Silver (Ag)

Sir Malcolm Morris reported in the British Medical Journal (May 12,1917) that water soluble silver is "free from the drawbacks of other preparations of silver, viz. pain caused and discoloration of the skin; indeed, instead of producing irritation it has a distinctly soothing effect. It rapidly subdues inflammation and promotes healing of the lesions, it can be used with remarkable results in enlarged prostate with irritation of the bladder, in pruritis ani and perineal eczema, and in hemorrhoids."

Taken internally, water-soluble silver is resistant to the action of dilute acids and alkalis of the stomach and intestine, and consequently continues their catalytic action and pass into the intestine unchanged.

T.H. Anderson Wells reported in Lancet (February 16, 1918) that a preparation of colloidal silver was "used intravenously in a case of puerperal septicemia without any irritation of the kidneys and with no pigmentation of the skin."

Silver sulfadiazine (Silvadene, Marion Laboratories) is used in 70 percent of the burn centers in America; discovered by Dr. Charles Fox, Columbia, University, sulfadiazine has been used successfully to treat syphilis, cholera and malaria; it also stops the herpes virus responsible for "coldsores" and "fever blisters."

Silver is an anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal anti-metabolite that disables specific enzymes that microorganisms use for respiration. Silver is such an efficient anti-bactericidal that our "Great-grand mothers put silver dollars in fresh milk to keep it from spoiling at room temperature."

Humans can consume 400 mg of silver per day (as long as it is water-soluble). Silver "deficiency" results in an impaired immune system. In "The Body Electric", Robert Becker, M.D. identified a relationship between low levels of dietary silver and the rate of illness (flu, colds, etc.); he stated, "silver deficiency was responsible for the improper functioning of the immune system, and silver does more than just kill disease causing organisms; it was also causing major growth stimulation (another criteria for essentiality) of injured tissue." Human fibroblast cells were able to multiply at a great rate, producing large numbers of primitive, embryonic cells in wounds that are able to differentiate into whatever cell types that are necessary to heal the wound.

Dr. Bjorn Nordstrom, of the Karolinska Institute, Sweden, has used silver in his alternative cancer therapy programs.

According to Science Digest (Silver: Our Mightiest Germ Fighter. March 1978) silver is an antibiotic, silver kills over 650 disease causing organisms; resistant strains fail to develop; silver is absolutely non-toxic to humans at standard rates of consumption.
 

Even so, there is little evidence (from direct research) that silver is essential for any living organism, nor is it ranked among the more toxic trace elements. It occurs naturally in very low concentrations in soils, plants, and animal tissues, and can gain access to foods from silver-plated vessels, silver-lead solders, and silver foil used in decorating cakes and confectionary.

The fact that foods contain very little silver is supported by reports of nondetectable to less than a few nanograms of silver per gram of a variety of fruits and vegetables, and orange juice, the finding of only 10 ng silver per gram of fresh banana pulp, and the finding of 0.027 to 0.054 mg silver per liter (weighted average of 0.047 +or- 0.007 mg/liter) of cow's milk. Further support comes from the reported human dietary silver intakes of 27 ± 17 mcg/day (and <1.0 mcg/day.

The level of silver in normal human tissues is also very low. Hamilton et al. found the following mean values, expressed as micrograms of silver per gram fresh tissue: brain 0.004, kidneys 0.002, liver 0.006, lungs 0.002, lymph nodes 0.001, muscle 0.002, testis 0.002, and ovaries 0.002.

In a study of silver metabolism, rats were killed at various intervals after being given radiosilver intramuscularly, intravenously, and by stomach tube. Even when silver was administered intravenously or intramuscularly, by 4 days postdosing most of the administered silver (~93%) was excreted via the feces, with relatively little (~0.3%) appearing in the urine. Oral administration of silver did not result in any appreciable retention of radiosilver in tissues. By the fourth day, approximately 99% of the dose was excreted in the feces. The silver probably appeared in the feces via the bile. In an earlier investigation, Kent and McCance found negligible amounts of silver in human urine. Thus, silver apparently is poorly absorbed and is excreted mainly via the bile and feces.

Silver interacts metabolically with copper and selenium. In the rat, of the known dietary copper antagonists tested by Whanger and Weswig, silver was the strongest, with cadmium, molybdenum, zinc, and sulfate following in descending order. Hill et al. first showed that silver accentuated signs of copper deficiency, and that copper could reverse the silver toxicity signs of depressed growth, hemoglobin, and aorta elastin content and elevated mortality in chicks. Jensen and co-workers also found that the depressed growth rate, reduced packed cell volume, and cardiac enlargement induced in turkey poults and chicks by adding 900 mcg silver as acetate or nitrate per gram of practical diet could be prevented by 50 mcg copper per gram of diet. The growth retardation in chicks was only partially corrected, probably because of inadequate levels of selenium and vitamin E relative to the large amounts of silver. The manner in which silver interferes with copper metabolism is not clear. In the chick experiment of Peterson and Jensen, the high silver intake markedly depressed the copper levels in the tissues, which would suggest depressed copper absorption, but total copper excretion was apparently unaffected by the treatment. Furthermore, Van Campen observed very little effect of silver on 64CU uptake in the rat. Copper retention by liver was increased as dietary silver increased, but the copper retention of heart, kidneys, and spleen was not affected, and that of blood was decreased.

In 1951, Shaver and Mason reported that administering either silver nitrate or silver lactate in the drinking water promoted necrotic liver degeneration in vitamin E-deficient rats. Similarly, Dam et al. reported that 20 mcg silver as silver acetate per gram of diet promoted exudative diathesis in vitamin E-deficient chicks. To date, silver has been shown to accentuate or induce vitamin E-and selenium-type deficiency signs in chicks, rats, turkeys, pigs, and ducklings. Also, silver has been shown to alleviate selenium toxicity. The reason for the antagonistic relationship between silver and selenium is not clear. Suggested reasons include the following:

1. Because silver is easily reduced, it could initiate peroxidation and thus elevate the requirement for selenium and/or vitamin E.

 

2. Silver complexes with selenium to prevent the formation or function of the biologically active selenoenzyme, glutathione peroxidase.

 

NOTE: Some minerals like silver (also gold, platinum and cesium to name a few) have no recognized factor of essentiality at present. I do believe, however, that at some time in the future, research will probably show that these and other minerals like them will have signs of essentiality. Presently, these minerals show good therapeutic or medicinal value in overcoming sickness and some disease states.

 

When uses of silver are mentioned here, I am talking about silver that is water-soluble; that is, silver ions only in distilled ozonated water. This solution is clear and non-toxic.

Applications include oral (as a gargle for sore throat or sores in the mouth), topical, and nasal, in the ear, vaginal or as a spray to other sensitive tissues. Silver kills all disease-causing bacteria, fungus, and viruses within a few minutes of application, but leaves the friendly microbes unharmed. Many use a silver solution daily or at least at regular intervals to boost their immune system. The silver solution does not sting, burn or hurt even the most sensitive of body tissues.

Silver can be used on warts, open sores or wounds, or a rinse for acne, eczema or other skin irritations. It can be used vaginally as a cleansing antiseptic douche, rectally as a cleansing enema, or atomized and inhaled. Silver in the water-soluble form has been used by my family as an antiseptic eye rinse.

Silver has been noted to kill over 650 microbial disease-causing organisms. This is like having a broad-spectrum antibiotic at you disposal. A few drops of silver solution can be put on a Band-Aid and worn over warts, scrapes or cuts. You can dab the silver solution directly on eczema or other itchy areas, on acne, mosquito bites or any skin problems. You can even put 3 or 4 ounces of silver into you your shampoo and use it as an antiseptic, dandruff shampoo. It can also be used as a rinse after shampooing.

Additionally, silver can be put into your water dispensers to keep not only the water sterile but also keeps the spout clean. There will be no slime in the spout or in the bottom of your dispenser here. Silver can sterilize drinking water and help keep milk fresh longer. (NOTE: The pioneers who traveled west would put silver coins in their water barrels to keep the water from spoiling). Use about 1 teaspoonful of silver per gallon of water. You can also use silver as a food preservative in canning at about 1/4 teaspoonful per quart.

Why haven't we heard of silver mineral water before?

Perhaps we have and do not remember. For many years all hospitals were required by law to use silver nitrate solution in the eyes of newborn babies. This was to insure the baby's eyesight if the mother had Gonorrhea. After application the tissue around the eyes would be stained black for a few days giving evidence of silver's use. This method was very inexpensive. But, not wanting to leave well enough alone, the hospitals abandoned its use when antibiotics became widely used. The "antiquated" silver solutions were quietly shelved in favor of the broad-spectrum antibiotics. So much for progress.