Side Effects Of Using Colloidal Silver

Colloidal silver is an over-the-counter dietary supplement that proponents assert has beneficial medicinal properties. The Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health states that there are no scientific data to support the claim that colloidal silver products benefit health or cure disease. Use of colloidal silver, however, may cause potentially serious and irreversible side effects.

Argyria

Chronic silver ingestion can lead to the permanent deposition of silver particles in the skin and internal organs, a condition known as argyria. Silver deposition in the skin leads to a permanent bluish-gray discoloration. Sun-exposed areas of the body, including the arms, face and neck, typically exhibit the most pronounced discoloration, according to Drs. Akhil Wadhera and Max Fung in a 2005 article published by Dermatology Online Journal. The nail beds, eyes and the inside of the mouth also exhibit irreversible discoloration. The degree of discoloration associated with argyria correlates to the amount of silver present in the skin.

In October 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a consumer alert warning the public of the risk of argyria associated with the use of colloidal silver and other silver-containing products. The alert notes that argyria can develop quickly among people taking large doses of silver-containing products.

Medication Absorption Interference

The Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine warns that ingestion of colloidal silver may decrease the absorption of certain medications, potentially limiting the effectiveness of the drug therapy. Medications that may be ineffectively absorbed in patients taking colloidal silver include penicillamine, a medication used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and copper overload; tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics; and thyroxine, a thyroid hormone-replacement drug for patients with an underactive thyroid gland. Decreased absorption of antibiotics can lead to a persistent or worsening infection. Inadequate absorption of thyroxine may cause the recurrence of symptoms of hypothyroidism.

Neurologic Abnormalities

Wadhera and Fung say that silver deposition occurs in the brain as it does elsewhere in the body with chronic ingestion of colloidal silver. Case reports from the peer-reviewed medical literature indicate that silver deposition in the brain may lead to serious neurological disorders. In a 2004 article published in the journal Neurology, Dr. Seyed Mirsattari and colleagues report the case of a 71-year-old man who developed prolonged seizures, or status epilepticus, and subsequently died. The authors attributed the patient's death to brain toxicity caused by ingestion of colloidal silver. Dr. Karolina Stepien and colleagues report in a 2009 article published in the journal Annals of Clinical Biochemistry the case of another older male with neurological symptoms attributed to colloidal silver ingestion. The patient developed seizures and symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease.

Studies of the effects of silver ingestion cannot be performed in humans because of the high level of risk for permanent harm. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry says, however, that studies performed in mice confirm the presence of silver in the brain and a decreased level of activity after chronic ingestion of colloidal silver.