Colloidal Silver and Hepatitis C

Colloidal silver is often marketed with a variety of unproven health claims, including potential benefits in treating hepatitis C. However, researchers studying hepatitis C and colloidal silver have not found the product to be a safe or effective treatment. What's more, it can cause serious side effects, so if you are considering using this as part of your treatment plan, talk to your healthcare provider first.

What Is Colloidal Silver?

Colloidal silver is a supplement that consists of tiny silver particles suspended in a liquid base. Silver is a metallic element that is mined as a precious metal. People are exposed to silver, usually in tiny amounts, through:
 
  • Their environment
  • Drinking water
  • Food
  • Possibly work or hobbies.
     
Silver has had some medicinal uses going back for centuries; however, more modern and less toxic drugs have eliminated the vast majority of these uses.
 
Colloidal silver is often marketed with a variety of unproven health claims, such as being an effective treatment for:
 
Colloidal silver has also been marketed as an alternative to antibiotics.
 

Is Colloidal Silver Effective for Hepatitis C?

No research studies have shown colloidal silver to be effective in treating hepatitis C.
 What these studies have shown is that:
 
  • Silver is not an essential mineral supplement or a cure-all and should not be promoted as such
     
  • Claims that there can be a "deficiency" of silver in the body and that such a deficiency can lead to disease are unfounded
     
  • Claims made about the effectiveness of colloidal silver products for numerous diseases, including hepatitis C, are unsupported scientifically
     
  • Colloidal silver products can have serious side effects
     
  • The amounts of silver in these supplements vary greatly, which can pose risks to the consumer.
     

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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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