Dietary Supplements

The multitude of silver products on the market is a testimony to silver’s known benefits, yet there are key differences between them. It’s important that you as a practitioner understand the differences, so that you can make the best possible choices for your patients. The many forms of silver available have different physical and chemical properties that result in distinct differences in how they perform in the body. This impacts their efficacy, absorption, uses, applications, and elimination. We suggest the following information to assist you when recommending silver for your patients.
  • Comparison of types of silver on the marketplace
  • Important facts to keep in mind when comparing types of silver
  • What distinguishes Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol™ from the other types of silver

The Different Types of Dietary Supplements

The totality of the products offered in the category of silver dietary supplements is commonly referred to as “colloidal silver,” which loses important technical details and leads to numerous confusing marketing terms. Therefore, we prefer to think of the category as “Silver Dietary Supplements,” of which Colloidal Silver is one type.

The four basic categories of Silver Dietary Supplements are:

  • Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol
  • Colloidal Silver
  • Ionic Silver
  • Homemade

Each category is distinct:

  • Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol is a mixture of silver ions and silver nanoclusters (the smallest particles achievable).
  • Colloidal silvers are small particles of metallic silver suspended in water.
  • Ionic silvers are silver ions stabilized with other reagents or compounds.
  • Homemade silvers are poor quality, uncontrolled silver concentrations and, thus, the most dangerous.

Colloidal silver is the generic term for all forms of silver marketed as dietary supplements. It can also refer to substances that include particles in suspension. Several other additional terms are used describing types of colloidal silver.  Several other additional terms are used describing types of colloidal silver.

“True colloidal silver” is a marketing term. The term does not distinguish the product form any other colloidal silver products. It infers that the solution contains 100% particulates, which are unstable without stabilizing proteins or chemicals. Large particles are largely wasted, as the body cannot convert them into the bio-active form during the short time between ingestion and elimination.

“Pharmaceutical Grade” is a term that has a strict legal definition, and when used without meeting the following standards, is just another marketing term. It refers to compounds and raw ingredients that have met strict standards for purity and processing conditions. These standards are established by the US Pharmacopoeia (USP).

An ingredient that is pharmaceutical grade has been verified by an outside agency (not the ingredient’s manufacturer) to be at least 99% pure.

The manufacturing processes and facilities used to produce the product must be regularly inspected by the USP to ensure they meet strict standards for quality control. Random samples are taken of the products and tested to ensure that quality control and purity are maintained over time. A pharmaceutical grade supplement is guaranteed to be what it says it is. Even low levels of contamination can cause a human-grade product to be deadly to someone with a severe allergy. Always ask for proof of USP approval from any supplement company claiming their product to be “pharmaceutical grade.”

Homemade colloidal silver is produced without the controls necessary in order to verify its concentration, purity, amount of bio-active silver and particle size. It increases toxicity risks and greatly increases the risk for causing argyric reactions.

Ionic silver solutions do not necessarily contain silver particulates. Silver ions and particulates exist in a complex equilibrium cycle, and their availability can vary with changes brought about by the presence of light, starches, proteins and synthetic or natural molecules. Ionic silver solutions often have chemical stabilizers added to extend their shelf-life.

Silver protein is a compound that includes ingredients that compromise purity, often a protein of animal or vegetal origin used to keep the silver suspended in solution.

Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol is composed of only 99.999% pure silver and purified water that meets USP-NF standards for Pharmaceutical Grade Purified Water. It is a unique mixture of the most active and effective species of silver – positively charged silver ions and particles of an unprecedented size as small as 0.8 nm. With the smallest particles and highest charge ratio, it is the ultimate refinement of colloidal silver.

Important Facts

  • A colloid is a substance which contains suspended microscopic particles. Colloidal silver is produced by reducing silver ions into silver metal particles, which eliminates the silver’s positive charge and reduces the bio-activity of the silver.
  • Ionic silver may or may not also contain particles. Particles may act as a reservoir for the further release of ions.
  • Only the amount necessary to achieve a therapeutic effect should be taken. Taking the form with >98% bio-activity, Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol, is best.

Bio-Active Silver vs. Other Forms of Colloidal Silver

Bio-Active Silver Hydrosol:

  • A unique mixture of bio-active silver ions and nanoparticles, the smallest particles achievable
  • Only 2 ingredients, 99.999% pure silver and pharmaceutical grade, purified water
  • Offers the most effective formula available with greater than 98% bio-active silver
  • “Smallest” particles create a reservoir ready to convert to bio-active silver for continued delivery of immune support

Colloidal Silver:

  • Mostly a suspension containing large neutral silver particles
  • Added ingredient(s) to keep the large silver particles in suspension
  • Leading brands of colloidal silver have less than 13% bio-active silver
  • Larger neutral silver particles offer less bio-active silver (from less surface area)