Since the late 1800’s, Doctors have used Colloids of Silver to treat infections. These early, unstable and crudely made silver solutions were injected directly into the body, taken orally or applied topically. Remarkably, there were no significant side effects. Although these Silver Colloids were considered quite effective for treating many of the diseases of that time, Doctors slowly shifted from preparing their own medicines and began buying and prescribing the newer, ready-made Sulfa Drugs and Penicillin preparations offered by drug companies. Colloidal silver essentially disappeared from mainstream medicine for many years.

In the 1970’s Colloids of Silver were rediscovered when researchers sought to find effective treatments for infections on burn victims. Many antibiotics were tested, but researchers were led to trying Colloidal Silver and found that it had wonderful benefits and no side effects. Some silver colloids had been made by grinding silver finely into water as they had been nearly a century earlier, but a more effective Colloidal Silver was developed using an electrolysis process. This new technique produced a dispersion of much smaller particles at much lower concentrations of the Silver. These colloids did not cause Argyria, the graying of the skin once associated with the heavy doses of the earlier, cruder produced solutions. Today’s Colloidal Silver is gaining popularity because it is a natural substance having splendid antibiotic properties without side effects.

Colloidal silver is a dispersion of sub-microscopic particles of the metal silver in distilled water. The particles of silver remain suspended indefinitely. Common examples of colloids are smoke (a solid in a gas), mayonnaise (a liquid in a liquid) and foam (a gas in a liquid). The particles float in random motion somewhat like the dust in a sunbeam shinning through a window, yet do not gravitate down nor precipitate out, because of their small size.

Silver works as a natural antibiotic when finely divided. The important issue for germicidal efficacy in colloids of Silver, is that the particle size be extremely small, thus allowing a much larger surface area for a given weight of silver. The smaller the particles, the better the germicidal properties.

Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver has silver particles averaging less that 17 Billionths of a meter in radius and a concentration of 30 parts silver per million parts water. It is produced by a unique electrolysis process that flows electricity through two 99.99% pure silver electrodes suspended in steam distilled water. As the electricity flows from the negative electrode to the positive electrode, silver particles stream from the positive electrode and are evenly dispersed into the water.

According to the Homeopathic MD, who refers all his patients to Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver, it does not interfere with aromatherapy or homeopathic treatments. Although Colloidal Silver is not classified as a Homeopathic medicine it works as a natural antibiotic and is very useful when used in conjunction with Homeopathic programs.

Silver molecules attach to some types of single celled organisms at the enzyme receptor sites necessary for their respiration, therefore effectively preventing the pathogens from ‘breathing’. Colloidal Silver is effective against bacterial, fungal, yeast infections and is beneficial in treating some viral infections (see viral and AIDS question below for more detail). It will generally remove warts from any part of the body painlessly in a few days and is safe to use near the eyes and other sensitive tissues. It is safe to apply to the skin, eyes, ears, mouth, throat, nose, sinuses, or to be taken orally for systemic and digestive tract infections, inhaled into the lungs for bronchitis and lung infections, and can be applied to other sensitive tissues of the body without odor, stain or pain. It feels like water, even in the eyes. It should be noted that even water has a temporary sting in the eyes because the salinity isn’t the same as the tears of the eye. However, Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver certainly isn’t uncomfortable to use anywhere you would put water.

According to the Federal Government’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on silver, Silver is not toxic. That report also states that there are no targeted organs, nor is it carcinogenic. This means that silver does not accumulate in any particular organ in the body as do the toxic heavy metals Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, etc. The MSDS states that when test animals were fed silver, they passed it completely from their bodies within days of ingestion. This document includes LD results on mice and guinea pigs. The LD is the lowest dose that is toxic to the animal. When I calculated from this level to represent the toxic dose for a 150 pound human to take of Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver at 30 PPM, I concluded that an average sized human would have to drink 6,325 gallons a day to reach that same toxic level!!!! And even then they define "toxic" as causing a cosmetic effect known as Argyria.

Technically speaking, silver is categorized as a ‘heavy metal’ because it exceeds the maximum of 5.0 specific gravity of metals that defines the light from heavy metals. Silver has a specific gravity of 10.5. Although some heavy metals are toxic to humans not all of the heavy metals are toxic. This is the case of silver. So, when the newscast states that the heavy metal lead was found to be toxic, it shouldn’t be assumed that all heavy metals are like lead. It happens that silver falls on the periodic chart near toxic heavy metals and unknowing people state that heavy metals are harmful. It has been historically documented that some clay pots, Pewter and similar soft metal alloys containing Lead or Mercury should not be used for cooking and serving food. Even Aluminum has been blamed for illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease. Some metals are useful however; many people wear Copper bracelets and take shots of Gold powder for arthritis. Have you ever taken Iron or Zinc supplements?

If silver were toxic and indeed a dangerous substance to ingest, do you think that silverware and silver jewelry would be considered safe? If silver accumulates in our bodies why would silverware still be so commonplace and used as utensils and vessels for food and drink? Did you know that several foreign Airlines and cruise ships today use silver catalysts to purify the drinking water on board? Research has been performed on rats to monitor a measured dose of colloidal silver as it passed through their systems. Then all excrement was analyzed for silver; after as little as two weeks all the silver was accounted for in the animals excrement.

DOES Electro-Pure™ COLLOIDAL SILVER CONTAIN TRACES OF TOXIC HEAVY METALS?

Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver is produced using only certified 99.99% pure silver electrodes and pure steam distilled water. Therefore, there is no significant chance of contamination by any toxic heavy metals.

WILL IT UPSET THE NATURAL BACTERIA IN MY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM?

I have taken as much as a quart at once, which is an extremely heavy dose, just to test this and found no perceivable effect on my digestive system. Our research association has performed In Vitro studies of commercial Pro-Biotic products containing 8 of the essential bacterial strains and the colloidal silver had no effect on these important bacteria. On the other hand, I have rarely taken, nor given to my two children, Allopathic Antibiotics that did not cause diarrhea and secondary infections such as yeast infections. My wife and I used to joke that when we went to the Super-X to get the children Antibiotics we would also have to go over to Krogers to get a tub of yogurt. The yogurt we used to re-establish their normal digestive bacteria and treat my daughter's yeast infection that would always occur as a side effect of the antibiotic.

Due to the fact that silver is not toxic nor does it accumulate in target organs, there have been no reported cases of overdose. I personally have drunk as much as a quart at once and taken orally nearly 7 gallons over the past year with no side effects. I also have had a complete blood panel performed and it showed no metals out of the ordinary. A month later, I had a complete eye exam that, according to the Ophthalmologist, would have shown flecks of silver deposited in my retinas if I had accumulated silver in my body. He stated both eyes were perfectly normal. At the end of 1997, I had a hair analysis performed and elevated levels of silver were apparent, thus indicating that the silver was passing out of my body through normal pathways. The poison control center considers it not a poison and with no danger of overdose, even when a toddler drank nearly the whole 4 ounce bottle of Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver.

A few rare individuals experience irritation and get a rash when they wear silver jewelry such as rings or pierced earrings. For that reason it is not recommended for those individuals to use colloids of silver just as they avoid silver jewelry but wear platinum or gold instead. Also, if for any reason you experience a rash, fever, or itching while taking this product, it is advised that you discontinue use until the source of the irritation can be determined.

DOES COLLOIDAL SILVER INTERFERE WITH ALLOPATHIC MEDICATIONS?

There have been no reports of interference with chemical medicines to date, however new medicines are developed every day, and the possibility exists that a conflict could occur. We advise you to ask your pharmacist, but be prepared for negative attitudes and seek a second opinion from a non biased homeopathic physician familiar with the product.

IS IT SAFE FOR DIABETICS?

I know of several diabetics who routinely use this product to prevent infections and illness, with no side effects nor conflict with their insulin program, and I have not found any reports of such problems.

Argyria is the term used to identify a graying of the skin and sclera of the eyes, (white of the eye) sometimes associated with massive doses of the crudely prepared silver proteins and compounds. Apparently, silver proteins and other compounds of silver, attach to tissues and accumulate in the body. This side effect has not occurred with modern electro-processed pure silver colloids. All the cases of Argyria I have found were caused by compounds of silver containing nitrates, proteins, sulfur or were made by poorly controlled chemical methods utilizing the destruction of silver in caustic acids and bases. Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver is made electrically and is pure Silver and water.

Some compounds of silver were approved by the FDA in the 1930’s. These products were not pure silver, but were silver containing salts, nitrates, sulfur compounds and silver proteins. Some silver products advertise they are FDA registered because of their possessing a NDC registration number. When I contacted the FDA’s Ms. Roma Egli, she stated, "the NDC number is merely a number assigned for application of a product". To further clarify the FDA’s position, she referred me to the Code of Federal Regulations Title 21, Chapter 1, Part 207, Sec. 207.39.

"Registration of a drug establishment or drug wholesaler, or assignment of a registration number, or assignment of a NDC number does not in any way denote approval of the firm or its products. Any representation that creates an impression of official approval because of registration or possession of registration number or NDC number is misleading and constitutes misbranding."

The FDA only on rare occasion approves products for OTC (Over The Counter) sales. The FDA regards pure silver colloids to be categorized as mineral supplements. The FDA is concerned about un-proven claims on the label that state it cures specific diseases such as AIDS, or cancer and therefore they consider these OTC mineral supplement products to be misbranded. It should also be noted that much of the rulings on silver as a medicine are based on compounds of silver. Ionic forms of silver can be compounds which are manufactured by chemical means resulting in silver salts, mild silver proteins, nitrates, sulfates, etc. and are often not suitable for internal use. Electro-Pure™ Colloidal Silver is manufactured by electrolysis and is pure silver and pure water.

As with all preparations, herbal, Allopathic, Homeopathic or supplemental, the dose should be in proportion to body weight. Since it isn’t toxic, and you can’t overdose on it. One plus for Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver is that it is virtually tasteless and does not burn when applied to sensitive tissues, therefore it is easy and safe to administer even to infants. Pregnant women should always consult with their Homeopathic physician concerning dosage and treatment with any substance.

Unlike many hyped-up sellers of silver colloids, Electro-Pure ^TM readily admits that some individuals and certain types of diseases do not respond to treatment with Silver Colloids. One explanation is that there are some anaerobic pathogens that are resistant to silver. It is unfortunate that there are individuals selling colloidal silver that claim that it works for everything and everyone the same. However, I am beginning to believe that many of these cases could have seen good results if only the dose had been increased or a high quality product had been taken.

Most common colloids are affected by freezing. Milk and latex paint are perfect examples of colloids and when frozen the solid material separates from the water portion. Most silver colloids sold today will state that freezing is detrimental to their product. For a while I went along with the crowd, but one day I had a customer call and express concern that her order had remained in the mail box at her home on Beaver Island, Minnesota overnight in sub zero weather. I suggested she allow it to thaw and then inspect it. We were both surprised that it had not separated. This lead me to wonder if for some reason my product was different from all the others. Since then we have performed several of the usual In Vitro tests on thawed solutions and found that the efficacy against bacteria and yeast cultures was unaffected.

Some people have experienced amazing results with taking only a few drops a day. However, a much greater proportion of colloid is needed to obtain similar results in our In Vitro tests. Something seems to be taking place in the human body that makes this difference. One reasonable hypothesis is that since silver has been detected in human Thymus and Tonsil glands, that it is an essential mineral to the immune system. Another idea is that silver will assist our immune system by directly killing some of pathogens. This might also explain the increased energy level and the reduced need for sleep that many experience when taking colloidal silver solutions.

I personally do not know of any scientific tests that prove Colloidal silver can kill viruses, since viruses are not even alive in the very sense of the word. However, since some viruses reproduce by injecting their RNA into bacterial hosts that then replicate and produce more viruses instead of bacteria, it would seem likely that Colloidal Silver would at least slow the spread of the virus by interfering with the bacterial hosts. However, a point to ponder, is that I have many reports that colds, flu, warts and fever blisters were quickly eliminated by using Colloidal Silver. These infections and skin disorders are all caused by viruses!

I have heard reports of AIDS patients getting great relief from the secondary bacterial infections, rashes, and pneumonia, by using Colloidal Silver, BUT THEY DID NOT TEST FREE FROM THE HIV VIRUS. However, the HIV-AIDS relationship has been challenged for over a decade. These challenges bring up questions concerning the actual cause of the AIDS syndrome. Since the virus itself doesn’t kill the infected individual, but usually pneumonia or some other non-viral infection, then it would appear that taking Colloidal Silver might possibly prolong their life.

Over the five years that I have made Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver, tests indict that it remains stable and with good antibiotic properties.

The sub-microscopic particles of silver in colloidal silver will react quickly with chlorine, bromine, iodine, salt and other disinfecting agents commonly added to city drinking water. Although the resulting reaction products are not toxic, they do render the Silver less effective against bacteria. Therefore, mixing with other solutions should be avoided. At only 30 PPM silver, Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver has a slight metallic taste that most people do not even notice, so there is little sense in diluting it.

It is fine to apply to your eyes and generally gives rapid healing of minor eye infections such as conjunctivitis and sties. It does not sting or cause discomfort to apply to your eyes any more that does water.

I do not have data on safeness to contact lenses. I know silver will accumulate over time on glass and plastic, and it may deposit on contact lens surfaces. Therefore, we recommend removing contacts before use.

Metallic Silver is affected by ultraviolet light, which may produce a change in the color or in the smokiness of the solution. Many Colloidal silver manufacturers recommend that you not leave the bottle in sunny locations or near florescent lights. However, In Vitro studies of Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver showed little loss of effectiveness after exposure to light. No special needs for storage are necessary, so just keep it in your medicine cabinet or your purse.

Colloidal silver is just as effective on animals of all sorts as it is on humans. I have even used it to treat my tropical fish for bacterial and fungal diseases. Of course, the dosage needs to be adjusted for larger animals such as horses and cows.

I have seen some benefits preventing fungal diseases on my roses, even this summer with all the rain. My sugar maple tree, which was infected with the always fatal Anthracnose viral disease, has begun to recover nicely with the application of about two gallons of my leftover solution to its rootzone. I am presently researching treating an ‘incurable’ (according to VPI) disease of raspberries on a truck farm in Nelson county, but it is too early in the experiment to determine the value of this treatment.

DOES IT HELP ALLERGIES?

The Allergy symptoms associated with hay fever usually create an ideal environment for secondary bacterial infections due to the excess mucous and drainage. Because of this, taking colloidal silver can be helpful to allergy sufferers. My son will sometimes take about two ounces in the morning to stop his sneezing and runny nose all day long. Skin rashes that are caused by allergic reactions sometimes become exacerbated with a bacterial infection, which colloidal silver applied topically will generally relieve. Another report that Colloidal silver may help prevent allergies is from an associate who says he normally has a nasal drip if he drinks milk or eats milk products. However, if he takes one ounce of colloidal silver two to three times a day, this drainage is prevented. Albeit, this may be an expensive treatment, but when the lack of side effects is factored into the ‘cost’, it may prove very appealing used as an ‘anti-histamine’.

HOW MUCH DO I TAKE? IS THERE A RECOMMENDED DOSE?

Peoples’ responses vary a great deal with different ailments. Therefore, a certain amount of experimentation and learning to listen to our bodies is necessary. Some people adjust the dose to the severity of the ailment. But, since Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver is not toxic and you cannot overdose, you might base your dose with these reported extremes: A Dr. in California prescribed only 3 drops taken twice a day to a 200 pound patient for a chronic stomach disorder. This is about 1/16 of a teaspoon a day. This tiny dose worked wonders. On the other end of the scale was the man (165 lbs) that took 2-3 ounces for his allergy to milk products. So, a good range to consider might be from a few drops a day to as much as a few tablespoons, increasing the dose until you feel better.

Many sellers of colloids of silver have made claims that their products will be damaged if they are exposed to certain influences such as electromagnetic fields, X-rays, or microwaves. We performed a battery of treatments, including boiling, freezing, micro-waving, X-raying, exposure to metal detectors, electric motors, fluorescent lights, sunshine, television sets and computer monitors, and a powerful permanent magnet. We then performed tests for color, PPM silver and germicidal potency and found Electro-Pure ^TM Colloidal Silver to be unaffected.