Dr Anton explores silver's historical and modern medical uses, it's efficacy against pathogens, safety concerns, and future research potential, advocating for colloidal silver as a versatile, natural health solution for households.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, frontline clinicians worldwide faced the daunting task of managing the influx of anxious, infected patients. In Zimbabwe, where resources were limited, clinicians sought innovative, low-cost therapies to treat their patients. Little did they anticipate that the combination of inhaled silver and Ivermectin would yield treatment successes surpassing those of well-resourced facilities in developed countries. In this article, I will delve into why experiences like those in Zimbabwe have propelled a 2500-year-old therapy into the spotlight and why I advocate for every household to consider silver as a frontline therapy for multiple conditions.
A HISTORICALLY SOUND FOUNDATION
Silver is far from a newcomer to the medical scene. Dating back to 400 BC, Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, extolled its virtues in treating ulcers and enhancing wound healing. Ancients, including the Greeks and Romans, embraced silver's antibacterial properties, utilizing silver plates and containers to ward off infections and extend the shelf life of food. Despite some skepticism from medical circles, silver boasts an impressive 137 000 scientific publications, dating as far back as 1818.
Notable milestones in silver's medical journey include:
- 1818: Published case studies describing the successful treatments of patients with general upper respiratory tract infections, tuberculosis, intestinal infections, skin abscesses, and vaginal discharge.
- 1825: Remarks on the successful treatment of eye infections with silver nitrate in soldiers of the British rifle brigade in 1815.
- 1829: Silver described as an ideal wound treatment due to multiple mechanisms including an anti-inflammatory effect.
- 1881: Dr. Carl Credé introduced the use of dilute solutions of silver to treat eye infections in newborn babies, a treatment still in use today.
- 1908: Silver used to treat syphilis and African sleeping sickness.
- 1916: Silver administered intravenously to cure postpartum sepsis.
- 1960s: Silver became universally accepted for the treatment of burn wounds, a practice that remains unchanged.
- 2006: Described in the journal Biology as ‘the final solution to the coming plagues.’
- 2020: Silver-based early treatment protocols for COVID-19 published.
UNDERSTANDING SILVER'S POTENTIAL AGAINST PATHOGENS
Silver's efficacy against pathogens lies in its multifaceted mechanism of action, making it a formidable adversary against viruses, bacteria, and fungi. By damaging cell membranes and disrupting essential cellular functions, silver renders pathogens powerless. This broad-spectrum antimicrobial action proved invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic, where silver's immunomodulatory effect in the lungs offered a lifeline by downregulating cytokine expression and mitigating the cytokine storms responsible for severe outcomes.
Numerous in-vitro studies have shown that silver has strong activity against SARS-CoV-2 virus (Gupta et al., 2022; Alexandre K, Silverlab Healthcare, 2021; Jeremiah SS et al., 2020).
Studies using nebulized silver in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection showed recovery of pre-illness respiratory function with infection eradicated within 14 days (Nadworny et al., 2023).
Electron microscopic image of E. coli.
Colloidal silver causes the formation of irregular shaped pits in the bacterial cell membrane of E. coli leading to cell destruction.
ADDRESSING SAFETY CONCERNS
But what about safety? Will silver cause me to develop the skin condition argyria?
Silver is generally considered to be extremely safe. However, consuming approximately 1000 liters of colloidal silver over your lifetime could potentially lead to argyria, a condition that causes the skin to turn blue. Fortunately, the average person who adheres to reasonable dosing guidelines is at virtually no risk of developing this condition.
OTHER SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
When silver is produced in a GMP facility that rigorously tests for contaminants, concentration, and particle size, the risk of toxicity is almost negligible. Numerous studies, including research conducted on various cell lines, animal, and human models, support this. I have selected a few notable studies from this extensive database of toxicity research, with a particular focus on some noteworthy South African studies.
- Safety demonstrated in human lung cell lines: Alexandre K, Malatji KB. Evaluation of Silverlab Healthcare ionic silver in human lung cell lines, 2021.
- South African high concentration (450ppm) murine toxicity studies: Applications included oral, eye, skin, inhaled, and intravenous with no signs of toxicity (Goosen K. Acute oral toxicity of Silverlab Healthcare liquid in Rattus rattus sp. Sprague Dawley. La-Bio Research, 2019).
- Oral toxicity study in humans: Using 10ppm and 32ppm solutions produced no signs of toxicity (Munger et al., 2014).
- Rats exposed to silver in an inhalation chamber: For 6 hours per day for 90 days (accumulative 540 hours) showed no signs of toxicity (Sung et al., 2008).
ENSURING SAFE USE OF SILVER
How can I ensure that the silver I am using is safe?
Be an active consumer. Contact the manufacturer of a particular product and insist on the following:
- GMP certification of the manufacturing facility.
- Registration at the Pharmacy Council of South Africa.
- Laboratory testing of the product ensuring no contamination.
- Testing which ensures that the concentration of a silver product exceeds at least 15 ppm (parts per million) with a reasonable margin of error (5% or less).
- Testing which provides proof that particle sizes are over 100nm (nanometers).
NOVEL BENEFITS OF SILVER AND NEW FRONTIERS OF RESEARCH
The clinical focus of silver has traditionally been on combating infections and treating wounds, areas where the noble metal has shown great success. However, silver possesses numerous other benefits, and the potential for future research in these areas is promising. Some of the applications currently under investigation include:
- Eczema and dermatitis: Thanks to the anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory effects of silver, its application in these skin conditions offers an exciting and cost-effective solution for numerous patients.
- Cancer: Silver has demonstrated the ability to reverse certain types of cancer in animal models. While only a few case studies of successful cancer treatments in humans have been published, further research is needed to draw conclusive results.
- Anti-fungal: Silver exhibits strong action against numerous fungal species, and research is underway to explore its potential applications in the treatment of resistant fungal infections.
- Anti-helminthic: Silver demonstrates activity against parasites and worms, suggesting its potential inclusion in future treatment strategies.
- Chronic, treatment-resistant infections: Silver's ability to inhibit quorum sensing and the formation of biofilm positions it uniquely as a treatment modality for various treatment-resistant chronic infections. Conditions such as tuberculosis, cystic fibrosis, multidrug-resistant pneumonia, chronic infected wounds, and chronic sinusitis are among those on this list.
- Hand sanitiser: With concerns over the toxicity of certain sanitizers, there is a demand for safer yet effective products. Silver's highly effective action against viruses and bacteria makes it a viable option as a hand sanitiser, particularly for children.
- Gastrointestinal: Case reports have demonstrated resolution of peptic ulcers within six weeks with the use of silver. Additionally, silver exhibits exceptional activity against foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli.
EMPOWERING FAMILIES WITH COLLOIDAL SILVER
For families seeking cost-effective health solutions, colloidal silver offers a versatile and safe option. When sourced responsibly, colloidal silver can be applied orally, topically, or via nebulization to treat various skin conditions and infections, including respiratory tract infections, wounds, eye infections, ear infections, and infections of the gastrointestinal tract and sinuses.
It is important to note that silver is also safe to take concurrently with antibiotics, with only patients using tetracyclines, quinolones, penicillamine, and warfarin needing to separate the silver dose by 2-3 hours.
IN CLOSING
I invite readers to engage their family physicians to attend CPD-accredited training courses on the medicinal use of silver. Together, we can harness the power of silver to promote health and wellness in communities worldwide.
Disclaimer:
The advice provided in this article does not replace a visit to your health practitioner. Please use any of the listed recommendations under the auspices of your treating doctor.
Editor's note: Colloidal silver refers to microscopic particles of silver held in suspension and is produced by an electro-colloidal/non-chemical method where the silver particles and water have been colloided, i.e. dispersed within and bound to each other by an electric current. The usual concentration is between 3 and 15 parts per million. There should be no stabiliser or other elements in the product.
This article was sponsored by Silverlab.
Silver is not a heavy metal but a transitional metal, and while it is non-toxic to humans, it is extremely toxic to moulds, fungi, bacteria, protozoa and viruses. See our article on Various Natural Antibiotics Explored.
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