Colloidal Silver--What's It All About?

Disclaimer.  I am not a licensed health practitioner.  This is just another post on an item you might wish to have available if needed so that a physician can treat you and your family as best as possible.  No medication, including those available over the counter, should be taken without consulting a physician.  Information shared here is for educational and entertainment purposes only.  It is not medical advice nor a substitute for licensed medical care.  A qualified, licensed physician or other medical provider should be consulted before beginning any herbal or conventional treatment.

Colloidal silver is interesting stuff, to be sure. The very mention of it piques the interest of preppers and survivalists who believe that it works, and invokes scoff and scorn from those who don't.

There are two brief mentions in off-grid medicine books: Dr. Koelker, author of Armageddon Medicine, recommends readers educate themselves about colloidal silver preparations at http://www.silver-colloids.com/index.html. Dr. Joseph Alton, author of The Survival Medicine Handbook, discusses colloidal silver in just over one page of his book and seems a bit undecided on the subject. He does note that the FDA has banned colloidal silver sellers from making any claims as to treatment or preventative use of colloidal silver. As such, it can only be sold as a dietary supplement.

Silver has been used as an anti-microbial for thousands of years. It was common folk practice to put a silver coin in the milk jug to keep milk fresher for longer periods before modern refrigeration. It is believed that one reason nobility and royalty were a bit healthier than the general population was due to the fact that they used silverware, instead of flatware that the commoners used. Persian kings drank from silver cups because silver kept the water fresh. Silver was actually regularly used in medicine prior to the advent of modern pharmaceutical antibiotics, pasteurization, and refrigeration.(1, 2)

However, on the other hand, we have the much-respected Food and Drug Administration telling us that there is a lack of data to support its use in the treatment of any disease.(3)  And yet silver sulfadiazine is commonly used to treat burns and chronic wounds, and used to be mandated by US law (and other countries) to be put in every newborn baby's eyes.(4)  So what's a body to do? What's the truth? How can we determine if colloidal silver is a tool we want in our medicine chest?

First off, we have a study conducted by researchers at Brigham Young University in 1999.(5) The results were disseminated and an article on the study appeared in the Deseret News in May 2000.(6) For some inexplicable reason, BYU sometime later decided the results shouldn't be publicized, and so many sites that had the results have removed them, including a website that had the results when I first posted this blog article in January 2020.  (Fortunately, I cut and pasted the letters and results at the end of the post.) But the formatting is really horrendous and thus difficult to read. And, I would note, Dr. Leavitt really exists/existed. I took a genetics class from him in 1985 or 1986. Anyway, it kinda looks like someone somewhere doesn't want too much information getting out on colloidal silver.

The article that appeared in the Deseret News spread pretty far and has been copied by numerous websites.(7, 8, 9, 10)

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (a division of the National Institutes of Health, which operates under the US Department of Health of Human Services) informs us that "evidence supporting health-related claims is lacking" and "colloidal silver can be dangerous to your health."(11)  Oh, and they cite the 1999 statement by the FDA as one of their sources.  I think they need to get out more.

A Korean study in 2014 showed that silver nanoparticles inactivated some viruses.(12)

An Australian study in 2014 found that colloidal silver attenuated Staphylococcus aureus biofilms in vitro.(13)

A University of Michigan study in 2016 showed that daily usage of colloidal silver for four weeks had no toxic effects in rats, in contrast to broad-spectrum antibiotics which do have adverse effects in some.(14)

A 2013 study conducted at the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine demonstrated that ionic colloidal silver significantly inhibited aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, did not work against the viruses they tested (sorry, I couldn't find out which), and was effective against some fungal strains.(15)

A 2010 study published in the Journal of Nanobiotechnology found that silver nanoparticles killed the HIV-1 virus.(16)

A study conducted in 2018 found that twice-daily usage of nasal spray to treat sinusitis was a little less effective than oral antibiotics.(17)

In conclusion, treating burns and chronic wounds remains the most accepted and common use of colloidal silver.  It is most effective against bacteria, somewhat effective against fungi, and less effective against viruses.   Anecdotal reports of healing due to the use of colloidal silver abound online.  While there are many scientific studies on the use of colloidal and nanoparticle silver, much more could be done.  However, the financial support for such research is lacking because drug companies can't patent and profit from colloidal silver.


For those who want to read more on colloidal silver, without getting a migraine, I believe Dr. Axe's article is a good, balanced introduction.  The remaining articles, except for the historical surveys, are a bit more complex. 

For further reading: 
https://draxe.com/nutrition/colloidal-silver-benefits/
1.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4955599/
2.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19566416
3.  https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=310.548
4.  http://www.rbs2.com/SilvNitr.pdf
5.  http://www.remedies4health.com/new_silver.pdf (results from the BYU study begin on page 4)
6.  https://www.deseret.com/2000/5/16/19506929/is-silver-an-antibiotic-alternative-br-byu-study-shows-colloidal-silver-is-as-good-as-penicillin
7.  https://www.csilverhl.com/14201.html
8.  http://www.silvermedicine.org/byustudy.html
9.  http://www.nutritionpets.com/byu-report/
10.  https://undergroundhealthreporter.com/colloidal-silver/
11.  https://nccih.nih.gov/health/colloidalsilver#safety
12.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3993170/
13.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24431107
14.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26525505
15.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23017226
16.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2818642/
17.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5905234/


Research will be submitted to a major medical journal in the near future according to Dr. Ron Leavitt, PhD (BYU). American Silver, LLC, provided some of the results of the BYU research (which was verified to me by Dr. Leavitt) as recorded in the following letter.Microbiology Department Brigham Young University 775 WIDBP.O. Box 25253 Provo , Utah 84602-5253 May 13, 1999 American Silver’s Antibacterial Product (The NEW Silver Solution)Testing Results Summary The following results suggest that The NEW Silver Solution is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent – it is able to effectively stop the growth of, and in fact kill, a variety of bacteria. The NEW Silver Solution has been tested against the following organisms. Tuberculosis type B (tuberculosis is the number one human-killing bacteria world wide)

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[c][12] 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 Additional testing information from the manufacturer:“Thousands of tests have been completed measuring The NEW Silver Solution’s® ability to kill problematic bacteria at less than 10 ppm. The independent tests have proven The NEW Silver Solution® very effective at killing bacteria and yeasts, including the following: 60 different strains of 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); E. coli B. (food poisoning); Shigella boydii (violent food poisoning); Salmonella arizona (food poisoning); Salmonella typhimurium (food poisoning, enteric fever); 60 different strains of Salmonella choleraesuis (food posioning); Haemophiles influenzas (flu, ear infections); Klebsiella pneumoniae (pneumonia, meningitis, nosocomial infections--infections spread in hospitals); Klebsiella Oxytoca; 60 different strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (diphtheria-like illnesses, burn and cut infections, meningitis, pneumonia, etc.); Streptococcus pneumonia (pneumonia, meningitis, sinusitis, otitis media-ear infections); Streptococcus pyogenes (strep throat infections, skin infections, etc.); Streptococcus faecalis (urinary tract infections and endocarditis); Streptococcus mutans (a major cause of tooth decay); Streptococcus gordonii (tooth decay, also implicated in infective endocarditis-an infection of the heart valves); Enterobacter aerogenes (wound infections, urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and meningitis); Enterobacter cloacae (wound infections, urinary tract infections, bacteremia, and meningitis); Tuberculosis type B (tuberculosis is the number one human-killing bacteria world wide); S. cerevisiae var Yeast; Montrachet Yeast. The NEW Silver Solution® has been able to kill every harmful bacteria that it has been tested against so far, at concentrations of 10 ppm or less. Jason Henrie, a masters student at UC Davis, after testing The NEW Silver Solution® against a number of yeasts, concluded, “It is evident that a single 10 ppm application could prevent the further growth of a small population of yeast for 24 hours, allowing one’s immune system time to respond. Even more, multiple 10 ppm applications could conceivably prevent the growth of yeast indefinitely.”THE NEW SILVER SOLUTION vs. E COLIBACTERIA TESTINGMicrobiology Department Brigham Young University 775 WIDB P.O. Box 25253 Provo, Utah 84602-5253 October 4, 1999To: American Silver, LLC From: David Revelli Brigham Young UniversityMinimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) tests were performed with E.coli serotype 0157:H7 (more popularly known as the Jack-in-the-box bacteria), which has been associated with hemorrhagic colitis due to ingestion of contaminated food. Preliminary results showed that American Silver’s ASAP solution inhibited growth at a concentration of 2.5 ppm and killed the bacteria at a concentration of 5.0 ppm. David A. RevelliMicrobiologistBrigham Young UniversityTHE NEW SILVER SOLUTION vs. OTHER COLLOIDAL SILVERSMicrobiology Department Brigham Young University June 18, 1999From: David Revelli Brigham Young University We have tested and compared the activity of The Silver Solution against three commerical colloidal silver solutions using the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration test (MIC) and the Minimum Bacteriocidal Concentration (MBC) test. The data obtained suggests that The Silver Solution is at least two to three times more effective depending on the bacteria tested than the commerical colloidal silver products tested. David A. Revelli Microbiologist Brigham Young University THE NEW SILVER SOLUTION vs. ANTIBIOTICSThe following information shows that The NEW Silver Solution® effectively killed each of the bacteria it was tested against at low concentration levels ... something that the antibiotics generally could not claim. Testing has shown that The NEW Silver Solution® is likely to work well at low concentrations against a broad range of bacteria that would normally be considered drug resistant. Microbiology DepartmentBrigham Young University 775 WIDBP.O. Box 25253 Provo , Utah 84602-5253 October 15, 1999 To: American Silver, LLCFrom: David RevelliBrigham Young University The following page contains data from seven strains of potentially pathogenic bacteria. They are the same strains that have been tested in Minimum Inhibitory Concentration tests (MIC) against The NEW Silver Solution. This data contains, along with the data on The NEW Silver Solution, MIC's performed on each bacteria versus representative of five different classes of antibiotics. These tests were performed to ascertain the relative antimicrobial activity of The NEW Silver Solution when compared to other antibiotics. As the data suggests, The NEW Silver Solution has a greater ability on average to kill the bacteria tested than four of the five antibiotics to which it was compared. Each antibiotic has its own niche to fill, but not one of the antibiotics tested work equally well on every bacterial strain that it was tested against, The NEW Silver Solution had similar results for each bacteria - it was able to kill each bacteria tested. Furthermore, there are antibiotic-resistant strains that may or may not succumb to a given antibiotic. This is where The NEW Silver Solution data comes in - although The NEW Silver Solution may not have inhibited a strain of bacteria at a lower concentration than a given antibiotic, it inhibited every strain of bacteria tested, which is more than can be suggested for some of the other antibiotics, given the data. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of Antibiotics from Five Different Classes versus The NEW Solution performed by D. Revelli, Brigham Young UniversityBacteria Testedtetracyclineofloxacinpenicillin GcefaperazoneerythromycinNEWSilver E.coli B 1.67+-0.59/>5/3 0.104+-0.037/0.130+-0.037/3 No Inh /3 .625/.625/3 5/>5/3 2.5/2.5/3 E. aerogenes 2.5/>5/3 0.078/0.104+-0.037/3 No Inh /3 2.92+-1.56/>5/3 No inh /3 2.5/2.5/3 E. cloacae 1.67+-0.59/>5/3 .156-.156/3 No Inh /3 No Inh /3 No inh /3 2.5/5/3 E. typhimurium1.25/>5/3 0.078/>5/3 No Inh /3 1.25/>5/3 5/>5/3 2.5/5/3 P. aeruginosa0.078/>5/3 0.156/0.313/3 0.130+-0.037/>5/3 2.5/>5/3 2.5/>5/3 1.7+-0.7/5/3 S. gordonii0.156/>5/3 2.5/5/3 0.012+-0.005/0.026+-0.009/3 1.25/>2.5/3 .005/0.012+-0.005/3 2.5/10/3 S. aureus0.313/>5/3 0.313+-0.18/0.625/3/td> 2.5/>5/3 5/>5/3 0.039/>5/3 5/10/3The average was taken from all data points to obtain the average minimum inhibitory concentration for an antibiotic. Then a standard deviation was determined to give an error. All concentrations were calculated in parts per million (ug/ml). The abbreviation "no inh," stands for "No inhibition of growth." And ">" means that the measurement of the bacteriocidal concentration was beyond the limits of the test. Information is listed as "MIC (level at which bacteria was inhibited)/MBC (level at which bacteria were killed)/number of tests performed." David A. Revelli Microbiologist Brigham Young University Dr. Ron W. Leavitt , Ph.D.Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Biology Brigham Young University ” INDEPENDENT SAFTEY DATAIn order to insure not only the best product, but also a safe product, an international and independent laboratory was hired to do a toxicology study on The Silver Solution. The test, called an LD-50 test, was performed in accordance with the guidelines of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) Regulations, 16 CFR 1500. WATER TREATMENT TESTSFROM: Bill DoddsTO: Gerard Yates RE: NEW Silver Solution water testsProcedure: 

20 january 2020