A lot of people recently seem to again
be extolling the benefits of colloidal
silver products as safe antibacterials.
However, evidence is accumulating
that they are anything but. Claims for
their miraculous powers tout them as
everything from essential mineral supplements
to cures for cancer, diabetes
and every known infection. Colloidal
silver products consist of a mixture of
silver nitrate, sodium hydroxide and
gelatin. There is no quality control and
these products are being hawked for
people and animals with no concern for
safety.

 DIY kits are perhaps the most
dangerous, but there is no consistency
in concentration of products marketed
as colloidal silver, nor any scientific
basis for recommended dosing. Research
has shown that silver accumulates
throughout the body especially in
the skin, liver, spleen and adrenals but
also in the brain and muscle tissue. If
there are inflamed or damaged mucous
membranes silver absorption increases.
Silver accumulated in the subepithelium
can cause a permanent, irreversible
blue gray discoloration of the skin.
Brain deposition has resulted in epileptic
seizures and coma after daily ingestion
for 4 months - despite most manufacturers
claiming daily ingestion is
safe and protects against pathogens.
The manufacturers claim bacteria can't
develop resistance to silver, and this
has also been disproven. In fact, it has
never been shown that bacteria are
killed or even slowed down by colloidal
silver in living creatures, and it is
likely that even if they are, they are
likely to become resistant quite
quickly. This obviously poses even
more of a risk to anyone taking the
product - not only are they subject to
the toxic effects of the silver, but their
pathogens will be more resistant to
other treatments. Caveat emptor.
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