-----Original Message-----
From: Langsley Russell [mailto:[email protected]]

>>>I find it very interesting that no one on this list has any personal
knowledge of, or clinical evidence to either support or refute the findings
published in Mr.. Metcalf's book. That is, that silver bonds with selenium
and sulfur causing a deficiency in people who ingest CS on a regular basis.
Is it just because nobody has ever bothered to check? Or is it that the
effect is so slight as to not be of any importance? On the surface it would
seem to me to be fairly important information, particularly in light of the
fact that most of our diet's are already lacking in selenium.<<<

Hi LTR,

The reason that nobody has replied to your message, to your satisfaction,
may be as simple as they haven't had the time, or perhaps haven't had the
inclination to do so. No one can be expected to do anything on a list such
as this, but you will find most to be accommodating as far as they are able.

For myself, I had thought to look at your question this weekend, but as I
have some time now, I send you this response.

Selenium binds with and forms complexes with silver, copper , mercury and
cadmium, and in so doing lessens the toxicity of these metals, such as it
is. Silver toxicity has similar symptoms as selenium deficiency, and so it
may be that silver in sufficient doses combines with the limited amount of
selenium in those with lower than ideal selenium levels, and does indeed
cause selenium deficiency syndrome (rather than 'silver toxicity').

Sulphur has an attraction to silver, but this depends upon the form in which
the sulphur is found. The sulphur which is bound to proteins and enzymes are
much less free to bind with silver as is the hydrogen sulphide gas which
gives rise to the tarnishing of silver metal in air, and the human cell does
not present sulphide groups on its surface as do bacterial or yeast cells,
with which silver binds and performs one of its inhibiting actions.

In studies of selenium deficient animals, silver was found to be toxic
(further antagonising the selenium deficiency?) but in those animals which
were supplemented with selenium no such toxicity was found. There is no
mention of sulphur deficiency caused by silver as far as I know.

Taking a supplement that includes some selenium and Vitamin E would be
prudent in those suspecting that they are not receiving enough in their
diet, and this would ensure that selenium deficiency is not antagonised by
the ingestion of silver. However, bare in mind that the studies that show
this outcome used massive doses of silver in the mg/kg range.

Regards
Ivan.



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