How Much Colloidal Silver?
Colloidal Silver
Indeed, the most frequently asked question I get is "How much colloidal silver can I take safely each day?"
Of course, the answer varies from person to person. It depends upon a number of factors, including body weight, overall health, and the "ppm" or concentration of the colloidal silver product you're using. But there are a few generally accepted guidelines and we'll discuss them briefly...
Harvard-educated and best-selling author Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. has been a strong advocate of colloidal silver usage for decades. Over the years, Dr. Wright has been a vociferous advocate of the safe, sane and responsible usage of colloidal silver. As he wrote in an article titled Singing Silver's Praises:
"I've worked with colloidal silver since its 'revival' in the 1980s and have found it to be very effective at fighting infections of all types — bacterial, viral, and fungal. In fact, its effects are so strong that I believe silver could be the key to fighting the antibiotic-resistant 'super bugs' that have become such a problem in recent years."
In another article by Dr. Wright, titled "Stop the Super-Germs in their Tracks With One Powerful Silver Bullet," he went on to say:
"MRSA. SARS. Avian flu. These and other big-time bugs called 'super-germs' are making headlines almost on a daily basis. People are scared, and rightly so. Super-germs mutate so quickly that antibiotics are virtually useless against them:
As soon as an effective one is created, the germ mutates, and the antibiotic becomes obsolete. The same is true of many vaccines.
But there's no need to feel defenseless because these mutating germs have finally met their match. And it's been right under our noses all along. It's colloidal silver."
In another article, titled "What to Take at the First Sign of a Cold", Dr. Wright emphasized the importance of using very small particle size colloidal silver in order to maximize its germ-killing qualities:
"Next to vitamin C, one of the most effective germ- and infection-fighting treatments available is something that I covered in detail in the September 2006 issue of Nutrition & Healing. You might recognize it by its more common name, colloidal silver, but I prefer to use a slightly more technical name, nano-particulate silver.
The nano-particulate part is very important because the smaller the particle size of the silver, the greater the germicidal effect. At the first sign of a cold, use 1 tablespoonful to start, and then continue to take 1 teaspoonful on an empty stomach every 3 to 4 hours while you're awake, until the infection is gone."
Dr. Wright does not recommend regular daily usage of colloidal silver, due to the remote possibility of it causing argyria – the bluish-gray skin-staining that can take place when large daily amounts of colloidal silver have been ingested over long periods of time. He writes:
"You may have heard the horror stories of people turning a bluish-gray color from taking silver. Although this condition, called argyrism, is harmless, it's certainly not something you'd want to experience. But don't worry: Using colloidal silver periodically in short- term situations will not cause argyrism."
Dr. Wright's Specific Dosage Recommendations
Finally, in an article titled "The Silver Solution for What Ails You", Dr. Wright spells out in more detail his own recommendation for using colloidal silver against colds, flu or other infections:
"I usually recommend (for adults) 1 tablespoon of colloidal silver at a 40 ppm (parts per million) concentration at the very first signs of any infection and 1-2 teaspoons three to four times daily until the infection is gone. Then stop!
Children's quantities should, of course, be less and related to body weight. (For very small children, it's always best to consult with a physician skilled and knowledgeable in nutritional and natural medicine.)
No one who's used colloidal silver in this manner has reported any sign of bluish-gray skin. But to be on the safe side, you should work with a physician skilled in natural medicine."
Note: One tablespoon of 40 ppm colloidal silver is the equivalent of 4 tablespoons of 10 ppm. So if you're using 10 ppm colloidal silver, as most people do, just make the simple adjustment in dosage.
Dr. Wright also points out that you can use colloidal silver in conjunction with other natural healing and infection-fighting substances, as long as you take the colloidal silver separately from each other, on an empty stomach. He writes:"You can use the silver treatment while taking other anti-infection and immune-boosting agents, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, Echinacea, and many others, but you shouldn't take them at the same time because the silver absorbs best on an empty stomach."
Those are just a few of the highlights of what Dr. Wright has written in the past about the powerful infection-fighting benefits of colloidal silver. I urge you to visit his website and become a follower of his health and wellness advice, if you haven't already.
How Do You Know When to Take Colloidal Silver?
As you've read above, Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. recommends taking colloidal silver only for short periods of time, when trying to help the body fight an active infection. But in my experience, there are basically three different types of colloidal silver users.
There's the type who use colloidal silver only when they're sick with an infection.
There's the type who use colloidal silver in small amounts, on a more-or-less regular daily basis, to help boost immunity and help prevent future infections.
And finally, there's what I call the lunatic fringe, which is to say, the type who use colloidal silver indiscriminately, irresponsibly and without any common sense limitations whatsoever.
Which type are you? Here's my strictly layman's take on how colloidal silver should be used for maximum safety and effectiveness:
The vast majority of colloidal silver users belong to group #1 above. And that's perfectly fine with me. Using colloidal silver only when there's a budding infection, or an active infection is wise, particularly if you're otherwise relatively healthy. There's simply no real need to consume colloidal silver regularly, even in small amounts, if you're generally a very healthy person.
Many other colloidal silver users – including people like me – belong to group #2 above. Like me, many of these individuals might have an underlying chronic degenerative disease such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lyme Disease, or others.
Some people in this group might have long-term hidden infections with so-called "stealth pathogens" such as mycoplasma. Others might simply have weakened immunity and tend to get sick more often than everyone else, and want to put an end to the constant barrage of colds, flu, sore throats, UTIs, stomach infections and more.
So instead of taking colloidal silver only when they're fighting an active infection, these individuals might take small daily doses of colloidal silver on a prophylactic basis, to:
a.) help prevent the onset of overly-frequent colds, flu, sore throats and other infection
b.) aid a weak immune system in keeping underlying infectious illness or chronic degenerative disease under control, and/or…
c.) help their body ward off secondary infections before they get started.
If I did not suffer from Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome (and its concomitant underlying infection with Epstein-Barr virus and Cytomegalovirus) I'd probably be in group #1 above, taking colloidal silver only at those times when I have a budding or active infection, such as a cold, flu, sore throat, or even a bout with food poisoning.
But I'm in group #2 above, so I take between a half ounce to an ounce a day of 10 ppm strength colloidal silver, and I've done so for over 20 years, because it helps keep me healthy and relatively infection-free in spite of the Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
Of course, I also use colloidal silver topically on cuts, burns and skin issues (it even heals dandruff) whenever I need to. And I use it regularly as a safe, natural household disinfectant, since it replaces dozens of potentially toxic chemical household cleansers and disinfectants.
But in terms of internal usage, I'm in group #2 because my personal experience is that I have far fewer "sick days" each year if I take a little bit of colloidal silver each day. My weakened immune system simply needs the extra protection that taking a very small amount of colloidal silver each day provides.
And as icing on the cake, when I consistently take my regular small daily dose of colloidal silver (along with my other daily nutritional supplements) I also have far fewer incidences of the overwhelming fatigue and malaise that characterizes Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which I've battled for over 30 years now.So in the first two groups above, we have people who take colloidal silver only when they're trying to fight off a budding or active infection, as well as people who take colloidal silver preventively, using relatively small daily amounts on an ongoing basis in order to help their body battle a chronic degenerative disease, or prevent recurrent infections.
That leads us to the third group, which I refer to as the lunatic fringe.The Lunatic Fringe
The people from the group #3 are the only ones I won't listen to at all, or quote, because they've been proven so wrong, for so long now, that their contentions on colloidal silver usage are actually dangerous.
This fringe group of colloidal silver users simply can't get enough colloidal silver. They're not just enamored with it, but instead, are absolutely emotionally and mentally obsessed with it.
Indeed, these individuals are mesmerized by colloidal silver. They take extremely large doses of colloidal silver every day. And they're quite vocal about their excessive usage, claiming it can't possibly hurt them, because "silver can't hurt you when it's made right."
Well, that sounds awfully good. But it's simply not the truth.
Indeed, there's no substance on the face of the earth – natural or unnatural, and no matter how well made – that's not internally accumulative and toxic at some level of exposure or ingestion. The ancient physician Paracelcus (1493 to 151) used to teach, "Toxicity is in everything, and nothing is without toxicity. The dosage makes it either a toxin or a remedy."
As I've repeatedly stated over the years, even something as innocuous as plain old drinking water can be toxic if too much is ingested. It's known as water intoxication, or hyponatremia, and in severe cases it can lead to headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, frequent urination, mental disorientation and yes, even death.
I've mentioned this previously, but I want to emphasize it once again:
The mineral iron, when used in excess, can accumulate in the body and cause toxicity and disease.
The mineral selenium, when used in excess, can accumulate in the body and cause toxicity and disease.
So can vitamin A.
Even vitamin D has toxic levels.
And so do all of the other vitamins and minerals you can think of – if taken in excessive quantities for long enough periods of time. And that includes colloidal silver.
Colloidal silver is not exempt from the basic truism that abusive usage of any substance can cause unwanted side effects. And anyone who claims colloidal silver is exempt from this truism is either grossly ignorant of the facts, or is a bald-faced liar. Use colloidal silver safely, sanely and responsibly, and it won't let you down or harm you.
Takeaway Lesson: Don't be a member of the lunatic fringe. You use your daily multi-vitamin supplements responsibly. You use your mineral supplements responsibly. You use your herbal supplements responsibly. So please, use your colloidal silver supplement responsibly. Then you'll never have to worry about those very rare issues the medical community is always trying to use to scare people away from enjoying the powerful healing and infection-fighting benefits of colloidal silver.
Helpful Tips
Here are a few helpful tips from the experts for those who would like to use colloidal silver regularly and safely:
1.) Use colloidal silver with the smallest particle size possible. The smaller the silver particles are, the easier it is for the body to absorb, utilize and afterwards expel them.
2.) Take only small daily amounts. If you're relatively healthy, there's no need to take colloidal silver daily. But if you feel you have a good reason to take colloidal silver daily (i.e., you have an underlying chronic infection, or you're otherwise often sick with colds, flu, sore throats, etc.), take only small daily amounts in accord with the manufacturer's label, or use the Colloidal Silver Safe Dosage Report to help determine your safe daily dosage. dosage. Remember, taking excessive levels of colloidal silver for long periods of time won't help your disease condition. It only causes the body to have to fight battles on two different fronts, i.e., the disease front, and the prevention of toxicity from silver accumulation front.
3.) Take colloidal silver "holidays" after using larger dosages. If you're sick with an infection, and you choose to take larger-than-usual daily dosages of colloidal silver for a short period of time until you're well – some people take up to four times their regular daily dosage when sick – then always take a colloidal silver "holiday" afterwards, during which time no colloidal silver at all is consumed. The "holiday" should last for at least as many days as you were taking the colloidal silver at higher-than-normal levels. And during this time, be sure to drink plenty of fresh, pure water daily to help the body expel any toxins left behind by the dead or dying pathogens.
4.) Take antioxidant nutrients known to help the body effectively process silver. Toxicity from colloidal silver is very rare. Extremely rare. In 20 years of journalistic colloidal silver research, I've never seen a case. But it can happen when there's egregiously excessive dosages being taken on a long-term daily basis. That's why experts like Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. recommend colloidal silver users also take specific antioxidant nutrients known to help the body process silver more effectively.
Those include vitamin E (i.e., about 400 UL daily of mixed tocepherols and tocotrienals are often suggested), selenium (i.e., about 100 mcg. daily is often suggested) and N-acetyl-cysteine (about 400 to 500 mg. several times a week is often suggested). Check your daily multi-vitamin/mineral supplement label to see if these crucial nutrients are included.
Again, as Dr. Jonathan V. Wright, M.D. has stated, "Silver belongs to the family of metals that also includes copper and gold (both of which can also have numerous health benefits when they're used properly). One of the primary concerns people tend to have about using these metals is the risk that they'll accumulate in the body and lead to toxicity. But if you have plenty of antioxidants in your diet, such as selenium, vitamin E, and amino acids like N-acetyl cysteine, you're safe from any harmful effects from this family of metals. Germs, however, are not."
When colloidal silver is used responsibly, its safety profile is similar to any other nutritional supplement. In other words, it's excellent.
As I mentioned, I've been taking about a half ounce to an ounce of 10 ppm colloidal silver per day for over 20 years now, and the only thing blue on my body are my eyes, and I was born that way. But please don't let anyone ever tell you that you can drink all of the colloidal silver you want, every single day, "as long as it's made correctly." That's a pure fiction. Just because everybody's repeating it on online colloidal silver forums doesn't make it any truer.
Colloidal silver is perfectly safe to use, even over the long-term, in small, common-sense daily dosages. But there's no substance on the face of the earth – no matter how well made – that can be ingested regularly, in egregiously excessive amounts, without causing serious health issues.
Always keep that in mind no matter what kind of nutritional supplement you're taking.
~ Steve Barwick