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Is pure gold toxic to humans, yes or no? Is it radioactive?
Is it safe to eat gold, and why?
When can gold become toxic and how to avoid gold poisoning.
Learn it all right below!
- Is Pure Gold Toxic to Humans? Or is it Safe?
- Which Gold Forms are Toxic to Humans?
- Is Gold Toxicity the Same as Gold Allergies?
- Is Gold Jewelry Toxic or Not?
- Is Gold Bullion Toxic Or Not?
- Is Pure Gold Toxic to Pets and Other Animals?
- Is Gold Radioactive and Harmful to Humans? Or is it Safe?
Take this quiz and test your knowledge on gold toxicity.
Table of Contents
Is Pure Gold Toxic to Humans? Or is it Safe?
No, pure gold isn’t toxic to humans. It’s safe to be in touch with pure gold and it’s even safe to eat it given that gold is biologically inert and passes through the body without being absorbed.
Gold is a non-reactive metal and has been approved as a food additive (E 175) for decorative purposes, although it has no nutritional benefits.
Here’s an example of a 24k edible gold leaf. This one is perfectly safe to eat and ingest.
Note: only pure gold (24k gold) can be safely eaten and ingested. Other, lower karatage gold alloys contain metals and impurities which make the gold alloy toxic to eat.
For example, most gold alloys contain copper which is added to increase the alloy’s strength and durability. Copper is an essential nutrient but you only need trace amount of it for your body to function properly.
There’s too much copper in most gold alloys and when this amount is ingested copper becomes toxic and cause symptoms ranging from vomiting and stomach pain to liver and kidney failure.
Which Gold Forms are Toxic to Humans?
Gold forms that are toxic to humans are gold salts, potassium gold cyanide, gold nanoparticles and inhaled gold dust.
You don’t have to worry too much about these as most of them you’ll find only in a chemist lab or if you work in a gold mine. But you should still know about them.
- Gold salts. Gold salts were historically used in a medical treatment called chrysotherapy for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, but their use was limited by severe side effects (dermatitis, kidney damage, liver damage, and blood disorders (thrombocytopenia).
- Potassium gold cyanide. Potassium gold cyanide is an industrial compound used in gold plating that can be fatal if ingested. This gold compound when ingested releases toxic hydrogen cyanide gas and releases soluble gold ions into the bloodstream. This is fatal if not promptly treated.
- Gold nanoparticles. Gold nanoparticles can be toxic in some in vitro and in vivo contexts, leading to oxidative stress or genotoxic effects in cells.
- Inhaled gold dust. Breathing in fine metallic gold powder over a long period causes lung problems. You will only be exposed to gold dust if you work in a gold mine or in a jewelry shop.
Is Gold Toxicity the Same as Gold Allergies?
No, gold toxicity isn’t the same as gold allergies.
Toxic gold forms are toxic to everyone, whereas true gold allergies are very rare.
This means a toxic gold form like gold salts can do damage to your body even if you’re not allergic to gold.
Gold toxicity and gold allergies are separate from each other and appear independently.
Is Gold Jewelry Toxic or Not?
No, gold jewelry isn’t toxic. This is applicable to all types of gold jewelry and accessories, including gold watches, rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces, pendants, bands…
Jewelry made of solid gold isn’t toxic because gold is chemically inert and doesn’t react with the skin in any way (unless you’re allergic to gold, but that’s different from gold toxicity).
Jewelry made of gold alloys (most jewelry as pure gold is too malleable and ductile) is also non-toxic provided you don’t try to ingest it (note: be careful your child or kids don’t accidently swallow a piece of gold jewelry).
Gold alloys contain many metals besides pure gold and some of these (lead, cadmium mercury) are toxic when ingested.
But outside the body they’re safe.
Note: gold jewelry isn’t toxic to humans and it can’t poison and give you symptoms. But if it could the symptoms of gold toxicity stemming from gold jewelry would be:
- Rashes and dermatitis;
- Itching (pruritus);
- Discoloration or skin pigmentation changes;
- Photosensitivity;
- Stomatitis (mouth inflammation);
- Mouth ulcers;
- Glossitis (tongue inflammation);
- Proteinuria (protein in urine);
- Hematuria (blood in urine);
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Diarrhea;
- Abdominal pain;
- Loss of appetite;
- and more.
Is Gold Bullion Toxic Or Not?
No, gold bullion isn’t toxic.
Investment-grade gold coins and bars are made from 24k gold, and solid, 24k gold isn’t toxic to humans.
So don’t worry if you own physical gold and like to touch it and examine it. You won’t get poisoned or anything.
Pro tip: don’t try to swallow a 24k gold coin just because it’s safe to eat this precious metal. Human body can’t digest and absorb gold so that coin will glide along your digestive tract unless it gets stuck.
The chances of it getting stuck are large despite most gold coins being relatively small.
Note: getting scammed is the bigger worry when buying gold and other precious metals from dealers.
Most precious metals dealers are legit, especially in the USA, but there’s always those looking to scam unsuspected investors out of their retirement savings. You can check out my gold IRA frauds guide to learn more.
I recommend you check out Augusta Precious Metals if you want to buy real gold coins and bars.
Augusta is the  top gold investment company in the USA and they sell IRA-approved gold coins and bars to people looking to open gold IRA accounts.
Bottom line is that with Augusta you won’t have to worry about purchasing fake gold instead of the real thing.
Are Gold Watches Toxic? Can They Cause Health Problems?
No, gold watches aren’t toxic. They can’t cause health problems and they’re safe provided that you’re not allergic to gold.
Remember that solid gold isn’t toxic so your gold watch can’t poison you in any way.
Allergies to gold are different than gold toxicity. And your gold watch will bother you if you’re one of the rare people allergic to pure gold.
But it still won’t damage your health, it’ll just caused a localized skin reaction.
Is Pure Gold Toxic to Pets and Other Animals?
No, pure gold isn’t toxic to pets and other animals. Gold is chemically inert and passes through the digestive tract without being absorbed.
However, be mindful of your dog, cat, or any other pet swallowing your gold jewelry. Your pet’s digestive tract is way smaller than typical human’s so the chances of that piece of gold getting stuck are very high.
Is Gold Radioactive and Harmful to Humans? Or is it Safe?
No, gold isn’t radioactive and harmful to humans. It’s safe.
Gold found in nature is made entirely of a single, stable, non-radioactive isotope called gold-197 (Au-197).
This type of gold is processed in coin coins, bars, ingot, jewelry meaning that all gold bullion and jewelry items will be 100% safe and nonradioactive.
However, man-made, artificial gold radioactive isotopes exist and these are toxic and harmful to humans.
Here’re some of these artificial radioactive gold isotopes described below.
- Gold-198. This is the most widely used gold radioisotope, with a half-life of approximately 2.7 days. It’s produced by neutron irradiation of stable gold-197 in nuclear reactors. Au-198 is primarily used in brachytherapy for cancer treatment, where small seeds or wires containing the isotope are implanted near or within tumors to destroy cancer cells. It’s commonly used to treat prostate cancer, liver cancer, and other localized tumors. As a gold colloid, it also has diagnostic use for liver imaging and therapeutic use in treating widespread abdominal carcinomatosis with ascites, carcinomatosis of pleura with effusion, and lymphomas. Additionally, Au-198 is used as a radioactive tracer in hydrological research and for studying sediment and water flow.
- Gold-199. Au-199 is used for nuclear medicine purposes, both in carrier-free form and with a carrier to obtain or label gold nanoparticles for medical applications. It has similar nuclear properties to Au-198 and is often produced alongside it.
- Gold-196. Au-196 is a short-lived gamma-emitter used for preclinical studies. While less commonly used than Au-198, it serves important roles in research applications.
Is Gold Toxic to Humans? Is it Radioactive? Can Gold Jewelry and Bullion Cause Body Toxicity (Conclusion)?
Pure gold (24k) isn’t toxic to humans.
It’s biologically inert, meaning it passes through the body without being absorbed, making it safe to touch and even eat. Gold is approved as a food additive (E 175) for decorative purposes, though it provides no nutritional value.
However, lower karat gold alloys can be toxic if ingested because they contain metals like copper, which in large amounts can cause serious health problems including liver and kidney damage.
Certain gold forms are dangerous: gold salts (historically used for arthritis treatment), potassium gold cyanide (used in industrial plating), gold nanoparticles, and inhaled gold dust can all cause severe health effects.
Gold jewelry and bullion made from pure gold are safe to handle and wear. The main concern with gold jewelry containing alloys is accidental ingestion, particularly by children or pets, where the risk is physical obstruction rather than toxicity.
Pure gold is also not radioactive and is perfectly safe.
References:
- 25 Loose Leaves Booklet 24ct Pure Edible Gold Leaf 80 x 80mm- https://www.ediblegold.co.uk/collections/24ct-pure-gold-leaf/products/25-loose-leaves-booklet-24ct-pure-gold-leaf
- Oral manifestations of gold allergy- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8288779/
Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.
