What is silicon and how is it different than silica and silicone?
Importance to Health
Where do we get silicon in the diet?
Silicon Supplements
Have healthier bones at any age
Firmer skin and younger appearance without surgery
Stronger fingernails
More beautiful hair
Stronger, healthier blood vessels
Safety of supplementing silicon
How to use silicon supplements
Where to buy silicon
Periodic table of elements

Silicon is often called the Hollywood secret for beauty and for slowing the appearance of aging, but it is also as important for our health as the minerals calcium, magnesium and zinc. Those minerals just have a better press agent.

What is silicon and how is IT different than silica and silicone?

Silicon is a mineral . Next to oxygen, it is most common element on earth. In fact silicon makes up over 25% of the earth's crust. Rarely is silicon found by itself. It is usually combined with oxygen (silicon dioxide to make silic a ). We see it as sand or as quartz crystals which surprisingly can sometimes be gigantic . Silicon Valley got its name from growing pure silicon crystals; slicing them thin; and turning them into the integrated circuits we find in our cell phones and electronic gadgets. Technically silicon is a metalloid— contrasted with the familiar c alcium, magnesium and zinc which are metals. Toxic metals such as m ercury and lead are called heavy metals. See silicon's place in the periodic table at the bottom of this page.

Silicon e is silicon mixed with oxygen, carbon and hydrogen. It is made into that stinky gel you use to seal your bath tub and into kitchen spatulas and the casing for breast implants.

Silicon's Importance to Health

Silicon is a key element in the making of our body's connective tissue. Connective tissue forms our ligaments, tendons, cartilage that lines our joints as well as the matrix upon which we build bone. It also gives strength to our skin, our hair, our fingernails and even our blood vessels. Connective tissue is literally what holds us together. Silicon helps the body assemble the polysaccharides (strings of special sugars) that form collagen which is important to keeping our face from sagging among other things. Silicon helps minerals get into our bones and teeth and participates in a process called cornification—a fancy term for how the body uses some amino acids (parts of protein) to make hair and fingernails. There is some evidence that silicon reduces the toxicity from aluminum and perhaps heavy metals. I hope there will be more research.

Where do we get silicon in the diet?

Because silicon is so plentiful, historically our bodies did not need to be efficient in absorbing the mineral from the food. However, we have strayed pretty far from the “factory specification diet”. When Americans are not eating foods made entirely out of fake ingredients, they are eating foods with the mineral content refined out of them. That is called the S tandard A merican D iet, and its lack of minerals is one reason the SAD brings ill health. Unrefined Barley, Beets, Oats, Onions, Potatoes and Rye are foods with fair silicon content. (That “unrefined” qualifier means that all bets are off if, for example, you eat reconstituted chips from a tube—who knows what the silicon level is?) Beer even has some because silic a is used as a stabilizer. Complicating matters is the fact that our ability to absorb dietary silicon decreases with age.

Silicon Supplements

Horsetail grass has been used as an herbal supplement of silicon. That plant is rich in silica (silicon dioxide like sand), which is why the herb is so stiff that some populations used it for polishing metal. Horsetail herb does contain some organic silicon (silicic acids) but is not a very efficient delivery system because it depends on our weary digestive processes to extract it. Also, horsetail has something of a diuretic effect and may interact with certain medications

Choline-bound silicon gel was a more modern form of supplement. While it efficiently delivers silicon, the choline (a B-vitamin) that is used to stabilize it has a strong odor and can give you bad breath. I used that type for a while but was unpleasant and because I let it linger in the cupboard it got very thick and unusable.

Activated Silicon is made of clusters of silicic acid which quickly forms ortho-and disilicic acid in the stomach—they are what you care about because they are the form the body uses. It does not contain the stinky choline. Ideally the formula would also contain boron and zinc to enhance metabolism. The only product I know that meets these requirements is the patent-pending formula from Jarrow Formulas, called JarroSil ™. It is concentrated at 8,000 parts per million (160 times what you could theoretically dissolve in water). It is virtually tasteless and easy to use. This is the latest technology for bio-availability (i.e. gets used by your system), stability in your pantry and taste. By the way, why not tablet form? You know those little packets of crystals that come in supplement bottles and leather goods? Those are silica and they work because they attract moisture. Pills would do the same.

Have healthier bones at any age

Weight bearing exercise, smoking avoidance, proper hormone balance and a diet loaded with alkalinizing fruits and vegetables are some of the important bone health basics. Maintaining proper stomach acid is crucial to the absorption of minerals needed for bone, so I strongly recommend avoiding the acid blocking drugs which increase the risk of hip fracture. See my book, Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec and Other Acid-blockers .

As for supplements, silicon has been shown in studies to improve bone density but it isn't all you need. Neither is the calcium so hyped in this country. The relatively un-absorbable rock-like calcium in most supplements is usually not even balanced with crucial magnesium, let alone manganese, boron and several other nutrients needed to build bone. I recommend BoneUp by Jarrow . Its form of calcium is the same kind that is in our bones and the product is a thoughtful balanced blend that even includes Vitamin K. Vitamin K has a role in seeing that calcium goes into bone and doesn't end up in your arteries.

BoneUp has almost 3 times as much vitamin D as most bone supplements. Even so, many people will need more—not only for their bones but also for the health of their heart, cancer prevention and much more. Learn more at the non-profit Vitamin D Counsel.

Firmer skin and younger appearance without surgery

We start looking older as our connective tissue weakens causing sagging and wrinkles. The new technology that seems to be replacing surgical facelifts employs lights and lasers and other energetic means of stimulating the collagen to repair and replace itself. It just stands to reason that if you are going to go that route or rebuild collagen the slow natural way you need to have in your body the materials like silicon collagen requires.

For fresher, younger looking, more beautiful skin, for goodness sake don't smoke. Get aerobic exercise and drink plenty of water. Avoid excess sun, but be sure to replace the vitamin D you will miss. Limit your intake of sugar because it is inflammatory and do take fish oil because it is anti-inflammatory. Hyaluronic Acid is another supplement that has benefits for connective tissue. (Why do I keep mentioning products by Jarrow? I do for the same reasons I asked them to be a sponsor of the radio show—they have very high quality innovative products.)

Stronger fingernails

Besides silicon and other minerals, it is important to eat enough protein for strong nails. To digest the minerals and protein properly requires good stomach acid, so there we are again. Weak fingernails are one of the least dangerous side effects of acid blocking drugs. If your fingernails have ridges down the length, suspect low stomach acid (or lack of mineral intake). You can get extra protein of a type that strengthens nails by taking hydrolyzed collagen or even powdered Knox gelatin.

Fake fingernails are very hard on the nail bed. Wear gloves when scrubbing even dishes and rub some vitamin E oil on your cuticles at night.

Incidentally, if you have nail fungus on fingers or toes, Tea Tree Oil or daily treatments with original Listerine (the blue one stains) may resolve that localized issue but it is a clue you may have fungus other places. Take my Yeast Quiz and read the yeast chapter in my book .

More beautiful hair

So far as I know silicon won't bring back hair on a “chrome dome” but it does help strengthen the hairs you have. If you are suffering hair loss, please think of potential thyroid insufficiency no matter what the usual lab tests say. Also check the side effects of medicines such as statin-type cholesterol lowering drugs as well as hormone drugs like Premarin and Prempro. Most of what has been said above about how to have better bones, skin and nails applies to hair since the structures are similar.

If you have dandruff, you'd better see if you might have fungus causing trouble elsewhere. I'm sure you have thought about protecting your hair from the sun and not over processing with flatirons and bleach. Also, remember that most of what you put on your scalp or skin is absorbed, so buy natural hair care products at your health food store.

Stronger, healthier blood vessels

Weak blood vessels cause varicose veins and hemorrhoids but worse yet strokes and blood clots that can travel to the heart. Blood vessels are made of the same stuff as connective tissue and skin so of course silicon is important. You also want to reduce inflammation (e.g. fish oil) and lower blood pressure (e.g. magnesium?) and keep your cholesterol from becoming oxidized (which is like rusty—for that use antioxidants.) Important but less often considered, you should make sure your immune system is strong enough to keep bacteria and viruses from annoying the inside of your arteries and get enough vitamin D to keep proper muscle tone in the arteries. Of course, do I even have to say it – “Don't Smoke!”

Varicose veins are worsened by standing a long time and hemorrhoids are worsened by sitting a long time or straining on the commode. Both are improved by increasing exercise, fiber, vitamin K, Vitamin C and logically imagine, silicon. Small broken capillaries? Those might be weakness from acquired food sensitivities. (Those start or are at least worsened by not having sufficient good bacteria in the digestive tract.) Bioflavonoids that are found in the white parts of citrus fruit and in Vitamin C complex supplements are helpful at strengthening blood vessels.

Safety of supplementing silicon

Silicon supplements are extremely safe in the recommended dosage. As is the case with virtually all supplements except prenatal vitamins, the label says not to take it if pregnant or lactating. (Even with something we are designed to have, no one wants the risk of testing on pregnant ladies.) The label also warns not to get it your eye but I'm not sure why anyone would think to do that.

How to use silicon supplements

As indicated above, I recommend JarroSil because it is activated, stabilized, virtually tasteless and easy to use. The label calls for 10 drops per day in 4-8 ounces of water or juice. I find that it is just slightly astringent (a tiny bit like the tannins in wine or tea) so I just put my 10 drops in my morning cup of green tea and never know it is in there.

Where to buy silicon

My choice JarroSil should be available at most health food stores. (Don't let them tell you that some other brand is the same because it might be that bad-tasting stinky-breath one.) If you don't have a store or your store doesn't carry it, this online store (they sponsor our show) carries it and in my experience you will not find it for less elsewhere.

See silicon highlighted by the yellow box.