FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
KWICKSILVER COLLOIDAL SILVER MAKER --
- About our instruments
- Is it safe?
- How long has silver been used as a germ fighter?
- How much research has been done on colloidal silver?
- How does it work?
- What is colloidal silver
- How does Colloidal silver compare to antibiotics?
- What are Colloidal Silver's uses?
- Can Animals and Plants benefit?
- Facts and Fallacies
- How much Colloidal Silver should a person take per day?
Isolated Colloidal Silver is an excellent agent for health.
It is NOT, however, the elixir of life, not a miracle cure nor
the answer to every problem facing health.
To be fair to antibiotics, countless people have been successfully
treated and lives saved. Colloidal Silver is not intended as
a direct replacement for antibiotics, although it has been successfully
used therapeutically by qualified "Natural Therapists"
and as a supplementary and preventative alternative --often when
standard medicine failed!
About our instruments
Our Colloidal Silver Maker is a constant current device capable
of sensing the accumulation of colloidal silver as it is being
processed.
The Kwicksilver Colloidal Silver maker has eleven indicator
lights. Ten of the lights are red progress indicators. As the
colloidal silver content in the solution increases the indicators
incrementally advance. Unlike multiple 9-volt battery machines
when our device senses that the solution has reached a maximum
of 13 to 15 ppm it automatically shuts itself off and illuminates
the green indicator to let you know the solution is ready. Our
instruments are designed and calibrated never to go over 15ppm
and can be special ordered for even smaller concentrations The
red indicator lights will light up one at a time during the process
until the solution is ready.
When the instrument has completed its cycle the green indicator
light will turn on indicating the colloidal silver is ready and
at a concentration of 13-15ppm. Unlike multiple 9-volt battery
machines our instrument is now off and does not continue to produce
solution.
Is it safe?
Yes. High quality, electronically produced ionic Colloidal
Silver is very safe!
Are there any side effects?
There are no known harmful side effects. Occasionally, a slight
feeling of "unwellness" is encountered when first taken.
This symptom is attributed to the extra number of pathogens eliminated
from the body.
Medication does not seem to be affected by Colloidal Silver,
which may actually work synergistically with some medicines.
Tests have shown that around 95% or more excess silver is
eliminated within 24 hours -- unlike antibiotics that "linger"
in the body for much longer and can cause damage to the liver
and to important enzymes. Also, friendly internal flora (the
bacteria that lives in the gut), may get seriously depleted by
prolonged antibiotic use, leading to problems caused by the imbalance.
Colloidal Silver, however, is absorbed before it reaches the
large intestine when a normal maintenance dose is taken.
The only condition attributed to excessive intake of silver
is Argyria ("blue-blood"). The greyish skin complexion
is caused by ingestion of large silver particles and/or silver
compounds - usually from continuous use of silver cutlery and
utensils. Known as the "Nobleman's disease," from which
the expression "blue-blooded" was derived, this harmless
condition is rarely seen today. There are no known instances
of modern, high quality commercially produced electrolytic Colloidal
Silver causing Argyria.
How long has silver been used as a
germ fighter?
American physicians used Colloidal Silver for over 100 years.
It is still listed in the Doctors Educational Materials (dated
1915) as the "best application for the treatment of various
infectious agents".
The overuse of modern drug-based antibiotics has created resistant
strains of bacteria. In 1999 alone, over 50,000 people in the
US died from the failure of these antibiotics. Colloidal Silver
kills these bacteria.
Silver is mentioned in the Bible. Royalty carried water in
silver vessels in the belief that this water would help them
maintain their health. Before refrigeration a silver dollar was
placed in containers of milk to maintain freshness. Silver was
the primary antibiotic used by the wealthy before the advent
of penicillin in 1938.
How much research has been done on
Colloidal Silver?
Silver has been used as a germicide for thousands of years.
Ancient texts, including Pliny the Elder's great tome, Natural
History, Book 23 (78 A.D.) discusses the extraordinary wound
healing capacity of silver slag as an ingredient in plasters.
The German obstetrician, Franz Crede, observed in 1884 that up
to 79% of blind children in various orphanages and institutions
were born to mothers who, at the time of the child's birth, had
venereal disease. He found that a 1% solution of silver nitrate
dropped into the eyes of newborns reduced the incidence of VD
caused blindness to less than 0.2%.
In 1988, Colloidal Silver was tested at the UCLA Medical Laboratory.
The UCLA report stated that " The silver solutions were
antibacterial for concentrations of 1 million organisms per ml
of Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus [which in now
resistant to Vancomycin, the strongest pharmaceutical antibiotic
available] , Neisseria gonorrhea, Gardnerella Vaginalis, Salmonella
Typhi [responsible for salmonella food poisoning and Typhus],
and other enteric pathogens; and fungicidal for Candida albicans
[the common yeast infection, in vaginitis and Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome], Candida globata, and M. Furfur."
Dr Robert Becker, M.D., author of The Body Electric and Crosscurrents
found that silver caused cells to dedifferentiate and re-differentiate
in the process of regenerative healing. " What we had actually
done was rediscovered the fact that silver killed bacteria, which
had been known for centuries...when antibiotics were discovered,
clinical uses for silver as an antibiotic were discarded,"
Becker said in a 1995 interview with Bio/Tech News.
Dr Becker conducted extensive research into the healing properties
of silver for many years at the Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse
University, Syracuse, New York. The experiments concluded that
silver works on a wide range of bacteria, without any known side
effects or damage to the cells of the body. Becker discovered
that the silver was doing something more than just killing disease-causing
organisms: He said it was also causing major growth stimulation
of injured tissues. Dr. Becker concluded that the presence of
the silver ions might help to regenerate tissue, eliminate old
or cancerous cells, and other diseased or abnormal tissue conditions.
Dr. Henry Crooks (author, Use of Colloids in Health Disease)
found that silver in the colloidal state is highly germicidal,
quite harmless to humans and absolutely non-toxic. From his bacteriological
experiments with silver he concluded, "I know of no microbe
that is not killed in laboratory experiments in six minutes."
Dr. Bjorn Nordenstrom, of the Larolinska Institute, Sweden,
has successfully used silver as a component in his cancer treatments
for many years. Dr. Leonard Keene Hirschberg, A. M., M. D. (John
Hopkins) states, "Speaking generally, the colloidal metals
are especially remarkable for their beneficial action in infective
states."
Dr. Richard L. Davies, executive director of the Silver Institute,
which monitors silver technology in 37 countries, reports: "In
four years we've described 87 important new medical uses for
silver. We're just beginning to see to what extent silver can
relieve suffering."
Finally, Peter Lindemann reports in his 1997 article, Colloidal
Silver, A Closer Look that a study conducted in part by the Institute
of Microbiology in Rome, Italy and published in Applied and Environmental
Microbiology (Dec. 1992), stated that "Pure electro-colloidal
silver out- performed silver nitrate, silver chloride, and silver
sulfadiazine as a broad spectrum germicide. For all classes of
bacteria, fungus, and mold samples tested, pure electro-colloidal
silver worked better, and at much lower concentrations. They
concluded that any additives reduced the effectiveness of the
pure silver ion; the silver salts being as much as 100 times
less effective."
How does it work?
By attaching itself to a vital oxygen metabolizing enzyme
found in single-celled Bacteria, Viruses and Fungi, Colloidal
Silver ions disable the offending pathogen within a few minutes
preventing it from reproducing. The ionic silver essentially
"chokes" both Fungi and Internal Parasites (which use
eggs to reproduce) when they enter a one-celled state during
their reproduction cycle thus killing the pathogen.
According to the World Health Organization (W.H.O) 1 in 3
persons in the Western World has Internal Parasites!
Many studies seem to reflect that Colloidal Silver may work
as a broad-spectrum antibiotic. While most antibiotics are effective
against about a half-dozen disease-causing organisms (germs,
bacteria, fungi, parasites and some viruses), silver is believed
effective against over 650 organisms. Colloidal Silver is tasteless
and non-toxic to living tissue when taken orally or applied externally.
Richard Davies and Samuel Etris of The Silver Institute, in
a 1996 monograph entitled The Development and Functions of Silver
in Water Purification and Disease Control, discuss three mechanisms
of deactivation that silver utilizes to incapacitate disease
causing organisms. They are Catalytic Oxidation, Reaction with
Cell Membranes, and Binding with the DNA of disease organisms
to prevent unwinding.
Catalytic Oxidation:
Silver, in its atomic state, has the capacity to absorb oxygen
and act as a catalyst to bring about oxidation. Atomic (nascent)
oxygen absorbed onto the surface of silver ions in solution will
readily react with the sulfhydryl (-S-H) groups surrounding the
surface of bacteria or viruses to remove the hydrogen atoms (as
water), causing the sulfur atoms to form an R-S-S-R bond; blocking
respiration and causing the bacteria to expire. Employing a simple
catalytic reduction/oxidation reaction, Colloidal Silver will
react with any negative charge presented by the organism's transport
or membrane proteins and deactivate them.
Reaction with Bacterial
Cell Membranes:
There is evidence that silver ions attach to membrane surface
radicals of bacteria, impairing cell respiration and blocking
its energy transfer system. One explanation is based on the nature
of enzyme construction: specific enzymes are required for a given
biochemical activity to take place. Enzyme molecules usually
require a specific metallic atom as part of the molecular matrix
in order to function. A metal of higher valance can replace a
metal of lower valance in the enzyme complex, preventing the
enzyme from functioning normally. Silver, with a valance of plus
2, can replace many metals with a lower, or equal valance that
exhibit weaker atomic bonding properties.
Binding with DNA:
Studies by C.L. Fox and S.M. Modak with Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
a tenacious bacteria that is difficult to treat, demonstrated
that as much as 12% of silver is taken up by the organism's DNA.
While it remains unclear exactly how the silver binds to the
DNA without destroying the hydrogen bonds holding the lattice
together, it nevertheless prevents the DNA from unwinding, an
essential step for cellular replication to occur.
What does Colloidal Silver do?
Many studies seem to reflect that Colloidal Silver may work
as a broad-spectrum antibiotic. While most antibiotics are effective
against about a half-dozen disease-causing organisms (germs,
bacteria, fungi, parasites and some viruses), silver is believed
effective against over 650 organisms. Colloidal Silver is tasteless,
non-toxic to living tissue and can be taken orally or applied
externally.
What is Colloidal Silver used for?
It is a germ killer which can be used internally by oral ingestion,
intramuscularly injection or intravenous injection. It can also
be applied topically by sprayer or just rubbed on. It can be
sprayed nasally. It can be dropped in the nose, eyes or ears.
It has been shown to kill germs including bacteria, viruses,
yeast, mold, fungus and parasites. Clorox will do the same thing.
If Clorox were not toxic to the human body, it could be a miracle
drug, as could several other substances such as hydrogen peroxide,
which is quite effective as a topical.
What does the term Colloid mean and
why is it used with so many types of silver products?
What does the term "Colloidal Silver" mean?
The term colloid was first used in 1861 by Thomas Graham,
and is greek for "glue". A colloid refers to tiny particles
suspended in any medium, typically a liquid or gel. Particles
are usually sized between 1 - 1000 nanometers in diameter. Colloidal
Silver technically does not refer to silver ions or complex compounds
in ionic form ( aqueous solutions, dissolved solids, etc. ).
However, the term "Colloidal Silver" has truly lost
its scientific meaning, and should be considered a generic term
for health products containing silver in a fluid medium. A statement
that a substance is "Colloidal Silver" is not nearly
enough information to gauge the type of product being offered.
What is the basic information on Colloidal
Silver?
Colloidal Silver is a pure, all natural substance consisting
of distilled water and submicroscopic clusters of the mineral
silver. A non-chemical process manufactures Colloidal Silver
where the microscopic particles of silver are held in suspension
by an electromagnetic charge placed on each particle.
So what is Colloidal Silver?
Colloidal Silver is defined as a very small particle of silver,
.01 to .005 microns in diameter (four hundred thousandths to
twenty millionths of an inch), suspended in a liquid medium.
It is most commonly produced today by passing an electrical current
over a couple of silver electrodes immersed in distilled water.
This process forms an electrical current in the liquid medium
causing silver particles to become suspended in the water. The
particles are so small that one billion would fit into a cube
four one hundredth of an inch in size. Colloidal Silver is also
an electrical colloid meaning the silver particles have a positive
electrical charge. Because of the small particle size and electrical
charge, the particles repel each other and thus theoretically
stay suspended in the water .
A powerful germicidal, silver is an exceptional metal in that
it is non-toxic to the human body, but lethal to over 650 disease
causing bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and molds.
How does Colloidal Silver compare to
antibiotics?
Colloidal Silver is known to kill 650 pathogens. Compare this
figure to the half-dozen or so that antibiotics manage (antibiotics
are ineffective against viruses)!
Another important aspect - bacteria does not develop "silver
resistance" unlike the many antibiotic-resistant bacterial
strains seen today.
Conventional pharmaceutical antibiotics are typically effective
against only 6 or 7 types of bacteria. Some new strains of bacteria
classified as MDR (Multiple Drug Resistant) have proven to be
resistant to all pharmaceutical antibiotics, but not to Colloidal
Silver due to different germicidal mechanisms of deactivation
To be fair to antibiotics, countless people have been successfully
treated and lives saved. Colloidal Silver is not intended as
a direct replacement for antibiotics, although it has been successfully
used therapeutically by qualified "Natural Therapists"
and as a supplementary and preventative alternative - often when
standard medicine failed!
IMPORTANT - Always complete
a prescribed course of antibiotics.
What are Colloidal Silver's uses?
Some of the most popular uses are:
As a Food Supplement
-- Intensive farming has greatly depleted the soil's mineral
and "trace element" content and is reflected in the
nutritional quality of some commercial farm produce. Our bodies
contain about 0.001% silver. Dr Robert Becker showed a direct
correlation between illness and low silver levels.
Immune System --
Relieving the constant stress on the immune system can help the
body's natural germ fighting mechanism. When taking Colloidal
Silver, many have reported increased alertness and general "well-being".
These benefits are not yet fully explained by science, although
the general consensus of opinion is that the lessened load on
the immune system is a contributory factor.
Fighting Infections
-- Eye, mouth, throat, sinus, skin and many
more common infections respond very well to Colloidal Silver.
Viral Infections such as Colds, Flu and "cold sores",
Fungal Infections (Athlete's foot is one of the best known) and
Yeast Infections including Candida have all been treated by Natural
Therapists using Colloidal Silver. The lengthy list also includes
Internal Parasites - Intestinal Worms that use the human body
as a host and prevent the absorption of essential nutrients.
Promoting Wound Healing
-- In his book "The Body Electric", Dr. Robert O. Becker
describes his research on limb regeneration. Silver was the only
material successfully used for electrodes. Dr. Becker also found
accelerated tissue regeneration he attributed to the ionic silver
produced from the very low electrical current used in his experiments.
Silver-based dressings and ointments are now used extensively
in Hospital Burns Units because of their anti-microbial and healing
properties.
Antiseptic and Disinfectant
Purifying Water
-- Adding 30-50ml Colloidal Silver to 5 litres of water has been
shown to kill harmful bacteria within a few minutes
Can Animals and Plants benefit?
Yes. Colloidal Silver does not harm mammals, reptiles or fish
and is often used in veterinarian context. Plants can be sprayed
to kill mould and mildew.
What is Argyria?
Following is an excellent concise clinical definition of argyria,
quoted from The Internet Journal of Dermatology, 2002, Volume
1 Number 2. We greatly encourage those interested to read the
complete article, by Joshua B Glenn and and Anna N. Walker, MD,
Department of Pathology, Mercer University School of Medicine,
Copyright Internet Scientific Publications, LLC, 1996 to 2002:
"Clinically, argyria occurs when silver is deposited
in its elemental, sulfide, or selenide form. Microscopically,
silver granules are generally extracellular. They appear as irregular
aggregates concentrated in the basal lamina of dermal sweat glands,
and in association with the adventitia of hair follicles, sebaceous
glands, capillaries, and nerves. [ 1, 3 ] Melanin is increased
in the overlying basal cell layer suggesting that silver may
promote its production. The combination of silver granules and
the increased production of melanin accounts for the slate-blue
discoloration of the skin..."
"...The therapeutic use of silver dates to 1647 when
it was prescribed for the treatment of epilepsy. [1, 2 , 4 ]
Syphilis was treated with silver arsepenamine in the early 20th
century and cold remedies contained colloidal silver proteins
until the mid-20th century. [4] In 1939, Hill and Pillsbury documented
239 cases of argyria, most of which were due to oral or nasal
application of silver nitrate."
True or False?
True: There has yet to be
one single case of argyria attributed to the use of isolated
colloidal silver, with a PPM Silver ranging between 5 - 20, regardless
of the quantity and frequency ingested. Every reported case of
argyria that we have found was eventually traced back to a silver
salt, silver protein, or other poorly made, compound-rich product.
False:
Silver particles cannot cause argyria, only ionic compounds can.
True:
As Assistant Professor Kamila K Padlewska, MD notes, "The
most common cause of argyria is mechanical impregnation of the
skin by small silver particles in workers involved in silver
mining, silver refining, silverware and metal alloy manufacturing."
Do NOT believe those who claim that silver particles cannot cause
Argyria. Dr. Padlewska notes that the smallest amount of silver
ingestion resulting in Argyria is between 4 and 40 grams, although
the EPA risk studies quote a range from 3 to 6 grams. Many cases
exist in the literature documenting argyria resulting from metallic
silver over-exposure. Silver salts and silver proteins have received
most of the attention primarily because of medicinal usage and
experimentation in silver toxicity.
False:
Colloidal Silver made with salt is completely safe because Dr.
Robert O. Becker says that silver chloride is inert and thus
harmless, and the EPA has demonstrated that silver chloride is
30 times less toxic than silver nitrate. ( Mark Metcalf is likely
ultimately responsible for two cases of Argyria that we are aware
of from heeding this misplaced advice ).
True: It is the production
process of using salt or saline solution that causes multiple
problems due to an uncontrollable electrolysis reaction. Just
because silver chloride enters the body in this form, does not
mean that it exits in this form. Not only is this "silver
chloride mud" less effective by far than a properly made
isolated silver, but it contains an abundance of actual metallic
silver particles ( some small to the point of being invisible
to the human eye ), which vastly increases the risk of argyria
based solely on the amount of silver ingested. It is likely that
depletion of selenium and possibly Vitamin E will result in a
far shorter time period as well. Stating that silver chloride
is less toxic by 30 times than silver nitrate is misleading,
as silver nitrate is extremely toxic. Silver nitrate nasal spray
products used in low quantities have been known to cause argyria
with only a few months of use. Is the possibility of acquiring
argyria after using an ounce daily of a silver chloride-rich
product, after sixty months, appealing? What does that say about
using 8 to 16 ounces daily for three years? These are questions
that one must answer for oneself.
Is Colloidal Silver safe to take?
The Environmental Protection Agency's Poison Control Center
reports no toxicity listing for Colloidal Silver. Other studies
and information on Colloidal Silver seem to show that is the
safest and best all around natural antibiotic germ-fighter we
have.
What about the color of the final product?
An excellent indicator of the quality of Colloidal Silver
is the color. As the size of each silver particle gets larger,
the color of the solution ranges from yellow to brown to red
to gray and black. Colloids of silver that are produced using
the proper electrolysis method are different color than the grind
or chemically produced colloids, except in the case of some products
that contain artificial food coloring to get the right color.
The ideal form of Colloidal Silver is a clear to light yellow
color, which in part has to do with using steam distilled water
in the production of the colloidal silver.
How much Colloidal Silver should a
person take per day?
Many people experiment with taking from one or two teaspoons
to one to two tablespoons each day. You may even experiment with
larger doses if you have a cold or such. We cannot over stress
the importance of consulting a licensed medical practitioner.
Much information seems to report that adults take one teaspoon
3 times day for four to seven days, then cut down to about one-half
teaspoon 2 times a day. Children or babies would use a proportionally
smaller dose. Another way to determine dosage is kinesiology
or muscle testing. Optimum dose may require more or less Colloidal
Silver.
Glass vs. Plastic - How to Store Your
Silver
Colloidal Silver must be stored in glass amber bottles in
order to hold the all important positive charge and protect the
solution from sunlight. Some companies incorrectly package Colloidal
Silver in plastic bottles. Plastic bottles will not hold the
positive electrical charge thereby causing the particles to fall
out of solution.
Are there any dangers or side effects?
The Environmental Protection Agency's Poison Control Center
reports no toxicity listing for Colloidal Silver. Regular ingestion
of Colloidal Silver can act as a second immune system by assisting
the body in the war against invading micro-organisms. Unlike
pharmaceutical antibiotics, which destroy beneficial enzymes,
Colloidal Silver leaves these tissue cell enzymes intact.
Dr Beck has indicated that Argyria is caused by silver compounds,
such as silver nitrate, silver sulfate, silver sulfadiazine,
etc., and not micro particles of pure elemental silver. Apparently,
silver colloids are mostly absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal
tract, since Colloidal Silver does not seem to adversely affect
friendly bacteria in the lower intestines.
The body eliminates excess silver via the metallothiones.
These ubiquitous proteins, first characterized in 1957, have
the property of binding with heavy metals, such as silver, into
metal-thiolate-cluster structures which aid in transportation,
storage, and elimination of nonessential trace metals which enter
the body.
Do the wires need cleaning each time
I make Colloidal Silver?
Yes, the wires need to be cleaned each time you make Colloidal
Silver.
Why do the silver wires turn black
when making Colloidal Silver?
In the electrolysis process, water splits into hydrogen and
oxygen. Oxygen comes off the positive (+) electrode and interacts
with silver ions, which in turn creates silver oxide and oxygen.
The blackening is silver oxide.
What type of salt should I use, and
what is the difference between Ionic/Colloidal Silver made with
and without salt?
NEVER use salt
or any other agent to start the solution!!!
NEVER use tap water
or spring water to make Colloidal Silver!!!
ALWAYS used steam
distilled water .
If you cannot get your silver maker working with cold distilled
water we recommend, changing to a different batch of distilled
water or heat your distilled water in a glass container (A Microwave
is known to alter molecules so we do not recommend using a microwave)
before inserting the silver electrodes or a small amount of a
previous batch of colloidal silver as a starter. The particle
size remains smaller. A smaller particle size is considered safer
for longer-term use. There is controversy over using the salt
method due to the possible toxicity of long-term ingestion of
the silver chloride that is formed.