On this page:

  • Key Points
  • Background
  • Marketing Claims for Colloidal Silver
  • Scientific Evidence
  • Side Effects and Risks
  • Federal Regulation
  • If You Are Thinking About Using Colloidal Silver Products
  • Selected References
  • For More Information

Colloidal silver consists of tiny silver particles suspended in liquid. Usually marketed as dietary supplements, colloidal silver products have been used for a variety of health purposes?although there is no scientific evidence to support their safety or effectiveness. This fact sheet provides a general overview of colloidal silver products and suggests sources for additional information.

Key Points

  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not consider colloidal silver to be safe or effective for treating any disease or condition.
  • The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have taken action against a number of colloidal silver companies (including some companies that sell products over the Internet) for making drug-like claims about their products.
  • Colloidal silver can cause many side effects. One example is argyria, a bluish-gray discoloration of the body, which is not treatable or reversible.
  • Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

Background

Silver is a metallic element. Its many uses include making jewelry, silverware, electronic equipment, and dental fillings; processing photographs; and disinfecting water. People are exposed to silver, usually in tiny amounts, through the air, drinking water, and food, and possibly in certain activities, such as work or hobbies.

Silver has had some medicinal uses going back for centuries. However, modern drugs have eliminated most of those uses. A few prescription drugs containing silver are still available. For example, silver nitrate can be used to prevent the eye condition conjunctivitis in newborn babies and to treat certain skin conditions, such as corns and warts. Another drug, silver sulfadiazine, can be used to treat burns. These drugs are applied to the body (i.e., they are not taken internally), and they can have negative side effects.

Colloidal silver products consist of tiny silver particles suspended in a liquid base. The products are usually taken by mouth. Other forms of colloidal silver may be sprayed, applied directly to the skin, or injected into a vein.

Marketing Claims for Colloidal Silver

Colloidal silver products are often marketed as dietary supplements with various unproven health-related claims. For example, advertisements may claim that the products benefit the immune system; kill disease-causing agents such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi; serve as an alternative to prescription antibiotics; or treat diseases such as cancer, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, tuberculosis, syphilis, scarlet fever, shingles, herpes, pneumonia, and prostatitis (inflammation of the prostate).

Scientific Evidence

Reviews of the scientific literature on colloidal silver products have concluded that:

  • Silver has no known function in the body
  • Silver is not an essential mineral supplement or a cure-all and should not be promoted as such
  • Claims that there can be a "deficiency" of silver in the body and that such a deficiency can lead to disease are unfounded
  • Claims made about the effectiveness of colloidal silver products for numerous diseases are unsupported scientifically
  • Colloidal silver products can have serious side effects
  • Laboratory analysis has shown that the amounts of silver in supplements vary greatly, which can pose risks to the consumer.

Side Effects and Risks

Animal studies have shown that silver builds up in the tissues of the body. In humans, buildup of silver from colloidal silver can lead to a side effect called argyria, which causes a bluish-gray discoloration of the skin, other organs, deep tissues, nails, and gums. Argyria is permanent and cannot be treated or reversed. Other side effects from using colloidal silver products may include neurologic problems (such as seizures), kidney damage, stomach distress, headaches, fatigue, and skin irritation. Colloidal silver may interfere with the body's absorption of some drugs, such as penacillamine, quinolones, tetracyclines, and thyroxine.

Federal Regulation

The Federal Government regulates dietary supplements (including those that contain colloidal silver) primarily through the FDA, but the laws about putting dietary supplements on the market and keeping them there are generally less strict than the laws for drugs. For example, manufacturers of dietary supplements, unlike manufacturers of drugs, do not have to prove their product's safety and effectiveness to the FDA before it is marketed. However, if the product is found to be unsafe after it is marketed, the FDA can take certain actions, such as removing it from the marketplace. (To learn more about dietary supplements and their regulation, see the NCCAM fact sheet, Using Dietary Supplements Wisely.)

The FDA issued a ruling in 1999 that no products containing colloidal silver are generally recognized as safe and effective. In addition, the FDA and the FTC have sent warning letters to the operators of many Web sites that market colloidal silver with drug-like claims (i.e., claims that their products diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease).

If You Are Thinking About Using Colloidal Silver Products

  • There is a lack of evidence for effectiveness and a risk for serious side effects from colloidal silver products. The FDA does not consider colloidal silver to be safe or effective for treating any disease or condition.
  • Do not use any dietary supplementA product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs. as a replacement for conventional care, or as a reason to postpone seeing a doctor about a medical problem.
  • If you are pregnant or nursing a child, or if you are considering giving a child a dietary supplement, it is especially important to consult your health care provider. Supplements can act like drugs in the body, and many have not been tested in pregnant women, nursing mothers, or children.
  • Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care. For tips about talking with your health care providers about CAMA group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine., see NCCAM's Time to Talk campaign.

Selected References

This article from nccam.nih.gov/health/silver/ is in the Public Domain and you are encouraged to republish it.