Regarding Colloidal Silver

I have never stated that colloidal silver cures cancer, although there are many testimonials to be found to that effect. I have said that it is "very effective" against cancer and that is true. As Para_Zapper so aptly pointed out, colloidal silver is an extremely effective anti-viral. It has been found to destroy over 500 different pathogens.

While you will find negative studies and propaganda about colloidal silver from mainstream medicine and their lackeys, such as Quackwatch and the FDA, much as is true about just about any natural, safe and effective alternative to the World Pharma empire, there are a number of studies dating back to one done by a fellow named Searle attesting to the safety and effectiveness of CS. In 1999, the FDA put CS on their hit list, and, not surprisingly, we have seen studies and articles since then that either criticize the effectiveness or safety or both of CS - an oft repeated pattern when alternatives threaten patented medications.

As a counter, I offer these comments from the Director of the Life Sciences Division at John Hopkins University:

"We recently completed an extensive review of the scientific literature on the safety of silver, especially as it relates to its one known potential side effect, namely, Argyria. Argyia is an irreversible discoloration of the pigment (skin) caused by excessive silver intake or chronic exposure to silver by certain tissues. The amount of silver required to develop Argyria is estimated to be 3.8 grams per day."

"By comparison standard 10 ppm colloidal silver contains silver in amounts equaling less than 1 milligram of silver (1,000 micrograms = 1 milligram; 1,000 milligrams - 1 gram), which therefore represents an amount approximately 1/500th to 1/1000th of the amount of silver considered to be a risk in the development of Argyria. Most cases of Argyria reported in the medical literature over the last 100 years involved chronic intravenous or intramuscular use of the silver preparations, most often involving a silver drug prescribed by physicians which in most cases contained silver nitrate."

"Other cases of Argyria reported in the medical literature involve application of silver preparations used for many months or years in the treatment of the eye or vagina for certain diseases. We could not locate a single case of orally consumed colloidal silver manufactured in the last 25 years causing Argyria in our review of the literature. This is probably due to the low levels of silver contained in such preparations, since only very small amounts of silver are needed for its antiseptic effect."

"Humans consume approximately 100 micrograms of silver every day in the diet. Additional amounts within this range would be considered safe by all reasonable estimates, especially if the amount needed to develop Argyria would be equivalent of 380,000 micrograms (or 3.8 grams) of silver a day. As for the efficacy of silver preparations, we found considerable scientific evidence published over the last 75 years that a number of silver compounds can be effective germicidal (antiseptic) agents against several hundred pathogenic organisms."

And then there is this report from Brigham Young University:

Microbiology Department
Brigham Young University
775 WIDB
P.O. Box 25253
Provo, Utah 84602-5253

May 13, 1999

American Silver’s Antibacterial Product (ASAP Solution) Testing Results Summary

The following results suggest that American Silver’s ASAP solution is a broad spectrum antimicrobial agent–it is able to effectively stop the growth of, and in fact kill, a variety of bacteria.

American Silver’s ASAP Silver Supplement has been tested against the following organisms.

Staphylococcus aureus (Pneumonia, eye infections, skin infections (boils, impetigo, cellulitis, and post-operative wound infections), toxic shock syndrome, meningitis, food poisoning, osteomyelitis, and many others) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU

Report:

Shigella boydii (Bacillary dysentery–characterized by severe cramping abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea) inhibited @ 1.25 ppm and killed @ 2.5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Salmonella arizona (Food poisoning, etc.) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 1/28/99 BYU Report.

Salmonella typhimurium (Food poisoning and enteric fever) inhibited and killed at a concentration of 2.5 ppm. 6/7/99 BYU Report.

E. coli (Food poisoning, urinary tract infections, traveler’s diarrhea, diarrhea in infants, respiratory tract infections, and wound infections) inhibited and killed @ 2.5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Haemophilus influenzae (Otitis media (ear infection), pneumonia, meningitis, throat and sinus infections (including epiglottitis in children and sinusitis), and suppurative arthritis in children) inhibited and killed @ 1.25 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Enterobacter aerogenes ( wound infections, urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and meningitis) inhibited and killed at a concentration of 2.5 ppm. 6/7/99 BYU Report.

Enterobacter cloacae ( causes ilnesses similar to the E. aerogenes) inhibited and killed at a concentration of 5 ppm. 6/7/99 BYU Report.

Klebsiella pneumoniae (lower respiratory tract infections, nosocomial infections (infections spread in hospitals), urinary tract and wound infections, and bacteremia) inhibited and killed @ 2.5 ppm. 1/28/99 BYU Report.

Klebsiella oxytoca (Similar to those infections caused by K. pneumoniae) inhibited and killed at a concentration of 2.5 ppm. 6/7/99 BYU Report.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (severe burn and wound infections, keratitis, pneumonia, meningitis, nosocomial infections, urinary tract infections, etc.) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis, otitis media (ear infection) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 4/21/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus pyogenes (skin infections, upper respiratory infections (i.e. strep throat) impetigo, hospital-acquired infections, scarlet fever, etc.) inhibited and killed @ 1.25 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus faecalis (Urinary tract infections, endocarditis, wound infections, etc.) inhibited @ 2.5 ppm and killed @ 5 ppm. 1/22/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus mutans (A major cause dental plaque and tooth decay etc.) inhibited and killed @ 5 ppm. 2/3/99 BYU Report.

Streptococcus gordonii (Tooth decay, also implicated in infective endocarditis-an infection of the heart valves) inhibited and killed @ 5 ppm. BYU Report 2/12/99.

David A. Revelli
Microbiologist
Brigham Young University
Dr. Ron W. Leavitt, Ph.D.
Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Biology

Brigham Young University

http://www.csprosystems.com/BYU_Bacteria_Testing.html


And, as to why I consider my friend's colloidal silver product superior, I guess that in part that comes from having known him since the second grade (about the time dirt was invented!) and being naturally prejudiced because I know his honesty and integrity as well as the care and effort he puts into anything he does. In part it also comes from the fact that he is the inventor of the best method of producing CS (one known by only two companies), and also in part because I now live only a short walk away from his lab and can observe first hand the quality of the equipment and raw materials and how meticulous the manufacturing process is.

Tony