What is Nano Silver and what are the Benefits?

If you've taken supplements before, then you may be familiar with Colloidal Silver - a mineral famous for its purported anti-inflammatory and immune boosting effects.

How does this relate to Nano Silver? Well, the Nano Silver supplement we're looking at today is similar in composition to Colloidal Silver, but claims to be a "significantly more refined product".

  1. Background behind Nano Silver

So what is Nano Silver? To begin answering this question, we first need to examine its counterpart Colloidal Silver.

Colloidal Silver is a liquid solution comprised of small silver particles and, as mentioned above, is used for its variety of purported health benefits. The key difference between it and Nano Silver is in the size of the particles, as the silver particles contained in Nano Silver are said to be many times smaller than those contained in Colloidal Silver.

This is said to allow for an invisible solution, meaning that the silver particles are so small that they cannot perceived by the naked eye. These nanometric-sized particles supposedly result in the purest silver content possible. Larger silver particle sizes have less energy, whereas smaller and rounder particles have higher energy and are less prone to oxidation.

Due to its significantly increased purity over its counterpart, Nano Silver purportedly boasts excellent quality which is important to ensure safe and effective use for topical applications.

I feel its important to point out that while Colloidal Silver/Nano Silver were previously unrestricted in their usage, the European Union has since restricted them for topical use only, thereby restricting silver products that were formulated to be taken orally (i.e. by mouth). However, prior to these restrictions, Colloidal Silver and similar solutions have traditionally been used to support recovery from tuberculosis, arthritis and many more ailments.

Another important thing to mention is the way in which Nano Silver is presented and packaged as a product. The presentation itself - an all glass bottle sporting a slick, minimalist label - is certainly striking, but it's not just for looks and does serve a practical purpose. The Nano Silver solution is contained within medical-grade, dark violet glass which serves as a method of preserving the silver's quality and composition. This is due to the fact that silver is oxidised by light sources, which can harm its effectiveness. The special glass composition of the bottle blocks out harmful light sources and only allows beneficial light rays (UVA and Infrared) to pass through, thereby protecting the liquid's pristine quality and effectiveness. The smaller silver particles contained in Nano Silver also make it less prone to oxidation.

2. The benefits of Nano Silver

We've established how Nano Silver differs from similar solutions and have delved into its background. But what benefits can one expect from Nano Silver, especially since its now only allowed to be labelled as intended for topical use?

You may be surprised, but there are actually a number of ways in which it can be used and a number of benefits that are said to go along with this.

Below are some of the ways in which Nano Silver can be applied and how it may be of benefit to the body:

• May help mitigate skin blemishes or infections
• Anti-inflammatory properties
• May support wound repair

3. Supporting research

Nano Silver, Colloidal Silver and the like have been subject to many a research study over the years.

After looking at the research into their efficacy, what can be said about these silver-based supplements? Do they stack up?

Much of the studies discuss their effectiveness for topical applications - one such study supports the use of silver nanoparticles as an anti-inflammatory. Said study found that silver nanoparticles were effective at decreasing inflammation in peritoneal adhesions, which seems to support the use of Nano Silver as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Other research into the efficacy of silver nanoparticles seems to be in support of using them for skincare. This particular research found that "nanocrystalline silver cream may have therapeutic potential for topical treatment of inflammatory skin diseases".

We've highlighted just a couple of research studies here, but there are others out there which delve into the effectiveness of silver particles. I would encourage you to take a look for yourself if you're interested in doing some further reading!

4. Final thoughts

To conclude, it seems that there may be merit in the topical usage of Nano Silver as an anti-inflammatory and as a skincare agent.

It also appears as though there are benefits of using Nano Silver over Colloidal Silver, due to the former's increased effectiveness resulting from its higher purity. The smaller particle size of Nano Silver may also make it preferable, as they are less prone to oxidation, keeping them preserved until they are used.

As always, you should consult with your GP/relevant healthcare professional if you are uncertain, but I hope this article has helped you to make a more informed decision about whether Nano Silver is right for you!

Please also consider taking a look at the Nano Silver product page for more information.