What is Colloidal Silver and What Is It Used For?

Colloidal silver, a solution of tiny silver particles suspended in a liquid base, is marketed as a remedy for wounds, skin disorders, certain diseases, and other health concerns. However, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved it for medical use, and it should not be consumed, injected, or inhaled. 

What Is Colloidal Silver Used For?

Silver, which is slightly different from colloidal silver at the molecular level, has been used in medicine for centuries. It's been promoted as a cure-all for everything from tuberculosis and arthritis to herpes and cancer. Silver was also used as an antimicrobial for wounds.

Modern colloidal silver products are sprayed or applied to the skin. Some colloidal silver products are meant to be taken orally (by mouth) or injected into a vein. However, colloidal silver has no known function in the body. In 1999, the FDA ruled that colloidal silver products aren't safe or effective and later sued several manufacturers over false health claims.

After the FDA ruling, many drug stores stopped selling colloidal silver products. Since then, some manufacturers have rebranded these products as dietary supplements or homeopathic remedies. That's because these don't need FDA approval.

Manufacturers and proponents of colloidal silver claim these products can:

• Stimulate the immune system
• Heal wounds
• Improve skin disorders
• Prevent or treat diseases such as the flu, pneumonia, herpes, eye infections, shingles, cancer, and AIDS

Some preliminary evidence supports a few of these claims, showing that colloidal silver may have properties that fight against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and inflammation. However, more research is needed before colloidal silver can be confirmed as safe and effective.

Wound Healing

According to one review article, several studies have examined the use of silver-containing dressings on skin ulcers and wounds. They found that the silver particles had antibacterial properties that helped treat diabetic ulcers.

However, it should be pointed out that this review article does not specifically reference colloidal silver. Further studies using colloidal silver would need to be made before making firm conclusions about its use for wound healing.

Rhinosinusitis

One prospective cohort study looked at colloidal silver for resistant chronic rhinosinusitis in 20 participants. Researchers compared a topical nasal spray containing colloidal silver to a topical nasal spray containing saline. After six weeks of therapy, colloidal silver showed no clinically meaningful improvement in rhinosinusitis symptoms.

A study also looked at the safety and efficacy of colloidal silver in people with chronic rhinosinusitis. Researchers compared a nasal spray containing colloidal silver to oral antibiotics. After 10 days of therapy, colloidal silver showed no difference in the improvement of symptoms compared to oral antibiotics. No severe side effects were seen with colloidal silver.

Colloidal silver's effectiveness for rhinosinusitis doesn't seem great given the outcomes of the studies. Further studies using colloidal silver would need to be made before making firm conclusions about its use for rhinosinusitis.

Is Colloidal Silver Safe?

Topical products containing colloidal silver may help treat wounds, burns, or skin infections.

However, its safety when ingested, injected, or inhaled is unknown. In 1999, the FDA ruled that not enough data exists to deem over-the-counter (OTC) drug products containing colloidal silver safe or effective.

How to Store Colloidal Silver

Keep topical colloidal silver preparations in a cool place and the bottle or tube tightly sealed. Discard colloidal silver supplements according to the expiration date listed on the packaging.

Keep colloidal silver out of reach for children and pets.

Side Effects of Ingesting Colloidal Silver

People who take colloidal silver by mouth may not experience any immediate side effects, and there is limited research on short-term effects. Most concerns are related to the long-term effects of colloidal silver use.

Argyria, a permanent, disfiguring condition, is the most reported side effect of long-term use of colloidal silver. It occurs when silver particles accumulate in the body over time and embed themselves in organs and tissues, especially the skin. Argyria causes tissues to turn bluish-gray: first, the gums, followed by the skin, eyes, nails, and deeper tissue layers.

It's unclear how toxic silver is to internal organs. Animal studies show that silver has been associated with:

• Liver and kidney dysfunction
• Reproductive risks
• Left ventricular hypertrophy
• Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
• Clotting dysfunction
• Proteinuria (protein in the urine)
• Seizures
• Loss of coordination

Some anecdotal evidence points to the possible long-term dangers of taking colloidal silver. For example, a 72-year-old male taking colloidal silver as an oral nutritional supplement for over 10 years developed acute myeloid leukemia.

A case of kidney injury associated with colloidal silver has also been reported. It involved a 47-year-old woman taking colloidal silver to treat her cancer.

Additionally, one case of death has been linked to colloidal silver use. The case report involved a 71-year-old man who developed myoclonic status epilepticus and died. He had taken a daily dose of colloidal silver for four months before his death.

These reports only suggest an association between colloidal silver and the development of cancer, kidney injury, and death. They cannot prove colloidal silver was the cause of such severe outcomes.

Interactions

Colloidal silver may interact with some medications, such as thyroxine and specific antibiotics. It may weaken the way your body absorbs these drugs.

Tell your healthcare provider if you take colloidal silver, even for short-term use.

Should You Take Colloidal Silver?

Researchers haven't studied colloidal silver enough to know whether it's safe to use as a supplement. As such, the FDA doesn't consider any form of colloidal silver safe for ingestion, regardless of its concentration.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you're considering using colloidal silver as a dietary supplement. Likewise, check whether topical colloidal silver products meet the standards of a trusted independent tester such as USP, ConsumerLab, or NSF. Keep in mind, though, that even tested products are not guaranteed safe or effective.

Summary

Colloidal silver is a solution made of silver particles suspended in a liquid. It's touted as having numerous health benefits, but there's no evidence supporting its effectiveness for most of them.

Silver has been associated with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties when applied to the skin and has been used for treating skin infections and ulcers. However, the FDA advises against oral consumption of colloidal silver products because not enough research has been done on its safety and efficacy.

Bottom line: Don't be swayed by unsupported health claims. Colloidal silver has no known benefit when consumed, injected, or inhaled. And it may cause more harm than good.