anaerobic bacteria, virus, and fungus organisms are all killed within minutes of contact. Parasites are also killed whilst still in their egg stage.

Colloidal Silver is effective against; infections, colds, influenza, fermentation and parasitic infestations.

Colloidal Silver Kills Parasites

Silver has been known to destroy water-borne parasites and to filter out impurities. It also makes it impossible for parasites to flourish and lay their eggs.

The antimicrobial effects of silver are primarily attributed to its ability to disrupt cellular processes in microorganisms, including parasites.

Here are some ways in which silver may exert its antimicrobial effects against parasites:

Disruption of Cellular Structures: Silver ions can interact with and disrupt the cell membranes of parasites. This interference with the integrity of the cell membrane can lead to increased permeability, leakage of cellular contents, and eventually, cell death.

Inhibition of Enzymes: Silver ions can interfere with the enzymes crucial for the metabolic processes of parasites. This disruption can affect the parasites’ ability to generate energy and carry out essential biochemical reactions.

DNA Interference: Silver ions have been shown to interact with the genetic material (DNA) of microorganisms, including parasites. This interaction can disrupt DNA replication and transcription, inhibiting the parasites’ ability to reproduce and proliferate.

Inactivation of Proteins: Silver ions can bind to proteins in parasites, leading to alterations in the structure and function of these proteins. This interference can disrupt essential cellular processes and contribute to the overall antimicrobial effect.

Prevention of Adhesion and Invasion: Silver nanoparticles, in particular, have been studied for their ability to inhibit the adhesion and invasion of parasites into host cells. This preventive action may help reduce the establishment and spread of parasitic infections.

It’s important to note that while there is research supporting the antimicrobial properties of silver, the specific effectiveness against parasites may vary depending on the type of parasite, its life cycle, and the concentration and form of silver used.

Cleaning Wounds with Colloidal Silver

Silver has been used for its antibacterial properties in various medical and industrial applications, such as wound dressings, catheters, and water purification systems.

Colloidal silver reduces the appearance of acne that is bacterial in origin.

Colloidal Silver can Help with HIV & AIDS

Colloidal silver is touted as a treatment for HIV and AIDS. These claims have not been recognized by the medical community but there is no denying the lengthy survival rates of some AIDS patients who swear by colloidal silver.

Reduced Cancer Risk with Colloidal Silver

The same mechanism that hinders the replication of pathogens also seems to prevent the body from developing cancer. Cancerous tumors form when the cells’ internal regulators stop working. The cells divide at a rate that outstrips the body’s need for them. Colloidal silver recalibrates cells’ rates of division.

Colloidal Silver Helps with Digestion

Colloidal Silver is effective as a digestive aid when taken with meals as it stops fermentation of food in the stomach and intestines. Fermentation can occur if food sits there for too long and this can lead gas, bloating, pain, indigestion and reflux, so taking silver can help avoid all these unpleasant symptoms which a lot of people suffer with after meals.

Colloidal silver helps to maintain a healthy digestive environment and maximize the amount of nutrients that the body is able to extract from food.

How to Use Colloidal Silver

People who use colloidal silver tend to develop their own ways of maximizing its efficacy. People who suffer from conjunctivitis sometimes drop it directly into their eyes several times every day. Throat problems are treated by gargling colloidal silver.

The most common way to ingest it is to mix three or four drops into a large glass of water. If you are taking colloidal silver with a spoon, it is best to use a plastic spoon so that the silver doesn’t get precipitated out. It is also advised to let the liquid sit under the tongue for a few seconds to help to give the silver time to absorb into the body through the skin in the mouth.

Always take care when taking herbs and Read Our Disclaimer.

Colloidal Silver Notes / Side Effects

All of these positive claims considered, colloidal silver is still ignored by the medical community at large. Scientifically speaking, the human body has no essential need for silver. Someone who is overzealous in his consumption may experience a buildup of the metal in his organs.

The most common negative side effect of colloidal silver is a condition called Argyria. It causes the skin and eyes to permanently become gray but it does not otherwise affect one’s health. It is claimed that silver does not interact with other drugs or herbs.