At the beginning of the month we posted about a study that found a difference between ionic silver and colloidal silver (nano silver particles suspended in water) at the cellular level. It’s hard to draw health conclusions from a single study, especially when it doesn’t go into the consequences for the cells given the different reactions of colloidal silver and ionic silver.
But here’s this, if it helps any:
Silver is an anti-microbial agent. That means it’s a natural antibiotic (kills bacteria), a natural antifungal (kills fungi), and a natural antiviral (kills viruses) agent.
In the study, ionic silver agents reacted to cells by immediately forming silver compounds and silver crystals along the cell wall. (Compounds as in bonded molecules—ionic silver is silver that is missing an electron, and is eager to bond with other ions or ionic compounds immediately).
Pure nano silver particles, on the other hand, infiltrated the cell and formed clusters (with other elements mixed in) throughout. (Clusters as in groups of atoms, not necessarily bonded, and thus still able to be dispersed). The nano silver also has a specific affinity for phosphorous containing cells.
Given the authors of the study left out speculation about the implications of nano silver’s effects vs. ionic silver’s effects, I imagine we can count on further studies of this nature, including different types of cells—human, bacterial, animal, etc…—and perhaps, eventually, different environments (the human body, when ill, can change pH balance).
If anybody has a doctorate (or masters) in cellular biology, please add/explain/elaborate (or correct!) in the comments!
