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Benefits of Silica

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Full disclaimer

Evidence-Based Benefits

  • Skin health — Barel et al. (2005, n=50, RCT) found choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA) at 10mg daily for 20 weeks significantly improved skin elasticity and reduced wrinkle depth compared to placebo
  • Hair and nail quality — the same Barel et al. study showed ch-OSA significantly reduced hair brittleness and improved nail hardness after 20 weeks of supplementation
  • Bone density — the Framingham Offspring cohort (Jugdaohsingh et al., 2004, n=2,847) found that higher dietary silicon intake was associated with significantly higher bone mineral density at the hip, particularly in premenopausal women
  • Collagen synthesis — silicon is involved in the hydroxylation of proline, a key step in collagen cross-linking and maturation; it activates prolyl hydroxylase enzymes
  • Arterial health — silicon is found in high concentrations in arterial walls and may help maintain vascular elasticity with aging

What the Research Says

Silicon/silica research for supplementation is still emerging. The strongest evidence comes from the Barel et al. (2005) double-blind RCT showing ch-OSA improved skin, hair, and nails over 20 weeks. Epidemiological data is supportive: the Framingham Offspring study (Jugdaohsingh et al., 2004, n=2,847) found a strong positive association between dietary silicon intake and bone mineral density, with the highest silicon quartile having significantly higher hip BMD than the lowest. However, interventional trials on bone density are limited. Reffitt et al. (2003) showed orthosilicic acid stimulated collagen type I synthesis in human osteoblasts in vitro, providing mechanistic support.

Related Conditions

Skin Health
Full Silica Guide

References

  1. (). Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin. Archives of Dermatological Research. DOI
  2. (). Dietary silicon intake is positively associated with bone mineral density in men and premenopausal women of the Framingham Offspring cohort. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. DOI
  3. (). Orthosilicic acid stimulates collagen type 1 synthesis and osteoblastic differentiation in human osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Bone. DOI