Safety Profile
Known Safety Concerns
- NOT an essential mineral — no evidence for supplement use; nanoparticle organ accumulation (unknown long-term effects); NOT on EU permitted minerals list; chrysiasis risk at high systemic doses; unsubstantiated health claims
Contraindications
- NOT an essential mineral — no evidence for supplement use; nanoparticle organ accumulation (unknown long-term effects); NOT on EU permitted minerals list; chrysiasis risk at high systemic doses; unsubstantiated health claims
Interactions
Information not yet available for this ingredient profile.
Evidence and Scientific Findings
Ingredient Overview
Colloidal gold (gold nanoparticles, AuNPs) consists of gold particles of nanoscale size (typically 1–100 nm) suspended in an aqueous solution. Colloidal gold has well-established medical applications in diagnostics (rapid lateral flow tests, ELISA amplification, cancer imaging) and research (drug delivery vectors). These are distinct from consumer supplement use. SUPPLEMENT USE CLAIMS AND EVIDENCE: Products marketed as oral colloidal gold supplements claim benefits including anti-inflammatory effects, cognitive enhancement, joint pain relief, immune support, and anti-aging. NONE of these claims are supported by adequate human clinical trial evidence. No randomised controlled trials have evaluated oral colloidal gold supplementation for any of these indications. SAFETY CONCERNS: (1) Gold is NOT an essential mineral — no nutritional requirement for gold exists; no established safe or beneficial oral intake. (2) Nanoparticle toxicity: gold nanoparticles accumulate in organs (liver, spleen, lymph nodes) and are not effectively cleared. Long-term consequences of oral nanoparticle accumulation in humans are unknown. (3) Chrysiasis: parenteral gold (gold thiomalate, used in rheumatoid arthritis treatment) causes permanent blue-grey skin and mucous membrane discolouration (chrysiasis) — irreversible. Oral AuNPs at supplement doses unlikely to cause classical chrysiasis but systemic accumulation risk is unknown. (4) No established safe dose for oral AuNP consumption. (5) Regulatory status: no approved food supplement use in EU; gold is not on the permitted mineral list (EU Directive 2002/46/EC). (6) Marketing of gold nanoparticles as a lotion constituent (as in Molisan Lotion) for topical use may have dermal penetration implications — nanoparticles can penetrate compromised skin. Document as unsubstantiated claims product.
Biological and Chemical Classification
Information not yet available for this ingredient profile.
Mechanism of Action
Information not yet available for this ingredient profile.
Clinical Evidence of Effectiveness
Information not yet available for this ingredient profile.
Pharmacokinetics
Information not yet available for this ingredient profile.
Recommended Dosage
Information not yet available for this ingredient profile.
SETI — Scientific Evidence Transparency Index
Evidence unavailable.
No peer-reviewed studies with traceable links have been retrieved for this ingredient. Use the button below to fetch evidence from PubMed.
Score Transparency
0 of 10 approved references (score saturates at 10). More peer-reviewed studies = stronger evidence base.
Method: Q = number of approved references ÷ 10 (capped at 1.0)
Limited — mostly case reports or animal studies
Method: L = mean study-level weight across approved references. Level 1 (meta-analysis / systematic review) = 1.0; Level 2 (RCT) = 0.8; Level 3 (cohort/case-control) = 0.6; Level 4 (case report) = 0.4; Level 5 (animal / in-vitro) = 0.2.
Mixed or neutral — roughly equal benefit and risk signals
Method: D = (sum of risk-scored references − sum of benefit-scored references) ÷ total evidence score, then scaled from [−1, 1] to [0, 1]. 0.0 = pure benefit; 0.5 = neutral; 1.0 = pure risk.
One or more monitoring-level safety signals active
Method: S = 0.5 (neutral baseline) + sum of active signal severity deltas ÷ 10. Severity deltas: Critical = +2.0, High = +1.5, Moderate = +1.0, Low = +0.5. Capped at 1.0.
Final GIRI Score for Colloidal Gold / Gold Nanoparticles. Risk level thresholds: Low 0–3.0 · Moderate 3.0–5.5 · High 5.5–7.5 · Critical 7.5–10.
Full methodology & data sources
The GIRI Score is computed entirely from structured data — no editorial scoring or subjective weighting is applied at any step.
- References: Only approved references are counted. Each reference is assigned an evidence level (L1–L5) and a direction (risk / neutral / benefit) by the reference manager or AI classifier.
- Safety Signals: Sourced from regulatory agencies (FDA, EMA, Health Canada, TGA, and others) and pharmacovigilance databases. Only active signals count toward the score.
- Formula version: GIRI Score v3.7.0 — Q × L × D × S × 10.
- Limitations: The score reflects published evidence and recorded signals as of the last update date. It is not a clinical risk assessment and should not replace advice from a qualified healthcare professional.
Risk Level Classification
Based on available regulatory signals and scientific evidence, this ingredient presents a high safety concern. Its use in dietary supplements is associated with documented adverse events.
0–3.0
3.0–5.5
5.5–7.5
7.5–10
The score pin shows exactly where this ingredient falls on the fixed risk scale.
What drove the High classification for Colloidal Gold / Gold Nanoparticles
A score of 6.5 places this ingredient in the High band. Thresholds: Low 0–3.0 · Moderate 3.0–5.5 · High 5.5–7.5 · Critical 7.5–10.
0 approved references.
Limited — mostly case reports or animal studies (Level 4–5).
Neutral or mixed — benefit and risk signals roughly balanced.
No active signals — S component is at neutral baseline (0.5), contributing no extra risk weight.
No major regulatory restrictions or advisories recorded across monitored jurisdictions (FDA, EMA, Health Canada, TGA, and others).
How are the Low / Moderate / High / Critical thresholds defined?
The four risk levels are fixed score bands. A score is assigned to exactly one level based on where it falls:
| Level | Score | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| LOW | 0.0 – 2.9 | Sparse or predominantly beneficial evidence. No active safety alerts. |
| MODERATE | 3.0 – 5.4 | Mixed signals — some risk alongside benefit. Caution at high doses or in sensitive groups. |
| HIGH | 5.5 – 7.4 | Multiple studies or regulatory alerts documenting adverse effects. Professional oversight recommended. |
| CRITICAL | 7.5 – 10 | Regulatory restrictions in one or more major jurisdictions. Serious documented harm. Avoid without specialist supervision. |
Thresholds are fixed constants (GIRI_Score_Utils::LEVEL_THRESHOLDS). They do not change per ingredient and are never subject to editorial adjustment.