Liquid silver, or colloidal silver, is promoted as a natural antibiotic. However, over the years, marketers who sell colloidal silver have attributed near-miraculous benefits to its use. The National Council Against Health Fraud states that in 2000 alone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned 20 colloidal silver sellers to stop making illegal health claims about their products. The side effects associated with this tonic range from permanent skin discoloration to the more dire. Liquid silver is harmful for children---and it also poses a danger to adults, too.
Liquid Silver
Colloidal silver was used as a natural remedy before modern antibiotics came along. A 1996 CNN report indicates that it was used to treat diseases such as syphilis and the common cold prior to World War II. When more effective drugs were developed, liquid silver fell out of favor. But in the 1990s, colloidal silver showed up again, this time as an alternative therapy used to treat a litany of diseases. Colloidal silver is, quite literally, made of tiny particles of silver suspended in liquid --- the same silver used in dental fillings and jewelry, says Mayo Clinic internist Brent Bauer. These products are commonly sold in the form of dietary supplements that are taken by mouth, but manufacturers also market topical and injectible forms of colloidal silver. A February 2009 "Los Angeles Times" article notes that some people buy their own equipment and ingredients and make their own liquid silver at home.
Side Effects
The most common side effect of taking colloidal silver by mouth is an unattractive cosmetic condition called argyria, which causes the skin to turn bluish-gray or grayish-black. According to the "Los Angeles Times" article, Denver physician Christopher Baker treated an 11-year-old child with skin discoloration whose parents gave him homemade liquid silver to treat his cystic fibrosis. Baker's case report was published in "Current Opinion in Pediatrics" in December 2007. He attributed the child's blue skin color to dermal silver deposits and suspected argyria. Once the child stopped receiving colloidal silver, his skin returned to its normal hue. However, in most cases, argyria is permanent and untreatable.
Worse Dangers
Giving colloidal silver to a child can have more serious consequences. It can cause seizures, kidney damage, upset stomach, headaches and irritated skin. It can also affect how well certain drugs are absorbed in the body. In 1999, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration determined that these products are not considered safe or effective for treating any ailment.
Considerations
The CNN report documented the story of Atlanta native Rosemary Jacobs, an argyria sufferer who was given colloidal silver as a child. Although her condition isn't life-threatening, she told CNN that it's made seeking employment difficult. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine states that you should not give liquid silver products to a child. Nor should you take them if you're pregnant, because they can harm your unborn child. When a supplement marketer claims that a product can treat or cure numerous diseases, this is one sure sign of health fraud. The Federal Trade Commission indicates that certain populations tend to be more vulnerable to these fraudulent claims, specifically those with incurable diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and cancer. If you're concerned about your child's health, talk to her treating pediatrician.
References
- CNN; FDA Weighs Merits of Colloidal Silver; December 1996
- Mayo Clinic; Colloidal Silver: Is It Safe or Effective?; B. Bauer, M.D.; September 2009
- "Current Opinion in Pediatrics"; Case Report: Skin Discoloration ...; C.D. Baker, et. al; December 2007
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Colloidal Silver
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Health: Colloidal Silver Products
- "Los Angeles Times"; Does Colloidal Silver Boost Immunity ...?; C. Woolston; February 2009
