Q What are your thoughts on nanosilver? I recently purchased a product made of nanosilver to treat my 6-year-old's lingering case of molluscum contagiosum. While researching the product, I read that it has been shown to kill the HIV virus as well as any other virus. It is used in everything from food storage containers and cutting boards to slippers. Is this really a safe product?
A The term "nanosilver" refers to microscopic "nanoparticles" of silver (they're only a few ten-thousandths of the diameter of a human hair), which over recent years have been used increasingly in odor-destroying products including air fresheners, food storage containers, shoe liners and even washing machines. All told, about 350 products contain nanosilver, including bandages used to speed healing.
Silver can kill microbes, and its germ-fighting powers have been hyped in advertisements for all kinds of products. However, you may be hearing far less about this in the future as a result of a decision in November 2006 by the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate any product that claims to kill germs via nanosilver technology.
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The EPA acted in response to concerns that increasing amounts of nanosilver being washed down drains present hazards to beneficial bacteria, aquatic organisms and human health. From now on, manufacturers of any product sold as a germ-fighter by virtue of the nanosilver it contains will first have to prove scientifically that the nanosilver poses no environmental risk.
The EPA's decision doesn't apply to bandages and wound dressings containing nano materials, including nanosilver (a $28 million market), or anything else that is applied to the body, including cosmetics. The FDA already regulates these products and reportedly is considering whether it needs to broaden current rules.
We know very little about any risks that may be associated with the growing use of these products. The Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental organization that has been pressing for more federal oversight of nanosilver, has noted that some animal studies suggest that nanoparticles can cause inflammation, damage brain cells and lead to pre-cancerous lesions.
Clearly, we have a lot to learn about this promising new technology, the risks as well as the benefits. If used improperly on a large scale, the long-term problems it causes may outweigh its short-term benefits.
I would not recommend nanosilver for your daughter's molluscum. While it can be frustrating to wait for the lesions to disappear, the disorder doesn't progress to other health problems, and it's usually best to wait it out. You might speed things along, however, by taking your daughter to a hypnotherapist. Skin conditions often respond very well to hypnotic suggestion.
You also could try an immune-boosting product with antiviral properties, such as astragalus or medicinal mushrooms. Astragalus is a safe and effective means of increasing resistance to disease and fighting off chronic or recurrent infections, including virus. I usually recommend half the adult dose for children and would give it a good eight-week trial to judge the results.
Thyroid supplements with long-term lithium use?
Q I have been taking lithium since I was 35. I am now 49. I hope there are no side effects as a result of long-time use; I am on it for life. Any suggestions?
A Lithium has been used to treat bipolar disorder (manic-depression) since 1970. It evens out the highs and lows of the disorder and sometimes is prescribed for unipolar depression when other drugs don't work.
The use of lithium long-term can affect the thyroid, leading to low levels of thyroid hormone production. This can be treated with thyroid supplements. The other known long-term risk is kidney damage, but this is rare. Your physician undoubtedly tests your blood regularly to make sure that your blood levels of lithium are safe and effective. Chances of side effects are greatest when blood levels of the drug are too high. Some patients also experience an increased appetite and gain weight while on lithium, so be careful about extra calories if your weight is above normal.
Never discontinue taking lithium, even when you feel good (that's what the drug is supposed to do for you). But you may be able to lower your dose and thus reduce the risk of side effects by increasing your consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil). Research published in 1999 in the Archives of General Psychiatry suggested that high doses of omega-3s can help stabilize the moods of people with bipolar disorder (although it didn't directly address the question of whether patients might reduce their medication). More studies aimed at confirming those findings are under way and may tell us more about the benefits of fish oil among bipolar patients.
You can increase your omega-3 levels by eating more wild Alaskan salmon, herring and sardines. You also can take supplements (and probably will have to) to get the recommended daily amounts of omega-3s to improve bipolar disorder.
Look for products that have a high rating from International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS), a Canadian organization that assesses the purity of commercial fish-oil supplements. You will need 5 to 9 grams of a fish-oil product that provides both EPA and DHA, preferably in a 3-to-1 or a 4-to-1 ratio. For a list of IFOS-recommended fish oils, visit the Web site of the International Fish Oil Standards at www.nutrasource.ca/ifos_new/ index.asp.