Does drinking colloidal silver water, which contains nanoparticles of silver, remove the "toxicity" of COVID-19 vaccines and cure diseases? No, that's not true: COVID-19 vaccines are not toxic and there is no scientific evidence supporting the theory that drinking colloidal silver water can treat health issues. Health authorities have warned against drinking or ingesting colloidal silver as it isn't safe or effective for treating any disease or condition.
The claim appeared in numerous videos on TikTok such as this one (archived here) published by ritakawaii14 on Saturday, April 1, 2023, under the title "What is Nano Silver Mineral Water? #Hurry to detoxify from the vaccine."
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot taken on Thu May 4 10:21:08 2023 UTC)
The Thai caption of the video has been translated into English by Lead Stories staff as follows: "Silver nanoparticle mineral water is water that contains very small-sized mineral silver particles that float in it. Distilled water is suitable for this purpose, and the size of the silver mineral particles is so small that they may not be visible to the naked eye. A microscope is required to measure their size at the nanoscale." It continues, "It has been used for centuries as a traditional remedy to help treat and kill bacteria, before the development of modern chemical-based medicines that we are familiar with today."
A text in English on the video adds: "Colloidal Silver, Nature's Antibiotic, potent germicide, kills over 650 pathogens, like a second immune system, heals burn wounds, fights bacteria & viruses, natural preservative."
The same TikTok account posted another video claiming that the "silver mineral water" is more effective in killing germs than "other oral disinfectants". The video elaborates on its alleged therapeutic properties such as being effective also in preventing viruses from entering human cells.
COVID-19 vaccines are not toxic or unsafe, and there is no need to detoxify after receiving the vaccine. Lead Stories has debunked several claims related to COVID-19 vaccines: they can be found here. Moreover, drinking colloidal silver water is not safe, according to mayoclinic.org, as it can cause serious side effects such as argyria (a permanent bluish-gray color on the skin), seizures and kidney damage.
In a telephone interview with Lead Stories on May, 2, 2023, Dr. Tirayut Vilaivan, professor at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Director of Center for Safety, Health and Environment at Chulalongkorn University (SHECU), said silver has been used for its disinfectant properties.
"Colloidal silver, also known as silver nano, is used as a disinfectant by coating surfaces to resist bacteria and viruses. ... Silver nano products are for external use only and they are not recommended for ingestion, as shown in these video clips," the professor said.
"While silver metal itself is generally considered to have a low toxicity and can be eliminated from the human body, the production process of colloidal silver involves adding several substances to degrade it into nano silver. These substances can include silver nitrate, which is known for its corrosive properties and can cause skin burns," Tirayut said. "Moreover, in products that are not regulated, there may be many other dangerous substances that we are not aware of."
A Thai FDA official contacted by Lead Stories by telephone on May 3, 2023, said colloidal silver is not part of the approved list of substances for oral use and ingestion.
In the United States, the FDA has issued warnings and taken action against companies marketing colloidal silver as a treatment for diseases or medical conditions. It is not approved by the FDA for any medical use or as a dietary supplement. Similarly, in Canada, Health Canada has advised against the use of colloidal silver water for the potential health risks it poses.
