Is colloidal silver a proven cure for Covid-19? Explained

Hyderabad: A tweet claiming that colloidal silver can cure Covid-19 and many other health conditions is going viral.

It reads, "Colloidal silver is a big-time go to almost any type of health issues especially if you are worried about covid-19. It can aid in wound healing, improve skin disorders, & either prevent or treat diseases like flu, pneumonia, herpes, eye infections, shingles, cancer, and AIDS."

WebMD defines colloidal silver as a mineral which was once available as OTC drug products.

FACT CHECK

WebMD warns against using colloidal silver. "Colloidal silver is likely unsafe. The silver in colloidal silver gets deposited into the skin and various organs. This can lead to a permanent bluish color that first appears in the gums. Areas of the skin exposed to the sun will become increasingly discolored. It can also damage organs," it says.

The FDA also marked the drug as unsafe after September 1999.

"There is a lack of adequate data to establish general recognition of the safety and effectiveness of colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts for OTC use in the treatment or prevention of any disease," the FDA said.

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, "Some people have sought "alternative" remedies to prevent or to treat COVID-19. Some of these purported remedies include teas, essential oils, tinctures, herbal therapies such as oleander/oleandrin, and silver products such as colloidal silver." But it said, "there is no scientific evidence that any of these alternative remedies can prevent or cure COVID-19." It added, "In fact, some of them may not be safe to consume."

The same article also said colloidal silver can be dangerous to your health.

Lastly, there is no evidence that colloidal silver can cure Covid-19 or any other health conditions nor is it safe for human consumption.

Hence, the claim stands false.