Colloidal Silver and Viruses – the Good News from Researchers!

Almost everyone who’s into natural health knows

colloidal silver is effective against many bacterial and
fungal pathogens.
But what about viruses?
While the clinical data on silver’s effectiveness against
viruses is limited, there is indeed some very good news
on the subject from cutting edge researchers who have
discovered the fact that silver’s anti-viral qualities are
more profound than previously thought.
Here’s what you need to know…
At this link you’ll find a very interesting clinical overview of the potential medical benefits of
using antimicrobial silver against viruses.
It’s titled “Silver Nanoparticles as Potential Antiviral Agents” and it was published in the clinical
journal Molecules in 2011.
The study authors start by stating:
“Silver nanoparticles have mainly been studied for their antimicrobial potential against bacteria,
but have also proven to be active against several types of viruses including human imunodeficiency
virus, hepatitis B virus, herpes simplex virus, respiratory syncytial virus, and monkey pox virus.
The use of metal nanoparticles provides an interesting opportunity for novel antiviral therapies.
Since metals may attack a broad range of targets in the virus there is a lower possibility to develop
resistance as compared to conventional antivirals.“
In other words, not only has antimicrobial silver been proven to be effective against a number
of disease-causing viruses, it turns out it’s also very difficult for the viruses to become
resistant to silver – this, thanks to the multi-pronged way in which silver works to either
destroy viruses altogether or to dramatically inhibit their ability to replicate themselves and
spread.
The researchers concluded their extensive overview of the clinical literature on the use of
antimicrobial silver against viruses by stating:
“…Metal nanoparticles, especially the ones produced with silver or gold, have proven to exhibit
virucidal activity against a broad-spectrum of viruses, and surely to reduce viral infectivity of
cultured cells.
…Besides the direct interaction with viral surface glycoproteins, metal nanoparticles may gain
access into the cell and exert their antiviral activity through interactions with the viral genome (DNA
or RNA).
…Additional research is needed to determine how to safely design, use, and dispose products
containing metal nanomaterials without creating new risk to humans or the environment”
In other words, it’s no longer a matter of determining whether or not antimicrobial silver
works against viruses – it most certainly does, based on the clinical literature. Instead,
researchers say what’s important now is learning how to gain maximum effectiveness against
viruses from the silver while keeping the patient safe from any potential toxicity or long-term
harm at the required levels.
Whether or not medical researchers will follow up on this line of inquiry is another matter
altogether, of course. But experienced colloidal silver users are already well aware of colloidal
silver’s often profound effectiveness against viral infections. Based on thousands of anecdotal
accounts silver works particularly well against cold and flu viruses, especially when silver is
used at the very first hint of a budding infection.
Silver has also been found to work well, anecdotally, against other viruses, including Epstein-
Barr virus (mononucleosis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), herpes “cold sore” viruses, shingles
virus, Enteroviruses (i.e., such as the one behind Hand, Foot and Mouth disease), Rotavirus
(i.e., stomach virus), feline herpes virus, parvovirus in dogs and many other viruses.
The Final Solution to the Coming Viral Plagues?
According to the Colloidal Silver Kills Viruses website, cutting edge researchers are banking on
colloidal silver as the answer to what they feel will be the coming viral plagues, particularly in
regards to flu pandemics.
The websites states:
“Finally, two highly respected researchers, Dr Eric Gordon, MD and Dr. Kent Holtorf, MD,
writing in the prestigious Townsend Letter for Doctors, believe colloidal silver is the answer to
many forms of viral infections, including serious upper respiratory viral infections such as flu
pandemics.
They point out in their article titled A Promising Cure for Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
Pandemics, Including the Avian Flu: Has the Final Solution to the Coming Plagues Been
Discovered? that, ‘the collective authoritative medical literature has documented efficacy of silver’s
virotoxicity against over 24 viruses.’
What’s more, the authors state that the 200-plus viral strains known to cause upper
respiratory tract infections, including most flu viruses, will also most likely succumb to the
powerful antiviral qualities of very small particles of ‘oligodynamic silver’ (i.e., a medical
reference to silver being extremely powerful even in small quantities).
In fact, the authors point out that silver is likely going to be the answer to any future global
viral pandemic, stating ‘A broad-spectrum anti-viral agent that really works is needed to combat
over 200 viruses that cause Upper Respiratory Tract Infections.
Undoubtedly oligodynamic silver fits this bill…Emerging medical studies confirm the stellar, broad-
spectrum virotoxic efficacy of oligodynamic silver both in vitro and in vivo.’”
In short, cutting edge researchers are becoming very excited about the anti-viral qualities of
silver that are being discovered and documented, and are lauding it’s growing potential for
use as a broad-spectrum anti-viral agent.
Antiviral Silver Franken-Drug
Unfortunately, in many cases this simply means the big drug companies are looking to turn
silver into a prescription anti-viral drug so they can patent it and monopolize its sales.
For example, I wrote several years ago about the British efforts to develop a silver-based
“drug” to combat human rotovirus (see original article here):
“…British scientists working in tandem with international drug-makers Janssen and Johnson &
Johnson have discovered a way to incorporate tiny silver nanoparticles into intestinal
bacteria…creating a new drug that can wipe out food poisoning viruses such as the dreaded
rotavirus, and perhaps even flu and cold viruses as well.”
In other words, to help stop the rotovirus – a very serious, disease-causing stomach virus —
researchers have been experimenting with attaching silver to human intestinal bacteria,
claiming this would help the silver circulate throughout the intestinal tract without causing
harm to cells or tissues!
Of course, we all know the idea of silver causing harm to the body’s cells and tissues is largely
fictional, as long as the silver is not used abusively. After all, Dr. Robert O. Becker, M.D., in his
experiments at Syracuse Medical University, used low voltage electricity to generate silver ions
directly into the cells and tissues of the body at the site of infected fracture wounds, and
demonstrated “no harm” to cells or tissues whatsoever.
And more recent studies have demonstrated that silver nanoparticles, when judiciously used,
not only prevent blood clots without harming red blood cells, but also protect nervous system
cells from damage by alcohol.
So if silver is not harmful to human cells, then what’s the real reason behind the British
researcher’s push to attach silver particles to harmless intestinal microbes in order to help
stop the dread rotovirus?
It’s very simple: In order to patent and monopolize the sale of silver as a “drug,” the
researchers have to come up with a novel (i.e., new or unusual) way to produce and use it. So
what we see is that researchers for the big drug companies are indeed working on drugs
utilizing silver to combat viruses. But they won’t look at plain old colloidal silver, because they
can’t patent and monopolize its sale.
More Surprising Antiviral Qualities
You’ll also find an interesting overview of the use of colloidal silver and other forms of
antimicrobial silver against viruses on the Colloidal Silver Kills Viruses website, which explains
some of the successful clinical test tube studies that have been conducted on various types of
viruses, including HIV and Hepatitis B, among others.
Additionally, you might find the following clinical study on using antimicrobial silver against
viruses quite interesting:
 Viral Pathogens and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Oligodynamic Ag1 for Direct
Immune Intervention
This is a retrospective study of silver-based therapeutics, which briefly reviews their history,
and explores the modern application of silver particles as an antiviral agent. The study was
published in the Journal of Nutritional & Environmental Medicine (June 2003).
After reviewing the available research, the researchers concluded,
“State-of-the-art, electrolytically produced ‘oligodynamic’ Ag1…offers distinct advantages and
versatility of use over older and cruder formulations. Possessing much smaller, subnanometer-sized
particles, greater electrical potential and lower concentrations, it is more bio-available than other
formulations.
Efficacy against the SARS-related coronavirus, for example, may be enhanced when nebulized Ag1 is
inhaled. This should achieve swift reduction of viral loads, especially in the early stages.
Moreover, there is no known toxicity for Oligodynamic Ag1 in humans. The only known mechanism
of resistance also appears to play no role notwithstanding the mutability of the coronavirus.
Therefore no functional barrier to the virotoxic effects of oligodynamic Ag1 may be expected
regardless of the rapidity or variety of mutations.”
In other words, after reviewing the existing clinical literature the researchers concluded that
when colloidal silver is composed of very small particles of electrically-generated silver its anti-
viral qualities are more pronounced. And it’s effectiveness against serious, disease-causing
upper respiratory viruses such as the coronaviruses is also greater.
What’s more, for “swift reduction of viral loads” silver’s effectiveness against upper respiratory
viruses can be enhanced by inhaling it into the lungs in aerosolized form, using a medical
nebulizer. (Learn more about nebulizing colloidal silver, here.)
Finally, the researchers noted that silver is essentially non-toxic. And even when viruses have
the ability to mutate rapidly, they’re still no match for silver’s unique, multi-pronged anti-viral
mechanisms of action.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that silver is gradually being recognized by cutting edge medical
researchers for its profound antiviral qualities. No longer is it considered to be just an anti-
bacterial or anti-fungal agent. Its anti-viral qualities are generating attention even among
some of the biggest names in drug research and manufacturing.