What is colloidal silver?
This article will explain nanosilver, its chemical and physical properties, medicinal uses and its adverse reactions when used incorrectly or foolishly. It will explain electrolysis and the different procedures used to make nanosilver and how those procedures influence the properties of the finished product. It will explain the dangers of ingesting nanosilver and also how it is expelled from the body. It will use many science studies and patents to prove nanosilver’s broad spectrum antimicrobial properties including its ability to kill the familiy of viruses know as coronavirus. It will show that it has been used to cure cancer and finally, it will show that nebulising nanosilver is safe when used in the correct concentrations and dosages.
First we must consider information against the use of nanosilver:
1) we must include the information published by the “National Center for Complimentary and Integrated Health” (NCCIH) which is the Federal Government’s leading agency for scientific research.
2) The “Agency For Toxic Substances and Disease Registry” (ATSDR) which is part of the CDC and is tasked with protecting communities from harmful health effects related to exposure to natural and man-made hazardous substances.
3) The “Mayo clinic,” that is an academic medical centre.
The NCCIH has a page dedicated to colloidal silver. It says that evidence for health-related claims are lacking and it can be dangerous for your health. It uses only 4 references to support this claim.
1st link goes to the ATSDR page which we shall consider in the ATSDR section below.
2nd link goes to a science study referencing 3 case studies (Chung et al. 2010) of people with argyria after ingestion, however, on closer inspection it can be seen that all 3 cases involved ingestion of an extreme amount of colloidal silver of approximately one litre per day for 18 months, 2 years and 3 years.
3rd link goes to a science study considering treatment for argyria (Han et al. 2011) for a person who had also ingested one litre per day for a year.
4th link goes to a science study (Food and Drug Administration 1996). It refers to the FDA final ruling which is a ruling for over-the-counter products containing colloidal silver or silver salts. The Final-Ruling informs that the FDA are unaware of any evidence that supports silver products use for any disease and that the FDA have not licensed any Colloidal silver products for sale and that all silver containing products are not considered as safe and effective. The dangers of argyria are again mentioned and anecdotal stories are conveyed by individual practitioners in support of this reasoning. However, the final ruling did mention a Doctor who experimented with patients suffering benign prostate hyperplasia in which “considerable improvements” were made regarding the symptom of nocturia. While another Doctor reported improvements in symptoms of acne, skin lesions, mucus in the throat, anal irritation, upset stomach, sexual pleasure and performance, nasal discharge and a reduction in summer colds. The Final Ruling concluded that “the data and information submitted are not sufficient to establish general recognition of effectiveness for colloidal silver or other silver ingredients for any specific over-the-counter condition.” The “grandfather rule” was rejected by the FDA because there was “insufficient evidence to show that the composition and the labelling of colloidal silver or silver salt drug products have remained unchanged since 1938 or 1962. Without such evidence, the product cannot qualify for either grandfather exemption.” So this product was denied its effectiness because the description on the pakaging had changed since 1938.
ATSDR have a dedicated fact sheet for silver and again cites argyria when ingested as the reason to avoid taking it but explains that this condition is only cosmetic and doesn’t affect the general health of the sufferer. Although ASTDR are correct in saying that this blue tinge of the skin is cosmetic It is worth mentioning here that it is howver perminant and therefore undesirable. The ATSDR article only has one reference supporting its advice and that is to a review done by ATSDR which explains that silver leaves the body within a week.
As with the NCCIH recommendations above, the information used by ASTDR to discourage the use of silver involves the digestion of colloidal silver.
The only information found in this review regarding nebulised colloidal silver is limited to explaining that it is not known to cause death, or cardiovascular or musculoskeletal problems.
The Mayo Clinic also has a dedicated page for colloidal silver and under the heading “My dad takes colloidal silver for his health, but is it safe” explains that it “isn’t considered safe or effective for any of the health claims manufacturers make.” However, the article only uses 5 references to support its understanding.
1st link goes to the NCCIH page that we have already considered above.
2nd link is not referenced correctly and leads to the “natural medicines” home page who sell silver products.
3rd link goes to the FDA final ruling that we have already considered above.
4th link leads to a science study (Hadrup and Lam 2014) that explains the toxicity of ingesting colloidal silver and the dangers of argyria. This study supplies reliable information in the correct way, however, it only considered digestion of colloidal silver through the stomach acids.
The study confirms that almost all colloidal silver is excreted mainly through the liver and subsequently in faeces.
5th link again leads to a study considering argyria (Sterling 2014) but it starts by saying “no ideal silver-delivery system” exists. Why this study ignores nebulising is not explained. It notes the many uses in medicine for silver products and recognises the antimicrobial activities of silver has been known since ancient times and explains that "the antimicrobial properties of silver are without doubt". The study concludes by saying that "complications like argyria are rare and unlikely to occur."
Surprisingly, Peter Lurie and Laura MacCleery from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) wrote to the US FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) demanding that Jim Bakker (a convicted fraudster) of The Jim Bakker Show stop promoting colloidal silver as a cure for COVID-19 (Simons 2020). Although Jim Bakker has a past conviction for fraud, he was not decieving in the case because the broad spectrum antimicrobial abilities of nanosilver has been proven to be true in many science studies (Zhu et al. 2015; García-Serradilla et al 2019; Ria et al. 2014). Additionally, Its long history as an antimicrobial agent is said to extend from ancient times (Galdiero et al 2011; Minoshima et al. 2016; García-Serradilla et al 2019).
Its mediacl action can be explained by the fact that silver nanoparticles are known to interact with the surface proteins of viruses to render them inactive (Galdiero et al 2011; Nakamura et al. 2019; Thurman et al. 2020). Nanosilver was found to inhibit coronavirus induced cell infection and decrease cell apoptosis through this cell membrane interaction (Lv et al. 2014; Rai and Jamil n.d). Nanosilver’s ability to bind with viral particles preventing entry into host cells has been confirmed in many studies (Galdiero et al 2011; Lv et al. 2014; Ria et al. 2014; Zhu et al. 2015;). It is through these actions that nanosilver has been found to inhibit coronavirus replication, block host cell invasion, and inactivate viral capsid (Bright et al. 2008).
Although some studies cite the unwanted production of Reactive Oxygen Species (pro-inflammatory) when using nanosilver, it is in relation to Ag+ particles (low count of electrons). However, the anti-inflammatory properties of modern nanosilver is a product of its negative electrostatic surface charge. Like a balloon after it has been rubbed on your hair (high count of electrons). This is made possible because manufactoring techniques have advanced to include electrolysis. It is the negative suface charge of the nanosilver that gives its antiviral and fungicidal activities, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effect (Konenkov and Rachkovskaia n.d;). The anti-inflammatory properties of nanosilver is further supported in many other studies (Zhu et al. 2015; Griffith et al. 2016; Rai and Jamil n.d; Zhang et al. 2016).
Nanosilver is of particular interest in the case of mixed infections which occur when viruses weaken the host allowing bacterial infections to flourish, as in HIV (Konenkov and Rachkovskaia n.d). Additionally, nanosilver presents a lower possibility for the pathogen to develop resistance when compared to conventional antivirals and antibiotics (Ria et al. 2014; Galdiero et al 2011; Griffith et al. 2016).
Furthermore, nanosilver has been the subject of many patents that use its activity as a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent (Rai and Jamil n.d) and in particular these patents highlight its ability to target coronavirus using aerosols (Jiang et al. 2012), coating for clothing (Ren et al. 2013), resins for human body covering (Cai 2016), medicines, lotions and powders (Konenkov and Rachkovskaia n.d) aa well as respiratory protection devices (Ivanković et al. 2014)..
After synthesising the information discouraging the use of ionic silver from the sources above, NCCIH, ATSDR, FDA and the Mayo Clinic, we can see that they all reference the same information and they only warn of the dangers of argyria after digestion of extreme amounts and concentrations by people using a substandard product.
Argyria:
It should be understood that the ingestion of any type of nanosilver should be avoided. Both, the amber version and the clear version will react with hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Silver in all forms, colloidal reduced (amber) and ionic (clear) have been shown to form deposits in the skin when ingested through the stomach (Hadrup and Lam 2014). It is therefore undesirable to mix silver with stomach acids because it will quickly form silver chloride (Loeschner et al 2011; Li and Zhu 2006). The production of silver chloride should be avoided because not only will it render the silver less effective for killing pathogens (Panyala et al 2008; Guo et al. 2013; Quadros and Marr 2010), silver chloride is also insoluble (Muller 1936) and therefore, will not be transported through the body so easily. It is for this reason that if the concentration is high enough, it will be deposited in the skin and will then turn blue when exposed to sunlight, as in the chemistry of photography (AZoM.com. 2019).
Confirmation of contamination from silver after ingestion was indicated in the 3 cases quoted in the NCCIH information above, furthermore, this present article has informed of other examples of argyria. One person who consumed 700 ml per day for 5 years (Kwon et al 2009). One person was reported as using nearly 1.3 litres of 450 ppm concentrate colloidal silver per day for 10 months (Wadhera and Fung 2005). Another was reported as making their own colloidal silver using tap water with a baking powder mix and then applying a 27-volt current through a silver wire that had been purchased from a health food shop (Change et al 2006). Another used a 38,000-volt generator to dissolve silver coins. He drank approximately 250ml of this solution every hour from 8 am to 8 pm for 4 days without taking any other food or beverage (Brandt et al 2005).
All of these doses were extreme when considering one dose through a nebuliser is no more than 5ml of 20 ppm concentration but the main thing to note is that nebulising nanosilver does not allow it to mix with stomach acids. Silver has a high affinity for chloride and therefore, all of the nanosilver ingested through the stomach would be expected to turn to silver chloride before it entered the body (Panyala et al 2008).
Understanding Nano-silver
A glossary of terms will help us understand some of the language that is used to describe the different processes involved in the manufacture of silver nanoparticles, colloidal silver (amber) and ionic silver (clear).
1) When a gas and a metal combine they form a salt or ionic compound.
2) An ionic compound is two or more substances that are held together as a compound by electrostatic forces. These are usually referred to as “salts” and this category includes many compounds such as common table salt (NaCl).
3) A colloidal substance is something that is dispersed evenly in water. it does not clump into lumps or settle to the bottom over time (commonly thought of as being dissolved in water).
4) An electrolyte is an electrically conducting solution and is usually made by dissolving an ionic compound in distilled water.
5) It is important to know that electricity travels as electrons in a wire or substance. A good visual representation of this process can be found here.
6) Electrolysis is a method of passing a direct electrical current from electrodes through a liquid. This process can be used in electroplating or as a means to separate an ionic compound that is dissolved as a solution into its individual atoms.
7) Cations are atoms that are attracted to the cathode in electrolysis and are positively charged.
8) Anions are atoms that are attracted to the anode in electrolysis and are negatively charged.
9) A zeta potential (ζ ) is a partial charge. It is a surface electrical charge of a nanoparticle that is neither a cation nor an anion. A negative ζ potential is commonly known as an electrostatic charge, as we all experience in the attraction of a balloon when we rub it on our hair.
10) An important fact in the making of the best nanosilver for medical purposes is the fact that pure distilled water is an insulator and does not conduct electricity, it is the impurities in water that the electricity flows through.
11) Electricity flows using the passage of electrons and those electrons travel from the negative to the positive terminals.
12) Chemistry understands that metals usually form + ions (Cations) when separated from an electrolyte solution so we would expect silver atoms to be positively charged (Ag+) and not to have a negative ζ potential. However, this can be acheived by manipulating the chemical process used during the manufacturing process.
The two manufacturing methods to make ionic nanosilver (clear solutions)
A) Regular nanosilver with a positive charge (Ag+ Cations) is made from a silver salt solution that is separated into its individual atoms using electrolysis. Silver nitrate (AgNO3) is dissolved in water to form positively charged silver (Ag+) cations and negatively charged nitrate (NO3-) anions. This solution is an electrolyte and therefore electrolysis can be used by industry to separate the Ag+ cations from an electrolyte solution to make Ag+ nanoparticles with a positive charge. This is the usual way silver nanoparticles are made in the industry but the processes involved uses chemicals that are toxic and produces biological perils (El-Sheekh and El-Kassas 2016).
Alternatively.
B) Using electrolysis, pure silver and distilled water, ionic silver can. be made that possses a negative zeta potential (Agζ-). This system makes a pure silver solution that has no contaminants and produces an exotic nanosilver particle with a negative surface charge just like the balloon rubbed on your haur. This electrostatic charge changes the way it reacts in the body.
It can be seen that although both systems discribed above, A and B, use electrolysis and produce a clear solution, the first system makes Ag+ while the second Agζ-. This distinction is important because the human body use electrons as its power. The electrical charge of a substance is of paramount importance with regard to the way that substance interacts with our body systems, chemicals and pathogens.
Electrolysis as a method to manufacture Agζ- was described as a “very simple and practical way” of creating nanosilver (Abanto and Flores, 2018). Although the rules of chemistry explain that silver cannot exist with a negative charge, nanosilver with a negative zeta potential can be made simply by manipulating the process of electrolysis. In this method, no electrolyte is used but instead pure distilled water.
A controlled electrical charge is sent through pure silver electrodes at a voltage that doesn’t disrupt the distilled water but at an amperage that encourages particles of silver to be “ripped out” from the cathode (Schober 2020). These particles have a negative zeta potential of around -51 millivolts (Scotti et al 2017) and this gives the solution a high degree of stability and a long shelf life (Marsalek 2014).
The use of silver to control infections was common in ancient civilisations and 46 patents for silver products that are used in medicine are reported in a science review by Sim et al (Sim et al 2018), Nanosilver’s effectiveness as a medical product is also reported in many other studies (Melaiye and Youngs 2005; Fu et al 2006; Melaiye and Youngs 2005). The ability of silver to destroy bacterial cell membranes can be seen in this video and its antimicrobial properties have been reported in many studies (Damm et al 2008; Lara et al 2010; Saravanan et al 2011; Zhao 2011; Guo et al 2013; Aurore et al 2018). Furthermore, the modern ability to make silver nanosilver particles with a negative zeta potential gives nanosilver special properties that enhance its natural antimicrobial action which surpasses other silver products previously used (Salvioni et al 2017; Patil et al 2012; Raja, Ramesh and Thivaharan 2017).
It has been proven effective in treating cancer (Jeyaraj et al 2013; Yuan et al 2013; Singh et al 2017; Franco-Molina et al 2010) and it also stimulates superoxide production in cells that counters free radicles (Jansson and Harms-Ringdahl 1993).
Additionally, the anti-microbial properties of aerosolised silver nanoparticles were found to kill bacteria and stabilised bacterial colonies after just 20 minutes and silver was therefore suggested for use in household or office air purifier systems (Yoon 2008).
Both Ag+ and Ag- can be reduced to form an amber solution that is commonly called colloidal silver. This form of nanosilver is made when the small silver ions in the solution combine to form larger particles. It has been found that the larger particles have a reduced antimicrobial ability and are not as effective as an antimicrobial product (Gashe and Ahmad 2004)
Therefore, silver products for medical use should be made using pure distilled water and pure silver electrodes so they contain silver particles with a negatice suface charge (Agζ-).
Delivery of silver should be administered via a nebuliser that supplies a fine mist which is inhaled through the lungs (Nebulizer 2020). Nebulising a nanosilver solution with Agζ- particles is the safest and most effective way of using nanosilver for health benefits because it is taken into the body unchanged through the sterile process of the lungs. Additionally, using this route it is of benefit to the respiratory system as a wash and antimicrobe treatment for the lungs. An further advantage of using a nebuliser is that the silver will not form compounds with the chloride in your stomach acids when ingested which negates the risk of argyria. Additionally, it will not upset the delicate gut microbiome.
Silver is expelled through the normal excretory pathways of bile from the liver, and urine from the kidneys, and does not accumulate in the body unless it is consumed for extended periods of time in larger quantities than the elimination processes of the body can cope with.
In summary:
We have learned that electrolysis is a very simple process that can be used to make nanosilver with a negative zeta potential and this version of nanosilver is particularly effective as a broad spectrum antimicrobial that has been shown to kill the coronavirus. Additionally, nanosilver does not create problems with forced adaption and resistance of microbes in the same way that vaccines and antibiotics do.
We have learned that only nanosilver made using distilled water electrolysis with pure silver electrodes should be used because Agζ- is the most active and safest form.
We have learned that ingesting nanosilver is a very outdated rudimentary method of taking nanosilver and that nebulising does not confer the same dangers of argyria while also preserving nanosilver’s integrity and enhancing its antimicrobial properties.
We have learned that even though the medical profession utilise the antimicrobial properties of silver products in many forms topically they do not use it through a nebuliser for internal conditions.
We have learned how the only objectionable adverse reaction when using nanosilver is argyria. We have learned of many case studies into argyria in which all were exposed to vast levels of silver by taking outrageous amounts of the product that resulted in overdosing.
References: -
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