Journal bashes alternative remedy - Literature Review & Commentary - colloidal silver - Brief Article

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, May, 2002 by Alan R. Gaby

The case is presented of a 12-month-old girl who allegedly developed silver toxicity from colloidal silver, which was given to her by her parents in the hope of improving her health. She presented with failure to thrive and anemia. The child had been exclusively breast-fed by a mother who consumed a strict vegan diet. After weaning, the child was also given a vegan diet. Deficiencies of iron, vitamin B12, and thiamine were found, and the serum concentration of silver was 170 times the upper limit of normal. The authors listed the various clinical and biochemical manifestations of silver poisoning, and acknowledged that the child showed none of these manifestations. They also acknowledged that her developmental delay could have been caused by the nutritional deficiencies. Nevertheless, the title of the article was "Silver toxicity in an infant of strict vegan parents." In an accompanying editorial (J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2001;33:439-441), it is stated that "well-meaning, but misguided, parents poisoned t heir child."

Comment: I am by no means a fan of colloidal silver. However, the journal that accepted this report should be given a whack on the knuckles for allowing such a biased case study and editorial to be published. There is no question that silver can be toxic when administered in high doses, and, for that reason, I am reluctant to prescribe colloidal silver. However, even by the authors' own admission, there is no evidence that this child was poisoned by silver. The fact that the serum silver concentration was markedly elevated is not evidence of toxicity; one would expect such an elevation in a person taking colloidal silver. If the conventional medical community wants to be trusted in its evaluation of alternative remedies, it should not promulgate misleading article titles and editorial comments.

McIntyre E, et al. Silver toxicity in an infant of strict vegan parents. J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 2001;33:501-502.