Is Colloidal Silver safe while breastfeeding?
Here is what LactMed, the Drugs and Lactation Database published by the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), reports about Colloidal Silver. The text below is quoted from that source — it is not our own verdict.
Summary of use during breastfeeding
Silver concentrations have not been measured in breastmilk after maternal ingestion of colloidal silver, but trace amounts of silver can be found in breastmilk from environmental sources. Long-term oral use of colloidal silver can lead to argyria, a permanent gray discoloration of the skin. It is not known if argyria could occur in a breasted infant. Since colloidal silver has no proven medical benefit, it should not be used during breastfeeding.
Effects on the breastfed infant
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Levels in milk
Maternal Levels. Silver can be found in some normal breastmilk samples, but in widely varying concentrations from undetectable to 42 mcg/L. The amount varies within studies and between studies, probably as a result of different populations’ exposures and different analytic techniques.[1-4]
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
“No published information” means the studies do not exist yet — not that Colloidal Silver is known to be harmful, and not that it is known to be safe. Your prescriber or pharmacist can weigh your baby's age and whether a better-studied alternative would do the same job. Worth asking before stopping a medicine you need.
Source: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), via NCBI Bookshelf, record “Colloidal Silver” (colloidal_silver). LactMed on NCBI Bookshelf. LactMed is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Educational summary of an authoritative source — not medical advice. Never start, stop, or change a medicine while breastfeeding without confirming with your doctor.