Interesting video.

[1:07:36] The Health Benefits of Silica by Dr. Flechas

[www.youtube.com]

PS: Bambu (a grass) has lots of silica.

[www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

Generally, silicon is abundantly present in foods derived from plants such as: cereals, oats, barley, white wheat flour, and polished rice. In contrast, silicon levels are lower in animal foods including meat or dairy products. Furthermore, silicon is present in drinking waters, mineral waters, and in beer as well [17]. However, Jugdaohsingh et al. [21] raised some doubt on utilisation of silicon from drinking water in an animal rat study as no significant differences were found in the silicon bone concentration when the drinking water was supplemented with silicon in the ortho-silicic acid form. Indeed, the major sources of silicon in the typical Western hemisphere diet comes from cereals (30%), followed by fruits, beverages and vegetables, which altogether comprise around 75% of total silicon intake [20]. Even though plant food contains high levels of silicon, its bioavailability from these sources is questionable, due to poor solubility of actual silicon forms present in these foods [18,19,22]. Efficient absorption in the GI tract would require their breakdown to soluble species such as ortho-silicic acid, present in drinking and mineral waters in the range of 2 to 5 mg silicon/L [23] and in beer ranging from 9 to 39 mg silicon/L [18,24]. Absorption studies indicate that the ortho-silicic acid is a main readily bioavailable source of silicon for humans, whereas its higher polymers are not of significant absorbability [25].

It was reported that silicon is connected with bone mineralization and osteoporosis [31], collagen synthesis and ageing of skin [11], condition of hair and nails [32], atherosclerosis [33,34], Alzheimer disease [9,35,36], as well as with other biological effects and disorders. Trace minerals are known to generally play a vital role in the human body homeostasis [37] and the serum levels of silicon are similar to other trace elements, i.e. of iron, copper, and zinc [38]. Silicon is excreted through the urine in similar orders of magnitude as calcium.

Biological importance of silicon might be analysed in the context of its bio-distribution in the body. For example, the highest silicon concentration has been measured in connective tissues, especially in the aorta, tracheas, bone, and skin. Low levels of silicon in the form of ortho-silicic acid [42-44] may be found in liver, heart, muscle, and lung [45]. It is therefore plausible to assume that observed decrease of silicon concentration in the ageing population may be linked to several degenerative disorders, including atherosclerosis. Supplementation of the regular diet with bioavailable forms of silicon may therefore have a therapeutic potential including prevention of degenerative processes. Several experiments have already confirmed this hypothesis. For example, in a controlled animal study, spontaneously hypertensive rats had lower blood pressure upon supplementation with soluble silicon [44], whilst silicon deficiency in animals has been found to be connected with bone defects and impaired synthesis of connective tissue compounds, such as collagen and glycosaminoglycans [46-48].

Moreover, silicon was shown to be uniquely localized in active growth areas in young bones of animals where a close relationship between silicon concentration and the degree of mineralization has been assessed [46,49]. Studies confirmed the essential role of silicon in the growth and skeletal development of chicks that during silicon deprivation showed significantly retarded skeletal development [50]. Experimental silicon deprivation in rats [51-53] and chicks [46,47] demonstrated striking effects on skeletal growth and bone metabolism as well.

Moreover, Reffit et al. [54] found that ortho-silicic acid stimulates collagen type 1 synthesis in human osteoblast-like cells and skin fibroblasts and enhances osteoblastic differentiation in the MG-63 cells in vitro. Ortho-silicic acid did not alter collagen type 1 gene expression, but it modulated the activity of prolyl hydroxylase, an enzyme involved in the production of collagen [55].

silicon accelerates the rate of bone mineralization and calcification as shown in controlled animal studies, in a similar manner that was demonstrated for vitamin D [11,50]. It is well known that vitamin D increases the rate of bone mineralization and bone formation [60], and that its deficiency leads to less mature bone development. Vitamin D is known to be important in calcium metabolism, but silicon-deficient cockerels’ skulls in a controlled animal study showed lower calcification and collagen levels irrespective of the vitamin D dietary levels suggesting a vitamin D-independent mechanism of action [61]. Jugdaohsingh et al. [21] found that silicon supplementation in drinking water did not significantly altered silicon concentrations in bones and suggested that some other nutritional co-factor is required for maximal silicon uptake into bone and that this co-factor was absent in rats fed with a low-silicon diet compared to the reference group fed by a silicon-rich diet. They suggested vitamin K as such co-factor, which is important in bone mineralisation through carboxylation of osteocalcin, and whose deficiency might influence incorporation of minerals such as silicon in the bones.

he administration of silicon in a controlled clinical study induced a significant increase in femoral bone mineral density in osteoporotic women [31]. Direct relationship between silicon content and bone formation has been shown by Moukarzel et al. [64].

Typical sign of ageing skin is fall off of silicon and hyaluronic acid levels in connective tissues. This results in loss of moisture and elasticity in the skin. Appearance of hair and nails can also be affected by lower silicon levels, since they are basically composed of keratin proteins. As previously discussed, ortho-silicic acid may stimulate collagen production and connective tissue function and repair. For example, Barel et al. [67] conducted experiments on females, aged between 40–65 years, with clear clinical signs of photo-ageing of facial skin. Their randomized double-blinded placebo-controlled study illustrates positive effects of ch-OSA taken as an oral supplement on skin micro relief and skin anisotropy in woman with photo-aged skin. Skin roughness and the difference in longitudinal and lateral shear propagation time decreased in the ch-OSA group, suggesting improvement in isotropy of the skin. In addition, ch-OSA intake positively affected the brittleness of hair and nails. Oral supplementation with ch-OSA had positive effects on hair morphology and tensile strengths, as shown in a randomized placebo-controlled double blind study by Wickett et al. [68].

in a controlled clinical study it was shown that silicic acid substantially reduces aluminium bioavailability to humans [73]. In fact, it was already found that silicon reduces the aluminium toxicity and absorption in some plants and animals that belong to different biological systems [74-76]. This is possible as silicon competes with aluminium in biological systems such as fresh water, as suggested by Birchall and Chappell study perfomed on the geochemical ground [77], and later confirmed by Taylor et al. in randomized double blind study [78]. They found that soft water contains less silicic acid and more aluminium, while hard waters contain more silicic acid and less aluminium.

Removal of aluminium from the body and its reduced absorption by simultaneous administration of silicic acid was tested and proven by Exley et al. in controlled clinical study [59]. They showed reduced urinary excretion of aluminium along with unaltered urinary excretion of trace elements such as iron in persons to whom silicic acid-rich mineral water was administered. Moreover, they documented that regular drinking of a silicon-rich mineral water during a period of 3 months significantly reduced the body burden of aluminium. Similar results were obtained by Davenward et al. [79] who showed that silicon-rich mineral waters can be used as a non-invasive method to reduce the body burden of aluminium in both Alzheimer's patients and control group by facilitating the removal of aluminium via the urine without any concomitant effect. They also showed clinically relevant improvements of cognitive performances in at least 3 out of 15 individuals with Alzheimer disease.

3 out of 5 (improvement in Alzheimers symptoms) is better than nothing but they need to work harder on this.

They also showed clinically relevant improvements of cognitive performances in at least 3 out of 15 individuals with Alzheimer disease.

I just listened this morning to a video of this guy who's been around a while and self-taught a lot of health/nutrition stuff, and he says Silica is poison. I'm talking about if you take it in a supplement, I guess. Because if it's in plants, then it's utilized by the body. Like I'm on and off into drinking the distilled water because well water/spring water, etc. has Inorganic Minerals, which the body can't process so they build up and cause damage - plaque, arthritis, etc. I was also drinking Fuji water for a while (even though it's in plastic) because the Aluminium guy - can't think of his name right now - said we can detox Aluminium by drinking Fuji water because it's loaded with Silica. Whatever. I take homeopathic Silica occasionally, and btw, if you have a toothache, red onion is supposed to be effective because of the silica it contains.

Thanks for this and all your information, Panchito.

Quote
Jennifer
I listened this morning to a video of this guy who's been around a while and self-taught a lot of health/nutrition stuff, and he says Silica is poison.

Here's the guy I mentioned who says Silica is 'bad' -

[www.youtube.com]

He's mess up because he had Morgellans.

His Research -

[docs.wixstatic.com]

The information in the research paper about DE - Diatomaceous Earth - that some people ingest, is interesting.

He has a Herbal shop in Canada and got a lot of press when he wouldn't allow Covid Vaccinated people into his store.

Windsor, Ont., store posts sign barring those who received the COVID-19 vaccine from shopping inside

[windsor.ctvnews.ca]

I sure have to admire this fellow for his attempt to keep vaccine poisoned folks out of his shop! I wonder if he is still in business or has been sued for "discrimination".