Silicon
Mineral ·Exploratory record · not publication-reviewed ·Updated July 13, 2026
Trace mineral important for bone, skin, hair, and nail health.
Exploratory record, not a reviewed medical publication.
See the editorial and medical-review policies for the publication gate.
This generated database record has not completed a claim-level review by a qualified human medical reviewer. Bibliography links and evidence labels are not approval. The page remains available for reference and is excluded from search indexing.
What the research says.
A quick, data-only summary. The full evidence, dosing, and sources are below.
Silicon is a mineral most often used for bone density, skin elasticity, hair strength. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as emerging. A typical adult dose is 5-10 mg daily, commonly taken as orthosilicic acid (stabilized, most bioavailable). This profile indexes 16 sources.
The bottom line
Evidence rating emerging. Most-documented uses: bone density, skin elasticity, hair strength. 16 sources indexed (2003–2024), with 0 interaction records on file.
How it works, mechanistically.
Core mechanism
Stimulates collagen synthesis and promotes mineralization of bone matrix. Stabilizes glycosaminoglycans in connective tissue.6,11
Dosing & protocol.
What it actually costs.
Real-world pricing across three quality tiers. Assumes Stabilized Orthosilicic Acid.
Weak estimate: assumes 5-10 mg/day. Vendor basis: iHerb, Vitacost, Amazon marketplace, and specialty orthosilicic acid products; comparable standalone options are limited. Updated 2026-05-28.
The same dose, as food.
How much you'd eat to match a supplemental dose.
Silicon content varies by plant source and water mineral profile.
Full safety detail.
Side effects
- Generally very safe
- GI discomfort at high doses
Contraindications
- None on file.
Sources, by evidence tier.
Numbered references. Citations throughout the page link here.
Meta-analyses & systematic reviews
2- 1The size-dependent in vivo toxicity of amorphous silica nanoparticles: A systematic reviewPMIDMiao C, Jia P, Luo C et al. · Ecotoxicology and environmental safety · 2024
Miao C, Jia P, Luo C et al.. The size-dependent in vivo toxicity of amorphous silica nanoparticles: A systematic review. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety. 2024
- 2Exogenous silicon facilitates safe crop production in cadmium-contaminated soils: A comprehensive meta-analysisPMIDLiu H, Chen L, Bai X et al. · Journal of hazardous materials · 2024
Liu H, Chen L, Bai X et al.. Exogenous silicon facilitates safe crop production in cadmium-contaminated soils: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Journal of hazardous materials. 2024
Randomized controlled trials
3- 3The effect of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid in patients with peri-implantitis: an exploratory randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled studyPMIDTeughels W, Celik GU, Tarce M et al. · BMC oral health · 2021
Teughels W, Celik GU, Tarce M et al.. The effect of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid in patients with peri-implantitis: an exploratory randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study. BMC oral health. 2021
- 4Choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid supplementation as an adjunct to calcium/vitamin D3 stimulates markers of bone formation in osteopenic females: a randomized, placebo-controlled trialPMIDSpector TD et al. · BMC Musculoskelet Disord · 2008
Double-blind placebo-controlled trial: ch-OSA (3, 6, 12 mg Si) added to calcium/D3 stimulated bone formation markers in 136 osteopenic women over 12 months.
- 5Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skinPMIDBarel A et al. · Arch Dermatol Res · 2005
Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study: 10 mg Si/day as ch-OSA for 20 weeks improved skin, nail and hair parameters in women with photodamaged skin.
Reviews & position papers
8- 6Silicon Supplementation for Bone Health: An Umbrella Review Attempting to Translate from Animals to HumansPMIDMunoz-Garach A et al. · Nutrients · 2024
Umbrella review examining silicon's role in bone mineralization, collagen synthesis, and skeletal health with evidence from animal and human studies.
- 7State of the Art of Silica Nanoparticles: An Overview on Biodistribution and Preclinical Toxicity StudiesPMIDYu J, Dan N, Eslami SM et al. · The AAPS journal · 2024
Yu J, Dan N, Eslami SM et al.. State of the Art of Silica Nanoparticles: An Overview on Biodistribution and Preclinical Toxicity Studies. The AAPS journal. 2024
- 8Embryotoxicity of silica nanoparticles in the drug delivery of domperidone in zebrafishPMIDValadares LPA, Lima LCO, Saboia-Morais SMT et al. · Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2023
Valadares LPA, Lima LCO, Saboia-Morais SMT et al.. Embryotoxicity of silica nanoparticles in the drug delivery of domperidone in zebrafish. Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands). 2023
- 9Skin interaction, permeation, and toxicity of silica nanoparticles: Challenges and recent therapeutic and cosmetic advancesPMIDMorais RP, Hochheim S, de Oliveira CC et al. · International journal of pharmaceutics · 2022
Morais RP, Hochheim S, de Oliveira CC et al.. Skin interaction, permeation, and toxicity of silica nanoparticles: Challenges and recent therapeutic and cosmetic advances. International journal of pharmaceutics. 2022
- 10In vivo toxicity assessment of eugenol and vanillin-functionalised silica particles using Caenorhabditis elegansPMIDFuentes C, Verdú S, Fuentes A et al. · Ecotoxicology and environmental safety · 2022
Fuentes C, Verdú S, Fuentes A et al.. In vivo toxicity assessment of eugenol and vanillin-functionalised silica particles using Caenorhabditis elegans. Ecotoxicology and environmental safety. 2022
- 11Silicon: A neglected micronutrient essential for bone healthPMIDJugdaohsingh R et al. · Exp Biol Med · 2021
Silicon associated with bone mineralization, collagen synthesis, skin/hair/nail health; stabilizes glycosaminoglycans in connective tissue.
- 12Dietary silicon intake and absorptionSource linkedPMIDJugdaohsingh R · Am J Clin Nutr · 2007
- 13Orthosilicic acid stimulates collagen type 1 synthesis and osteoblastic differentiation in human osteoblast-like cells in vitroPMIDReffitt DM et al. · Bone · 2003
Orthosilicic acid at physiological concentrations stimulates collagen type 1 synthesis in human osteoblast-like cells and enhances osteoblastic differentiation.
Observational studies
1- 14Dietary silicon intake is positively associated with bone mineral density in men and premenopausal women of the Framingham Offspring cohortPMIDJugdaohsingh R et al. · J Bone Miner Res · 2004
Cross-sectional study of 2,847 Framingham Offspring participants found silicon intake positively correlated with BMD at four hip sites in men and premenopausal women.
Reference material
2Common questions.
Quick answers about Silicon, drawn from the data on this page.
What is Silicon?
Trace mineral important for bone, skin, hair, and nail health.
What is Silicon used for?
Commonly cited benefits of Silicon include: Bone density; Skin elasticity; Hair strength; Nail health. NutriStack rates the overall evidence as emerging.
What is a typical dose of Silicon?
A typical adult dose of Silicon is 5-10 mg daily. The commonly recommended form is Orthosilicic acid (stabilized, most bioavailable). These are general ranges, not personalized advice; confirm the right dose with a clinician.
What are the side effects of Silicon?
Reported side effects include generally very safe, gi discomfort at high doses. This is educational information; check with a healthcare professional before use.
How strong is the evidence for Silicon?
NutriStack rates this as Emerging, meaning early RCT signal, mechanistic data, or limited human evidence. Full tier criteria are at https://nutristackapp.com/methodology/evidence-tiers.
Use this with your stack
Silicon in NutriStack.
Add it to your stack, see how it interacts with everything else you take, and get a Stack Score that updates the moment it does.