Supplements Dietary Supplements What Is Colloidal Silver? Is the natural remedy safe or dangerous? By Cathy Wong Cathy Wong Facebook Twitter Cathy Wong is a nutritionist and wellness expert. Her work is regularly featured in media such as First For Women, Woman's World, and Natural Health. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 05, 2021 Medically reviewed Verywell Health articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and healthcare professionals. These medical reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Meredith Bull, ND Medically reviewed by Meredith Bull, ND Facebook LinkedIn Meredith Bull, ND, is a licensed naturopathic doctor with a private practice in Los Angeles. She helped co-author the first integrative geriatrics textbook, "Integrative Geriatric Medicine." Learn about our Medical Expert Board Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Uses Side Effects Doses and Preparation What to Look For Frequently Asked Questions Colloidal silver is a solution of tiny silver particles suspended in a liquid base. It's marketed as a remedy for a range of health problems. It can be taken orally, but some products are sprayed, applied to the skin, or injected into a vein. Silver was used in medicine for centuries. In the past, it was claimed to be a cure-all for everything from tuberculosis and arthritis to herpes and cancer. Even today, some alternative practitioners believe colloidal silver offers health benefits. They say it can support immune function and prevent or treat infections. Verywell / Laura Porter Despite the claims, colloidal silver has no known function in the body. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled in 1999 that colloidal silver products weren't safe or effective. They sued several manufacturers over false health claims. After the FDA ruling, many drugstores stopped selling colloidal silver products. Since then, these products rebranded as dietary supplements or homeopathic remedies. That's because these don't need FDA approval. This article goes over what colloidal silver is used for, potential benefits, side effects, and what to look for if you choose to buy it. What Is Colloidal Silver Used For? Manufacturers of colloidal silver claim their products can stimulate the immune system and help the body heal itself. Supporters believe the supplement can help: Heal woundsImprove skin disordersPrevent or treat diseases like the flu, pneumonia, herpes, eye infections, shingles, cancer, and AIDS Some test-tube studies back up a few of these claims. They show that colloidal silver has properties that fight against bacteria, viruses, fungi, and inflammation. What the studies don't show is what happens outside of the test tube. When swallowed, colloidal silver can potentially be toxic. In rare cases, it can even lead to death. Moreover, little evidence shows that silver has the same antibacterial properties inside the body. Ultimately, the human body has no need for silver. It's not an essential mineral and serves no biological function of any sort. While silver toxicity is rare, silver can add up in the body over months and years. This can lead to severe disfigurement and cause harmful deposits in the liver, spleen, kidney, muscles, and brain. That's not to say that silver offers no health benefits. When used topically (on the skin), colloidal silver can help heal and prevent infection. Recap Only test-tube studies have shown any benefits of colloidal silver. But there's actually no need for people to consume it and it can even be toxic. Wound Healing Several studies looked at the use of silver-containing dressings on skin ulcers and wounds. They found that the silver particles had antibacterial properties that help treat: Diabetic ulcers Skin grafts Bed sores Necrotizing fasciitis (also known as flesh-eating bacteria) Other serious skin injuries A 2018 study compared the effects of a skin cream containing silver nanoparticles (small particles) and regular skin cream. They concluded that the silver-based cream reduced skin inflammation during healing and helped skin re-grow faster than the regular cream. This suggests that short-term use of silver-containing products on the skin may help treat skin infections and ulcers. Possible Side Effects People who take colloidal silver may not experience any immediate side effects. The concerns are related more to the long-term effects of colloidal silver use. That's because particles accumulate in the body over time. They embed themselves in organs and tissues, especially the skin. Over time, this can lead to a permanent, disfiguring condition called argyria. Argyria causes tissues to turn bluish-gray in color. It affects the gums first, followed by the skin, eyes, nails, and deeper tissue layers. Headache, fatigue, and myoclonic seizures (sudden muscle contractions) may also occur. It's unclear how toxic silver is to internal organs. But animal studies show that unusually high levels can: Interfere with kidney and liver functionDamage the central nervous systemCause bones to release calcium Research by the National Toxicology Program suggests that silver doesn't cause cancer. It's not known how silver affects reproduction or pregnancy. Several deaths are linked with colloidal silver use, including a case report published in Neurology. In this case, a 71-year-old man died after he took a daily dose of colloidal silver for four months. Recap Long-term use of colloidal silver can lead to a serious condition that causes your tissues to turn bluish-gray. It may also affect organ function and even lead to death. Drug Interactions Colloidal silver can interact with several medications. It can either make them less effective, increase their side effects, or weaken liver function as your body metabolizes the drug. Possible interactions include: Antiarrhythmic drugs like Cordarone (amiodarone)Antifungals like Diflucan (fluconazole) and Sporanox (itraconazole)Levothyroxine, used to treat thyroid problemsMethotrexate, used to treat autoimmune disordersPenicillamine, used to treat rheumatoid arthritisQuinolone antibiotics, including Cipro (ciprofloxacin) and Penetrex (enoxacin)Statin drugs like Pravachol (pravastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin)Tetracycline antibiotics, including Achromycin (tetracycline) and Minocin (minocycline)Tylenol (acetaminophen) Other drug interactions are possible. Tell your healthcare provider if you're taking colloidal silver, even for short-term use. Recap Silver can interact with some medications and make them less effective or increase their side effects. Dosage and Preparation There's no safe dose of colloidal silver. Moreover, it isn't known at what point silver becomes toxic. Part of the problem is that the concentration of silver particles can vary from one brand to the next. Some brands have as few as 15 parts per million (ppm), while others have more than 500 ppm. Your age, weight, and health status can also play a part. Despite the FDA ruling against their safety, colloidal silver products are still available as dietary supplements. Most are in liquid form. Colloidal silver is also available as: SoapsMouthwashEye dropsBody lotionsCough dropsNasal sprays Recap There is no recommended effective dosage of colloidal silver. The maximum safe dose is also unknown. Colloidal silver is available in the form of dietary supplements, lotions, cough drops, and nose sprays. What to Look For Supplements don't go through the same research or safety tests as prescription or over-the-counter drugs. So, quality can vary a lot from one manufacturer to the next. Few colloidal silver products are certified by an independent certifying authority like U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP), ConsumerLab, or NSF International. For that reason, it's hard to know what a product contains or how safe it is. If you decide to buy a colloidal silver product, choose a product that clearly shows the concentration of silver in parts per million (ppm) on the product label. Remember—less is more. Summary Colloidal silver is a solution made of silver that's suspended in a liquid. It's touted as having numerous health benefits, but there's no evidence for most of them. Colloidal silver has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties when applied to the skin and may be helpful for treating skin infections and ulcers. However, the FDA advises against consuming silver products because they're not safe or effective. Don't be swayed by any unsupported health claims. In the end, colloidal silver has no known benefit when consumed, injected, or inhaled. And it may cause more harm than good. Frequently Asked Questions Is it illegal to include colloidal silver in products? It’s not illegal to put colloidal silver in products. However, products can't make any claims that colloidal silver has any medicinal benefits. The FDA ruled that colloidal silver isn’t safe or effective in treating any illness. But the FDA doesn’t tightly regulate supplements or homeopathic products. Colloidal silver is still used in those unregulated products. Can colloidal silver help treat COVID? Some early research supports that silver nanoparticles may help prevent COVID infection. More research is needed, though. Even if there was a definite benefit, it would need to be weighed against the known risks of colloidal silver. Learn More: All About COVID-19 Is it okay to use skin creams with silver? Topical products (products used on the skin) that have colloidal silver may have some benefits. For instance, bandages and dressings with colloidal silver may help with burns, skin infections, or skin wounds. Talk to your doctor before using these types of products. Learn More: How to Treat Burns Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit 9 Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Colloidal silver. 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Myoclonic status epilepticus following repeated oral ingestion of colloidal silver. Neurology. 2004;62(8):1408-1410. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000120671.73335.ec Chang S-Y, Huang K-Y, Chao T-L, et al. Nanoparticle composite TPNT1 is effective against SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):8692. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-87254-3