Paul Karason, the most famous ¨Blue Man,¨ also known as Papa Smurf

Paul Karason, also known as ¨papa smurf, ¨ died in 2013 and was blue. Paul died of a heart attack after being treated for pneumonia; he also suffered from a stroke and had prostate cancer he was 62.

He reported that ten years prior, he had discovered colloidal silver and began drinking 10 ounces of it every day. At first, the only effects he noticed were:

"The acid reflux problem I'd been having just went away completely," he said. "I had arthritis in my shoulders so bad I couldn't pull a T-shirt off. And the next thing I knew, it was just gone."

Paul was feeling great, and unlike other blue people, such as the Fugates, it was not genetic; it was caused directly by what he was ingesting. Before Paul's daily colloidal silver drink, he had fair skin with freckles and reddish-blond hair, yet the colloidal silver turned his skin blue and hair white.

In addition, he was diagnosed with a condition known as argyria, a side effect of drinking silver compound. So Paul began making his colloidal silver, desperate for a solution to treat his sinus problems, dermatitis, and reflux, arthritis. According to Paul, it fixed his reflux and arthritis, and he continued to drink it until his death.

Colloidal silver was previously marketed as a cure-all, a one-stop shop medication. However, more research needs to be done on it, and action has been taken to stop manufacturers of colloidal silver from marketing it with unproven health claims.

Unfortunately, there is no way to measure how much you can take before it causes health damage. When colloidal silver builds up in your system, it causes a blue-grey tint on the skin, eyes, organs, nails, and gums; this condition is called argyria.

Argyria is not usually a significant health concern; however, once you turn blue from argyria, it does not go away when you stop taking colloidal silver. Rare cases of taking too much colloidal silver can cause health problems such as kidney damage and seizures and have harmful interactions with certain medications such as some antibiotics and levothyroxine.

Colloidal silver used as a health remedy goes back to 1500 in China and other ancient civilizations that used silver to treat many ailments, as it does have antimicrobial properties. Yet once antibiotics became more effective in treating infections, colloidal silver was no longer used until recently.

Colloidal silver makes many claims, such as a ¨ cure-all ¨ for all things ailing you, yet many believe it is more snake oil, than the magic bullet. If it was a cure, all Paul Karason might not have died at 62.

Colloidal silver is not FDA approved, and in 1999 made a statement regarding the product:

"Over-the-counter drug products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts for internal or external use are not generally recognized as safe and effective and are misbranded … products containing colloidal silver ingredients or silver salts are being marketed for numerous serious disease conditions and FDA is not aware of any substantial scientific evidence that supports the use of over-the-counter colloidal silver or ingredients or silver salts for these disease conditions."

Dr. Young also agrees that it should not be taken internally, stating:

"Just because something is an over-the-counter herb or supplement does not mean it's safe. Not only did the FDA warn against using colloidal silver internally, but the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health also says it can cause serious side effects,"

So as colloidal silver may help to support your immune system with its antimicrobial effects, it can also turn you blue, which is not in style at the moment. Unless you want to look like a smurf.

As a nurse for almost 20 years, I have had patients tell me about the many benefits of colloidal silver; they usually tell me this as they sit in a hospital bed. So talk to your doctor before you ingest anything that can turn you blue.

This article does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the internet. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.