Thanks for sending us that. I was wondering what bull they would be spouting.
PG > > ><../../index.html>Quackwatch Home Page > > > >Colloidal Silver: >Risk Without Benefit > > >Stephen Barrett, M.D. > > >Colloidal silver is a suspension of submicroscopic metallic silver >particles in a colloidal base. Long-term use of silver preparations can >lead to argyria, a condition in which silver salts deposit in the skin, >eyes, and internal organs, and the skin turns ashen-gray. Many cases of >argyria occurred during the pre-antibiotic era when silver was a common >ingredient in nosedrops. When the cause became apparent, doctors stopped >recommending their use, and reputable manufacturers stopped producing >them. The official drug guidebooks (United States Pharmacopeia and >National Formulary) have not listed colloidal silver products since 1975. > > >Dubious Ads > > >In recent years, silver-containing products have been marketed with >unsubstantiated claims that they are effective against AIDS, cancer, >infectious diseases, parasites, chronic fatigue, acne, warts, >hemorrhoids, enlarged prostate, and many other diseases and conditions. >Some marketers claim that colloidal silver is effective against hundreds >of diseases. > > > >During 1998, a Florida-based multilevel company, stated: > > > > > >Our colloidal silver contains 99.99% pure silver particles suspended >indefinitely in demineralized water that kills bacteria and viruses. It >can be applied topically and/or absorbed into the blood stream >sub-lingually (under the tongue), thereby avoiding the negative effects >of traditional antibiotics that kill good bacteria in the lower >digestive tract. > > > >An all natural antibiotic alternative in the purest form available. The >presence of colloidal silver near a virus, fungi, bacterium or any other >single celled pathogen disables its oxygen-metabolism enzyme, its chemical >lung, so to say. The pathogens suffocates and dies, and is cleared out of >the body by the immune, lymphatic and elimination systems. > > > >Unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics which destroy beneficial enzymes, >colloidal silver leaves these beneficial enzymes intact. Thus colloidal >silver is absolutely safe for humans, reptiles, plants and all >multi-celled living matter. > > > >It is impossible for single-celled germs to mutate into silver-resistant >forms, as happens with conventional antibiotics. Also, colloidal silver >cannot interact or interfere with other medicines being taken. >Colloidal silver is truly a safe, natural remedy for many of mankind's >ills. Colloidal silver can be taken indefinitely because the body does >not develop a tolerance to it [1] > > > > ><http://www.seasilver.com/>Seasilver Intermational, a California-based >multilevel company, claims that American are suffering >from "silver >deficiency." Although silver is not an essential nutrient, product >information posted on the company's Web site states: > > > > > >The depletion of minerals in our soil has left us deficient of silver, one >of our most essential trace minerals, causing a drastic increase in immune >system disorders in our society in the last decade. Research has taught us >that all disease is allowed to manifest itself because of a weakened >immune system. In over 20 years of worldwide research on Colloidal >Silver, numerous interviews with government agencies, health care >practitioners and their patients, no other nutrient, herb or drug >(prescription or over-the-counter) is as safe and effective against all >known forms of unfriendly virus, bacteria, and fungus. Additionally, >while it is generally known that most antibiotics kill only perhaps 6 >or 7 different disease organisms, reports have shown that Colloidal >Silver has been used successfully in the treatment of over 650 >diseases! Furthermore, strains of disease organisms fail to develop in >the presence of Colloidal Silver. Colloidal Silver's greatest attribute is >its unique ability to function as a superior second immune system in the >body! [2] > > > > >The ad below is from the July 1996 issue of Alternative Medicine Digest. > > > > > > > > >Critical Studies > > >In 1995, an herbal distributor named Leslie Taylor tested nine commonly >marketed colloidal silver products available at health-food stores and >concluded: > > > > * Two of the products were contaminated with microorganisms. * The >amount of silver suspended in solution varied from product to product >and would gradually decrease over time. * Only five products actually >showed antibacterial activity in a laboratory test. To perform the >test, she prepared a culture plate with Staphylococcus aureas bacteria, >which can cause infections in humans. She then placed a drop from each >product on the plate and used disks of two common antibiotics as >controls. After eight hours of incubation, she found that bacterial growth >had been inhibited around the antibiotics and four of the products. * > > > >Of course, the fact that a product inhibits bacteria in a laboratory >culture doesn't mean it is effective (or safe) in the human body. In >fact, products that kill bacteria in the laboratory would be more likely >to cause argyria because they contain more silver ions that are free to >deposit in the user's skin. . > > > >FDA laboratory studies have found that the amount of silver in some >product samples has varied from 15.2% to 124% of the amount listed on the >product labels. The amount of silver required to produce argyria is >unknown. However, the FDA has concluded that the risk of using silver >products exceeds any unsubstantiated benefit [3]. > > > >In October 1996, the FDA proposed to ban the use of colloidal silver or >silver salts in over-the-counter products [4]. A Final Rule banning such >use was issued on August 17, 1999 and became effective September 16th. >The rule applies to any nonprescription colloidal silver or silver salt >product claimed to be effective in preventing or treating any disease >[5]. Silver products can still be sold as "dietary supplements" provided >that no health claims are made for them. > > >References > > >1. The company (Changes International) is no longer in the supplement >business. >2. Seasilver International Product Information, accessed October 12, 1998. >3. Fung MC, Bowen DL. Silver products for medical indications: >risk-benefit assessment. Journal of Toxicology and Clinical Toxicology >34:119-26, 1996. >4. <http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aaces002.html>Federal >Register 61:53685-53688, 1996. (To access this document, search the 1996 >volume for "colloidal silver.") >5. FDA. Final rule: Over-the-counter drug products containing colloidal >silver ingredients or silver salts. Federal Register 64:44653-44658, >1999. Download PDF version > >For Further Information > > ><http://homepages.together.net/~rjstan/>Rosemary Jacobs, an argyria >victim, has made a detailed study of the colloidal silver marketplace and >is willing to <mailto:[email protected]>answer questions. > > > ><../../index.html>Quackwatch Home Page > > > >This article was updated on November 5, 1999. -- The silver-list is a moderated forum for discussion of colloidal silver. To join or quit silver-list or silver-digest send an e-mail message to: [email protected] -or- [email protected] with the word subscribe or unsubscribe in the SUBJECT line. To post, address your message to: [email protected] Silver-list archive: http://escribe.com/health/thesilverlist/index.html List maintainer: Mike Devour <[email protected]>
