An article: Colloidal Silver and Argyria

[Guest guest]

I found this one today. It doesn't say what brands of colloidal silver each

of the 3 people took, though it does give amounts in volume and the time

periods they used CS. I guess this validates the conclusion of the article

by Mark Metcalf and his point about snake oil hucksters.

I have to agree there should be some form of standardization and better

consumer education.

I found a small reference to the Cutis article referenced at the Carlson

Labs website: http://www.carlsonlabs.com/pdf/july-august2001.pdf

Apparently the 56 year old man with argyria also sold CS products and he

took 200 ppm silver 3 times daily (for at least one 1 year if the abstract

below is correct.)

Argyria reported in colloidal silver user. A 56-year-old man who had sold

and used colloidal silver for three years developed blue/gray discoloration

of his fingernails accompanied by a very high blood level of silver.

[Gulbranson SH and others. Argyria following the use of dietary supplements

containing colloidal silver protein. Cutis 66:373-375, 2000.] Argyria is a

condition in which silver salts deposit in the skin, eyes, and internal

organs, and the skin turns ashen-gray. Many cases occurred during the

pre-antibiotic era when silver was a common ingredient in nosedrops. When

the cause became apparent, doctors stopped recommending their use, and

reputable manufacturers stopped producing them. The FDA has banned the use

of colloidal silver or silver salts in nonprescription products, but many

people are selling them under the pretense that they are " dietary

supplements. "

To get to the article online, you have to have a password. There is a free

trial until June 28 and you can sign up for one or if you want to email me,

I will send it to you. And now I am done.

ine in SC

I found the article on the Emergency Medicine Reports website under

Specialty Articles.

Clinical Abstracts: Colloidal Silver and Argyria

Publication: Alternative Therapies in Women's Health

Alternative Therapies in Women's Health May 1, 2001

Clinical Abstracts: Colloidal Silver and Argyria

Price: $5.00

Summary: May 2001; Volume 3; 33-36

http://www.ahcpub.com/online.html

Alternative Therapies in Women's Health May 1, 2001

Clinical Abstracts

Colloidal Silver and Argyria

With Comments by e Fugh-Berman, MD

Promoters of colloidal silver have claimed that no cases of argyria have

been linked with the colloidal form. While that may well have been true at

the earliest stages of marketing (the condition takes months or years to

develop), that claim can no longer be made. A 35-year-old woman presented

with typical blue-gray discoloration of skin and nail beds after ingesting

mild colloidal silver protein (25 mcg/tsp) for one year;1 in another case a

38-year-old woman presented with a blue-gray facial discoloration after

ingesting an unspecified form of colloidal silver (1/4 cup tid for eight

months) in an effort to treat Lyme disease with this " natural " antibiotic.2

Neither patient had other complications. In the third case, a 55-year-old

man who had been taking a teaspoon of colloidal silver tid for three years

in an effort to treat allergies also developed argyria.3

The first sign of argyria is often a slate-blue or silver line in the

gingiva. The grayish hue that characterizes argyria is a combination of

silver deposits and melanin pigmentation; silver stimulates melanocytes.

Discoloration often is more pronounced in sun-exposed areas, as light

reduces silver. Argyria is unattractive but the dermatological form is

otherwise benign. However, rare cases of silver deposition in internal

organs have been reported; neurological deficits may result but are

extremely rare.

Argyria is irreversible; chelation therapy with B A L or D-penicillamine has

been ineffective. Intradermal injection with 6% sodium thiosulfate or 1%

potassium ferrocyanide occasionally has resulted in successful local

reversal, but this is not practical for large areas of discoloration.4

References

1. Kim CS. Argyria secondary to chronic ingestion of colloidal silver. Clin

Toxicol 2000;38:552.

2. Newman M, Kolecki P. Argyria in the emergency department. Clin Toxicol

2000;38:553.

3. Gulbranson SH, et al. Argyria following the use of dietary supplements

containing colloidal silver protein. Cutis 2000;66:373-374.

4. Fung MC, Bowen DL. Silver products for medical indications: Risk-benefit

assessment. Clin Toxicol 1996;34: 119-126.

Published: May 01, 2001

http://www.emreports.com/articles/Issues_Abstracts/2001/atwh05012001a.html

Info on e Fugh-Berman:

http://www.lifetimetv.com/health/features/altmed2_4-17-00.html

[Guest guest]

Both of these sources refer to " colloidal silver protein " form that is much

different from pure, electrically produced colloidal silver.

Roman

Food From Afar wrote:

> I found this one today. It doesn't say what brands of colloidal silver each

> of the 3 people took, though it does give amounts in volume and the time

> periods they used CS. I guess this validates the conclusion of the article

> by Mark Metcalf and his point about snake oil hucksters.

> I have to agree there should be some form of standardization and better

> consumer education.

>

> I found a small reference to the Cutis article referenced at the Carlson

> Labs website: http://www.carlsonlabs.com/pdf/july-august2001.pdf

> Apparently the 56 year old man with argyria also sold CS products and he

> took 200 ppm silver 3 times daily (for at least one 1 year if the abstract

> below is correct.)

> Argyria reported in colloidal silver user. A 56-year-old man who had sold

> and used colloidal silver for three years developed blue/gray discoloration

> of his fingernails accompanied by a very high blood level of silver.

> [Gulbranson SH and others. Argyria following the use of dietary supplements

> containing colloidal silver protein. Cutis 66:373-375, 2000.] Argyria is a

> condition in which silver salts deposit in the skin, eyes, and internal

> organs, and the skin turns ashen-gray. Many cases occurred during the

> pre-antibiotic era when silver was a common ingredient in nosedrops. When

> the cause became apparent, doctors stopped recommending their use, and

> reputable manufacturers stopped producing them. The FDA has banned the use

> of colloidal silver or silver salts in nonprescription products, but many

> people are selling them under the pretense that they are " dietary

> supplements. "

>

> To get to the article online, you have to have a password. There is a free

> trial until June 28 and you can sign up for one or if you want to email me,

> I will send it to you. And now I am done.

> ine in SC

>

> I found the article on the Emergency Medicine Reports website under

> Specialty Articles.

>

> Clinical Abstracts: Colloidal Silver and Argyria

> Publication: Alternative Therapies in Women's Health

> Alternative Therapies in Women's Health May 1, 2001

> Clinical Abstracts: Colloidal Silver and Argyria

> Price: $5.00

> Summary: May 2001; Volume 3; 33-36

> http://www.ahcpub.com/online.html

>

> Alternative Therapies in Women's Health May 1, 2001

> Clinical Abstracts

> Colloidal Silver and Argyria

> With Comments by e Fugh-Berman, MD

>

> Promoters of colloidal silver have claimed that no cases of argyria have

> been linked with the colloidal form. While that may well have been true at

> the earliest stages of marketing (the condition takes months or years to

> develop), that claim can no longer be made. A 35-year-old woman presented

> with typical blue-gray discoloration of skin and nail beds after ingesting

> mild colloidal silver protein (25 mcg/tsp) for one year;1 in another case a

> 38-year-old woman presented with a blue-gray facial discoloration after

> ingesting an unspecified form of colloidal silver (1/4 cup tid for eight

> months) in an effort to treat Lyme disease with this " natural " antibiotic.2

> Neither patient had other complications. In the third case, a 55-year-old

> man who had been taking a teaspoon of colloidal silver tid for three years

> in an effort to treat allergies also developed argyria.3

>

> The first sign of argyria is often a slate-blue or silver line in the

> gingiva. The grayish hue that characterizes argyria is a combination of

> silver deposits and melanin pigmentation; silver stimulates melanocytes.

> Discoloration often is more pronounced in sun-exposed areas, as light

> reduces silver. Argyria is unattractive but the dermatological form is

> otherwise benign. However, rare cases of silver deposition in internal

> organs have been reported; neurological deficits may result but are

> extremely rare.

>

> Argyria is irreversible; chelation therapy with B A L or D-penicillamine has

> been ineffective. Intradermal injection with 6% sodium thiosulfate or 1%

> potassium ferrocyanide occasionally has resulted in successful local

> reversal, but this is not practical for large areas of discoloration.4

>

> References

>

> 1. Kim CS. Argyria secondary to chronic ingestion of colloidal silver. Clin

> Toxicol 2000;38:552.

>

> 2. Newman M, Kolecki P. Argyria in the emergency department. Clin Toxicol

> 2000;38:553.

>

> 3. Gulbranson SH, et al. Argyria following the use of dietary supplements

> containing colloidal silver protein. Cutis 2000;66:373-374.

>

> 4. Fung MC, Bowen DL. Silver products for medical indications: Risk-benefit

> assessment. Clin Toxicol 1996;34: 119-126.

>

> Published: May 01, 2001

> http://www.emreports.com/articles/Issues_Abstracts/2001/atwh05012001a.html

>

> Info on e Fugh-Berman:

> http://www.lifetimetv.com/health/features/altmed2_4-17-00.html

>

>

>