Back in the days of buckskin and buckboard wagons, colloidal silver was taken orally to treat medical conditions and infections such as epilepsy, gonorrhea and the common cold, according to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. It remained in use until the mid-1900s, when silver treatments were replaced with safer, more effective medications. Colloidal silver has emerged as an "alternative therapy," marketed by supplement-peddlers as a cure-all for many medical conditions. The National Center for Complimentary & Alternative Medicine indicates that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission have taken action against many sellers of colloidal silver makers, including Internet marketers, for asserting that their products treat or cure specific health conditions.
Composition
Colloidal silver is derived from the same metal used in dental fillings, jewelry, eating utensils and other consumer items, says Mayo Clinic internist, Dr. Brent A. Bauer. Colloidal silver, often produced by homemade generators, consists of tiny silver particles suspended in liquid, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Other names for colloidal silver may include silver proteins, colloidal silver proteins and colloidal silver water.
Absorption
Colloidal silver is "excreted in the bile and eliminated in the feces," says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Around 10 percent of the silver salts in colloidal silver can be absorbed when taken orally. Absorption is increased in ruptured mucous membranes or skin wounds. Colloidal silver's half-life lasts between days to months, but the silver deposited into the skin has a much longer half-life.
Nutritional Benefits
Colloidal silver is not an essential mineral, according to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and has no nutritional benefits.
Health Benefits
Colloidal silver products purport to have a curative effect on cancer, HIV/AIDS, herpes, prostatitis, among many others, says Bauer. No clinical studies on the effectiveness of oral colloidal silver on medical conditions have been conducted using human subjects. The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center states that silver may still be used in certain topical preparations. For example, the NCCAM points out that silver nitrate may prevent conjunctivitis in newborns, as well as treat corns and warts. However, the FDA has not approved colloidal silver as a safe, effective treatment for any medical purpose.
Adverse Reactions
Argyria is the most common adverse reaction to colloidal silver supplements, Bauer cautions, in which the skin, eyes, nails, gums and internal organs turn bluish-gray. It's unknown how much colloidal must be ingested to cause argyria, and aside from being cosmetically unattractive, this condition is otherwise harmful. Argyria is permanent, Bauer says. Colloidal silver may also cause more serious health complications, such as neurological problems (including seizures), skin irritation and kidney damage.
Other Complications
Oral colloidal silver may cause certain medications to be less effective, says the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Some of these include tetracycline, quinolone and penicillamine. Colloidal silver may harm developing fetuses and should not be taken by pregnant women. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the Mayo Clinic, the FDA has issued consumer advisories warning consumers of the potential hazards of taking colloidal supplements.
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