"We recently made colloidal silver (CS) after reading your excellent article from your book and we had a couple of questions about its uses. Since CS is harmful to both the good and bad bacteria would it be advisable to take some organic yogurt while taking CS? Also would you recommend taking CS for a common cold or would you recommend only taking CS for more serious ailments such as when someone had flu-like symptoms?"

Colloidal silver seems to have limited effect upon the common cold and flu. It is like the old saying, "There is no cure for the common cold". In fact, the antibiotics which seem to work against them tend to act more like immunosuppressants, which merely hide the symptoms in the short term, but they potentially weaken the overall immune system in the long term. In the case of colloidal silver, it seems to work much better as a preventative. We generally use it just prior to visiting a sick relative or a hospital. Even though it is a great preventative, we do not recommend taking it on a routine basis. Taking it daily can cause other problems, like candida overgrowth and iron deficiencies. However, if you are an older man, the iron depletion could be a good thing, as it may significantly reduce the chance of heart disease. Although, resveratrol and vitamin C combined is a better approach at reducing iron than colloidal silver. There is something inherently different about the common cold and the flu. The one thing that nobody is admitting publicly, is that nobody actually understands them. Whatever they are, the old germ theory may not actually apply to our most common infections. Vaccinating against the flu is an exercise in futility, for you are more likely to catch it if you get the vaccine. We have an article about fighting colds and the flu using anti-viral herbs and supplements. You may read it here: Recovering from Common Colds and the Flu.

Yogurt will not provide its normal probiotic benefit when it is taken with silver, because the bacteria in it will simply get killed. Although, it will still provide healthy sulfur proteins, which are particularly beneficial when combined with a source of omega-3, such as flax seed oil. Eating yogurt when you have finished taking silver would be wise, as a means to repopulate your gastrointestinal tract with beneficial bacteria.