top of page
Frequently Asked Questions
Ionic Silver
HealthWest Ionic Silver is positively charged microscopic pure silver particles suspended in water. The positively charged particles remain suspended in water because the particles repel each other with a greater force than gravity. It is an effective germicidal that it lethal to over 650 disease-causing bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites and other new strains of bacteria classified as MDR (Multiple Drug Resistant). HealthWest Ionic Silver is rapidly making Colloidal Silver obsolete because it has all the antimicrobial properties of Colloidal Silver but without the metal.
Manufacturing ionic silver safely involves precise electrochemical processes in a controlled environment to ensure purity, stability, and effectiveness. Here's a simplified overview of the process:
1. Purified Water Base - Only ultra-purified, deionized water (often 0.1 micron filtered or better) is used as the base to prevent contamination.
2. High-Purity Silver Electrodes - Electrodes made of 99.99% pure silver are submerged in the water.
3. Electrolysis Process - A low-voltage electric current passes through the silver electrodes. This causes silver atoms to lose electrons and become Ag⁺ ions, which dissolve directly into the water.
4. Controlled Concentration - The process is closely monitored to achieve a specific parts per million (ppm) concentration (often 10–20 ppm for consumer use). Higher concentrations may be used in industrial or medical applications but require greater safety oversight.
5. No Additives or Stabilisers - High-quality ionic silver should be free from proteins, additives, or preservatives, which can interfere with its effectiveness or safety.
6. Lab Testing and Quality Assurance - Final products are tested for: pH balance, Ionic concentration (ppm), Microbial contamination, Heavy metals or impurities. See lab reports.
Silver has the ability to combine with oxygen onto the surface of silver ions in solution which reacts with the sulfhydryl (-S-H) groups surrounding the surface of bacteria or viruses. Any negative charge presented by the organism's membrane proteins can be deactivated by the positively charged silver ions. The reaction blocks the life-preserving cellular process known as cellular respiration and causing the bacteria to die.
(Reference: Richard Davies and Samuel Etris of The Silver Institute, in a 1996 monograph entitled The Development and Functions of Silver in Water Purification and Disease Control, discuss three mechanisms of deactivation that silver utilises to incapacitate disease causing organisms. They are Catalytic Oxidation, Reaction with Cell Membranes, and Binding with the DNA of disease organisms to prevent unwinding.)
Does Ionic Silver bind with chloride in the body and become inert?
Colloidal silver is composed of both silver metal particles (colloids) and charged silver ions.
According to the manufacturers of Colloidal Silver, it is a matter of ratio.
By that, it is implied that if a product has a greater percentage of silver in the elemental or colloidal form it is Colloidal Silver, and if most of the of silver is in the ionic form, then that is called Ionic Silver.
This can be confusing because both products are actually Colloidal Silver with different ratios between ions and particles.
This is their theory:
As soon as the charged silver ions come into contact with the salts in your body, they lose their charge, form an insoluble silver salt and can no longer kill bacteria. However, the tiny pieces of metal (colloids) in Colloidal Silver are not affected by the body salts and so they can go on to kill bacteria”.
This is inaccurate because science has conclusively proven that it is the charged silver ions that have anti-microbial properties and not the inert metal (Colloids).
Rice university proved this in 2012 with the statement ‘Ions, not particles, make silver toxic to bacteria’
https://news.rice.edu/2012/07/11/ions-not-particles-make-silver-toxic-to-bacteria-3/
So, the question of whether it is the silver ions or the colloids (particles of silver metal) in Colloidal Silver that kill germs, has now finally been settled.
Healthwest has set a new standard in the making of Ionic Silver and for over 20 years has been manufacturing this unique product with world-wide sales and proven efficacy.
Like anything else, if used sensibly, it is completely non-toxic and will not harm the immune system in any way. Critics of Ionic Silver products will often warn that the consumption of Ionic silver might lead to Argyria, (a bluish and grey discolouration of the skin). According to Dr Bob Beck who indicated that Argyria is caused by silver compounds, such as silver nitrate, silver sulfate, silver sulfadiazine, etc., and not microparticles of pure elemental silver. Apparently, silver colloids are mostly absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract, since colloidal silver does not seem to adversely affect friendly bacteria in the lower intestines. Please refer to the HealthWest Safety Data Report. (undefined)(PDF).
When a laser is shone through a liquid other than distilled water, a path of light can be seen as similar to when you shine a torch through smoke or fog. All colloidal silvers will show this path of light as the laser beam refracts light off the metal particles contained within the liquid. This test will show the difference between HealthWest Pure Ionic Silver and Colloidal Silver. It demonstrates that HealthWest Pure Ionic Silver does not contain any metal,(undefined) colloids or Nanoparticles.
• Storage: Should be stored in dark glass bottles away from sunlight and extreme temperatures to preserve ion stability.
• Dosage: Must be used in small, controlled doses — improper use, especially of homemade or unregulated products, can pose risks.
• Not the same as colloidal silver: Ionic silver is generally clear, not cloudy, and does not contain floating particles.
bottom of page