Colloidal silver as a nutritional supplement has become a hot topic again this year with the passing of one of its most famous proponents. Paul Karason died in September 2013. Karason rose to fame after appearing on the Today Show in 2008 for having blue skin due to argyria (Netburn. 2013). Karason's argyria was caused by his ingestion of silver; he drank colloidal silver to treat his dermatitis (Netburn. 2013). Colloidal silver has been marketed on the Internet as a treatment for a very wide variety of illnesses. One manual claims it treats “more than 650 known conditions” (Claussen, 2012, p. 14). This article will review the treatment background, methods of use, benefits, current research, and provide recommendations on the use of colloidal silver as a nutritional supplement. BackgroundThe medicinal use of silver dates back centuries and, as noted by Fung and Bowen – was used for nervous disorders in the Middle Ages, epilepsy in the 19th century, and syphilis in the 20th century (1996). Cold remedies contained colloidal silver proteins until the 19th century (Fung and Bowen, 2006). Alexander, in his research, discovered that the history of money for medical problems goes back even further. Silver containers were used by ancient civilizations to store water, before scientific evidence that “microbes were the agents of infection” (Alexander, 2009, p. 289). There is evidence of the use of silver filings as a blood purifier, to prevent heart palpitations and to treat halitosis by Avicenna in 980 AD (Alexander, 2009). Additionally, Alexander discovered that Paracelsus – in 1520 – used silver nitrate for wound care and internally (2009). The first settlers in North America...... middle of paper...... Netburn, D. (September 23, 2013). A blue-skinned man dies at 62: it is unlikely that his condition is to blame. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from: http://articles.latimes.com/2013/sep/25/science/la-sci-sn-man-blue-skin-dies-20130925Pizzorno, JE and Murray, MT (eds.). (2012). Handbook of natural medicine. Elsevier Health Sciences. Rhee, DY, Chang, SE, Lee, MW, Choi, JH, Moon, KC, & Koh, JK (2008). Treatment of argyria after ingestion of colloidal silver using the Nd 1064 nm Q-Switched: YAG laser. Dermatological Surgery, 34(10), 1427-1430. Trudeau, K. (2004). They don't want you to know about natural remedies. Elk Grove Village, IL: Alliance Publishing Group. White, J.M.L., Powell, A.M., Brady, K., & Russell-Jones, R. (2003). Severe generalized argyria secondary to ingestion of colloidal silver proteins. Clinical and experimental dermatology, 28(3), 254-256.