Types of Colloidal Silver

Centuries of medicinal silver usage of contributed to today's influx of colloidal silver products. Many are marketed as dietary supplements and have claimed a variety of health benefits. Colloidal silver is a liquid containing tiny particles of silver. There are three main types: silver protein, ionic silver and true colloidal silver.

Type 1: Silver Protein

Silver protein (also called "mild silver protein") is the second most common kind of colloidal silver products in today's marketplace. It is comprised of a combination of a protein binder and particles of metallic silver. The particles used in these products are usually larger in size and must be stabilized with a protein (like gelatin) in order to remain suspended. This poses an increased risk of bacteria. Another risk of this type of product is that it is simply less effective when used in humans and can cause argyria (a condition in which the skin permanently turns a gray-blue color).

Type 2: Ionic Silver

Ionic silver is the most common form of colloidal silver on the market. Approximately 90 percent of the silver in the product comes from ionic silver, with 10 percent coming from particles. Here, the silver ions are created by electrolysis. The distinction is important since silver ions, when combined with chloride ions (usually within the body) they form silver chloride. Silver particles do not do the same. Ionic silver solutions do have strong anti-microbial properties. When taken according to the manufacturer's instructions, ionic silver products have little risk of causing argyria.

Type 3: True Colloidal Silver

True colloidal silver is the least common type of colloidal silver to be found in the marketplace, largely due to a high cost associated with manufacturing the product. More than 50 percent of the product contains silver particles with the lesser portion being comprised of silver ions. This type of colloidal silver has the greatest particle surface area, which is linked to a more effective product. This type of silver has the least risk of causing argyria.

Safety Guidelines

The United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) established a safety guideline for daily silver intake. When considering taking silver as an oral supplement, it is important to be aware that silver can also be found in food supplies and drinking water. The EPA recommends that your supplementation exceed no more than 25% of your daily intake of silver. The Silver Safety Committee has created a calculation for determining your safe dosage. Multiply your weight (in pounds) by twelve. Then divide by the parts per million in your dosage to determine your safe number of drops to take of your silver supplement. This should minimize your risk of adverse reactions (like argyria).

Considerations

The United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration) does not endorse colloidal silver as a safe or effective treatment for any condition or disease.
The FDA and FTC (Federal Trade Commission) have investigated and taken action to stop a number of companies from making claims about their silver products that are claim drug-like benefits.
There is little scientific research available to support the claims of colloidal silver's health benefits.