Colloidal Silver: Lab Testing & Our Commitment to Safety

Lab testing results

All of our colloidal silver and gold products have undergone independent third-party lab testing in collaboration with NZ Labs and the University of Auckland to verify their safety, purity and effectiveness.

Note: All cultures were maintained in accordance with the recommendations of the Curator of the Culture Collections Centre NZ, Communicable Disease Centre of New Zealand and Laboratory Services quality control systems.

Colloidal silver: microbiological challenge tests

Test Organism Number: 09N25814
Job Number: 09NR011616
Dated: 15 April 2008

Recovery times:
1 minute, 4 minutes, 8 minutes, 12 minutes.

The following organisms were used in the test:

Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538)
Escherichia coli (ATCC 8739)
Candida albicans (ATCC 10231)

Test outcome:

On all tested organisms listed above, there was a full kill rate within 4 minutes with no signs of re-growth within 12 minutes with Bio-Colloidal Silver from Origin Health Ltd.

Particle size of our silver

1. This is a transmission electron microscope photo of poorly made samples of home-made colloidal silver (this is the kind that would cause argyria). Photos were made at 100,000 power magnification.

2. This is a transmission electron microscope photo of our colloidal silver. The typical particle size is in the range of 0.001 to 0.005 micrometres, which converts to 1 to 5 nanometres. Magnification is 100,000 times. Notice the uniformity of the particle shapes, and that the particles are separate rather than agglomerated. This is very high quality ionic colloidal silver.

Tested by NZ Labs Ltd, 2008

Is colloidal silver safe?

Yes, when it is properly made and used as directed. Much of the confusion comes from an old blurring of the lines between modern, electrically generated colloidal silver and other silver compounds altogether: silver nitrates, chlorides, salts and proteins. It is those compounds, taken at extremely high doses for long periods, that were behind the historic cases of argyria you may have read about.

Argyria, and why our silver doesn't cause it

Argyria is a cosmetic condition where silver deposits in the skin give it a greyish tint when exposed to sunlight. It has never been associated with the proper use of high-quality, properly manufactured ionic colloidal silver. If colloidal silver caused argyria, as some critics claim, where are all the victims, considering the millions of users worldwide? The few identified cases all involved other forms of silver taken at extremely high doses for prolonged times.

In 1999 the US FDA was formally asked how many deaths, adverse drug interactions, allergic reactions or cases of argyria were on record for colloidal silver. Their answer, after searching the Side Effects Database: no cases found.

The famous media cases

Paul Karason, the "Blue Man", drank around a litre of home-made silver solution daily for 14 years, at concentrations of several hundred ppm and with sodium added to speed up production. He had effectively been ingesting silver salts at roughly 200 times the maximum daily limits recommended by the EPA. Stan Jones likewise made his own with added salt and tap water. Rosemary Jacobs used a silver protein nasal solution at concentrations around 100,000 to 300,000 ppm in the 1960s. None of them were using properly manufactured colloidal silver.

Our advice

Common sense should be followed when taking anything. Using extremely high concentrations or large amounts of colloidal silver for long periods is not sensible, not necessary, and not recommended.

Read more about how colloidal silver works, see the benefits of colloidal silver, or learn about ionic vs particulate silver.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is not intended to give medical advice for any illness or disease. It should not be construed as medical guidance. Our products are trace mineral supplements and not pharmaceuticals. They are not intended to replace medical diagnosis, medications, treatment, or advice. Use as directed, and if symptoms persist, consult your health care professional.