Colloidal silver is a well-known silver supplement. Colloidal form of silver is synthesised by suspending pure silver ions in purified water. In the time before the discovery of antibiotics, people used silver to stay away from infections caused by viruses and bacteria. Silver-based nose drops or throat sprays were very popular in that era.
Until 1938, silver was primarily used for the treatment and prevention of diseases and conditions including cancer. Silver usage became obsolete from our lives upon the introduction of modern antibiotics for therapeutic purposes. However, the medical community does not recommend silver for any kind of medical treatment.
However, some studies suggest that colloidal silver is a potent antimicrobial and disinfectant agent. It is called a “cure-all” for various conditions like:
It encourages rapid skin and soft tissue repair in the body that is affected by an injury or incision. In fact, it strengthens the body's ability to recover and heal speedily by diminishing swellings and promoting cell rejuvenation or repair in wounds, injuries, and rashes with its topical application. It causes itching and irritation very rarely. It also plays a catalytic role in speeding up recovery from skin problems like dermatitis, psoriasis, and ringworm infection.
Colloidal Silver is a Natural antibacterial mineral that is specifically used for bactericidal purposes. It is the preferred antibacterial agent for topical wound dressing material. Commercially, it is sold as a formulation that contains suspended microscopic flakes of pure silver. The silver particle suspension is done in demineralized water or another liquid. This form is then marketed for topical or oral use.
Various researches suggest that Colloidal Silver molecules get attached to proteins on the cell walls of bacteria and consequently damage their cell membranes. Therefore, silver ions enter the bacterial cells and interfere with the bacterial metabolic activity and damage their DNA, causing bacterial death.
It is commonly called colloidal silver blues. It is an extremely rare condition that occurs only among the small fraction of people using colloidal silver topically. In this condition, body skin turns bluish-grey permanently on getting exposed to silver in any form. In fact, this condition is not usually not fatal/life-threatening or a serious health hazard.
Although topical silver use may have certain medical benefits like rapid recovery from burns or skin infections, it can also cause compromised absorption of various drugs.
Apart from above mentioned minor health hazards, colloidal silver is not known to cause any harmful health effects. In fact, it has remained as a traditional medicine for thousands of years, especially in India. History says that people used to eat and drink in silver utensils in order to avail its therapeutic benefits.
These days, colloidal silver is considered as an alternative medicine to ward off various bacterial, fungal, and viral infections. Its proponents support the claim that it can treat a lot of diseases, including HIV, cancer, Lyme disease, and diabetes.