Natural-Immunogenics News

Consumer Advisory on Colloidal Silver - Nothing New - Sovereign Silver Not One of the Dirty Dozen

Date: August 03, 2010

On August 2, 2010, ConsumerReports.org released a list of 12 supplements it claims you should avoid. Among those listed was “Colloidal silver (ionic silver, native silver, Silver in suspending agent).” Our products, Sovereign Silver^® and Argentyn 23^®, are classified as silver hydrosols, not as ionic silver, native silver, nor silver in a suspending agent. Sovereign Silver^® and Argentyn 23^® do not contain forms of silver referenced by Consumer Reports or the FDA (21 CFR 310.548 of August 17, 1999).

While Consumer Reports tries to remain unbiased in its recent publication, they neglect to distinguish safer forms of silver, such as silver hydrosol or homeopathic silver. The American Chemical Society (ACS) identifies a silver hydrosol, unique to Natural Immunogenics, with its own Chemical Abstract Service Registration Number (CASRN).

The report references the October 2009 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alert, which warns of the accumulation of excess silver in the skin, resulting in a benign cosmetic condition known as argyria: “The FDA would like to bring to your attention (…) the risk of argyria associated with the use of dietary supplements that contain silver compounds…” The FDA acknowledges that the real concern with silver ingestion comes strictly from silver compounds, such as silver nitrate, silver acetate, and silver chloride. Unfortunately, manufactured colloidal silvers may inadvertently contain particles neutralized by compounding them with other elements, such as salts or proteins (e.g. mild silver proteins). Unlike these colloidal silvers referenced in the advisory, silver hydrosol contains no compounds, only positively charged silver particles (Ag_(n)¹⁺) suspended in pharmaceutical-grade purified water, which preserves the functional, bio-active form of the hydrosol.

Consumer Reports lists kidney damage as another possible danger from colloidal silver consumption. This fails to consider the normal detoxification pathway for the metabolism and elimination of ingested silver - the liver - which leads to excretion as solid waste through the colon.¹ The kidneys filter salts. The medical literature clearly identifies silver salts associated with toxicity and potential injury of the kidneys.

The suggested label dose of Sovereign Silver^® remains below 350mcg/day, which is the safe daily reference dose (RfD) acknowledged by the FDA, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),² and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR).

What causes argyria (bluing of the skin)? Peer reviewed published literature on the subject identifies silver compounds (silver salts) as its cause,^3,4,5 not isolated silver nanoparticles. High concentration (high PPM, or parts per million) colloidal silvers often contain protein or salt compounds.⁶

Expert reports, including one from the former Science Assistant to the Associate Bureau Director for Toxicology at the FDA, acknowledge the safety of our silver hydrosols (see http://sovereignsilver.com/pdf/Dr_Flavin_SS.pdf). Additional information on silver safety/toxicity from the EPA can be found at www.silvermedicine.org.

¹ Rentz EJ. Viral Pathogens and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Oligodynamic Ag+ for Direct Immune Intervention. Journal of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (June 2003) 13(2), 109-118.

² US Environmental Protection Agency. Silver CASRN 7440-22-4: Reference dose for chronic oral exposure (RfD). Washington, DC 1991.

³ Brandt D, Park B, Hoang M, Jacobe HT. Argyria secondary to ingestion of homemade silver solution. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2005;53(2)1:105-107.

⁴ Stillians AW. Argyria. Archives of Dermatology and Syphilology 1937;35:67-77.

⁵ Becker SW, Ritchie EB. Argyria following excessive use of silver arsphenamine. JAMA 1931;97:389-390.

⁶ Hill WR, Pillsbury DM. Proprietary Silver Compounds. In: Argyria: The Pharmacology of Silver. Baltimore, MD: The Williams & Wilkins Co., 1939:169-172.

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