Silica: The Trace Mineral Requisite for Optimal Collagen Function in the Body

Silicon vs. Silica

Silicon is a natural trace mineral and an element on the periodic table which exists as a shiny dark gray crystalline form or as an amorphous(2) powder. It naturally becomes the compound silicon dioxide in plants as plants absorb it from the soil and integrate it into their root, stem and leaf structures. Silica is the shortened form of the name of the compound silicon dioxide (SiO2).

What Silica Does in the Body

The human body contains approximately seven grams of silicon present in tissues and body fluids. Silica is used by virtually every cell and internal gland in the body.

Silica also stimulates fibroblasts(3) which secrete collagen type I–the type of collagen found in abundance in youthful skin.

We require silica to:

Silica is a vital supporter of collagen. Without enough silica, collagen is incomplete.

Factors Influencing Silica (and Collagen) Decline in the Body

A number of factors are key to the rate of silica and collagen decline in the body including:

Silica: “Beauty Mineral”While there’s no scientific evidence that silica can reverse the effects of hair loss, it has been found to help strengthen hair, among other benefits. Silica promotes lustrous hair and may even prevent or mitigate thinning hair. It works to supply hair follicles with the nutrients they need for hair growth.

A 2005 study (referenced in endnotes) showed how silica helped a number of women’s sun-damaged skin. After the women took 10 mg of silica on a daily basis, their skin’s rough texture was improved.

Collagen not only maintains skin’s youthfulness keeping it firm and elastic, it also reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This action cannot occur without adequate silica in the body.

Silica is mostly present in the deeper connective layers of the skin. It has moisturizing effects and accelerates wound healing.

Silica ensures healthy outer cell layers of the skin.

Silica assists our bodies to recover from strain and stress which otherwise ravage our innate beauty.

Other Physiological Benefits from Silica Silica is recommended for:

We’re born with large amounts of silica and low amounts of calcium. As we age our silica supply declines as they continue to deposit calcium into our glands leading to calcification of tissues and increasing loss of glandular function. Calcium requires vitamin D3 for optimal absorption by the body, but it also requires silica in order to build strong bones and teeth.

Silica enhances bone mineralization and can be very valuable in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. It promotes proper balance between calcium and magnesium in the body leading to better hormonal balance.

Calcium deficiency is almost always associated with silica deficiency. Several studies show that people with broken bones heal much quicker when silica levels are high even if calcium levels are low. If you take a calcium supplement, look for silica content in the formulation to ensure your supplement is a good one.

Since silica lends strength and elasticity to collagen, joints become more flexible, are able to heal more quickly and snap back from daily wear and tear.

Silica also strengthens the digestive, cardiovascular and central nervous systems.

The central nervous system depends on calcium and magnesium to carry its nerve impulses accurately throughout the body. Since calcium requires silica to be effective in the body, it follows that silica is vital for good function of the central nervous system.

With skin and the digestive system as our first lines of defense against pathogens, silica plays a vital role in our immunity.

Silica also helps build strong stomach and digestive tract muscles and tissues caused by poor diet or parasites.

Silica is important for healing injuries. Connective tissues play a large role in the natural healing process of the body following an injury involving soft tissue damage. Collagen formation around an area of an injury may be increased with the help of silica in the diet.

Silica strengthens blood vessels. In the cardiovascular system, silica is found to be more prevalent in healthy hearts than diseased ones. Silica is required for a healthy heart.

Silica helps the body to detox from heavy metals and prevent their recirculation. It works to help remove aluminum, mercury, cadmium and lead from the body.

Where Silica Is Found

Silica appears abundantly in the soil, plants, minerals, human tissues and even in water.

In humans, silica content is most concentrated in the connective tissues: the aorta, trachea, tendon, bone and skin and to a lesser degree in the liver, heart and muscle. The epidermis and hair also possess significant amounts of the mineral.

Silica doesn’t accumulate in the body but gets flushed out by the kidneys so most people don’t have enough. Good nutritional supplementation may help the body to retain more silica though getting it through food is always best.

Silica supplements, tinctures and teas commonly come from bamboo or the horsetail plant (Equisetum arvense). Horsetail is the quintessential plant supplement containing high levels of bioavailable silica.

While collagen is abundantly found in animal tissue, silica is more prevalent in vegetables and therefore vegetarian diets consisting of plants-based foods may provide higher levels of silica.

Foods Rich in Silica

Consuming the mineral silicon naturally boosts skin for a healthier more radiant appearance.

Additional Silica Rich Foods(4) Include:

Even drinking water appears to be a very bioavailable source of silica appearing to account for greater than 20% of total dietary silica when water is consumer in healthy amounts daily.