Dietary supplement can permanently turn skin blue

Colloidal silver, peddled as an old medicine, a decongestant, an all-around germ fighter, and a kind of cure-all, may have serious and strange side effects, according to a report in the August issue of the Harvard Health Letter. There's no proof that taking colloidal silver by mouth has any benefits. As for harm, brain and nerve damage from silver exposure is rare, but colloidal silver can cause kidney damage, stomach distress, and headaches. The most common problem associated with silver exposure is argyria, a condition that makes the skin turn a bluish gray as granules of silver accumulate in the body. The conjunctiva and internal organs may also be affected. Once silver is deposited, there's no way to get it out, so the discoloration may be permanent. While the report said that if you use colloidal silver products for a short time and in recommended amounts, you probably won't turn blue, some people overdo it.

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