Silicon
In small trials whose authors include the developer of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid, skin roughness fell and hair lost less strength than on placebo. In osteopenic women, spine bone density did not change over 12 months and one bone formation marker rose. Silicon-rich water did not change bone markers. No product-related adverse events were reported.
- Status
- Dietary supplement in the US. Not approved by the FDA as a drug for any use.
- Also called
- silica, orthosilicic acid, choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid, ch-OSA, monomethylsilanetriol, MMST, organic silicon, silicium, silicon-rich water
- Taken for
- skin aging, wrinkles, skin elasticity, hair strength, thin hair, brittle nails, nails, bone health, bone density, osteoporosis
Strong several reviews agree · Moderate one review or consistent trials · Limited one or a few small studies · Untested no study in people, listed with what it rests on
Shown to help3
- LimitedOne small trial found lower forearm skin roughness over 20 weeks in women with sun-damaged facial skin, while roughness rose on placebo.
- LimitedSmall trials found less loss of hair elasticity over 9 months in women with fine hair. Break strength did not differ significantly.
- LimitedLimited evidence: women rated their nails less brittle after 20 weeks, a change from baseline with no placebo comparison.
Reported risks0
No risks sourced yet.
What people take it for, and what was found
Shown to help3
Skin roughness and texture in sun-damaged skin
One small trial found lower forearm skin roughness over 20 weeks in women with sun-damaged facial skin, while roughness rose on placebo.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- In 50 women with photodamaged facial skin, 10 mg of silicon a day as ch-OSA for 20 weeks lowered forearm skin roughness (Rt -16%, Rm -19%, Rz -8%), while roughness rose on placebo (Rt +8%, Rm +11%, Rz +6%). The difference from placebo was significant for Rt and Rm. Measures of skin mechanical anisotropy on the forehead improved on ch-OSA and worsened on placebo [1].
- Population
- 50 women, 25 per group [1].
- Sources
- [1]
- Caveats
- One small trial. Forearm hydration was measured, and the abstract does not report a result for it [1]. The authors include Dirk Vanden Berghe, who developed ch-OSA for Bio Minerals n.v. [1][3].
Hair strength and thickness
Small trials found less loss of hair elasticity over 9 months in women with fine hair. Break strength did not differ significantly.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- In 48 women with fine hair, 10 mg of silicon a day as ch-OSA for 9 months limited the fall in hair elastic gradient (-4.52% against -11.9% on placebo). Break load fell 10.8% on placebo and 2.20% on ch-OSA, a change that was not significant. Hair cross-sectional area increased from baseline on ch-OSA only [2]. In the photodamaged skin trial, self-rated hair brittleness fell from baseline after 20 weeks on ch-OSA [1].
- Population
- 48 women, 24 per group [2]; 50 women [1].
- Sources
- [2], [1]
- Caveats
- Two small trials sharing authors, including the developer of ch-OSA [1][2][3]. The brittleness result in [1] is a within-group change on a self-rated scale.
Brittle nails
Limited evidence: women rated their nails less brittle after 20 weeks, a change from baseline with no placebo comparison.
Not shown to help1
Bone density and bone markers
Small trials found no change in spine bone density or most bone markers in women with low bone mass. Fractures were not measured.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- In 136 osteopenic women who completed 12 months of calcium 1,000 mg and vitamin D3 20 µg a day, adding ch-OSA at 3, 6 or 12 mg of silicon did not significantly change lumbar spine bone density. Of the bone turnover markers, only the collagen formation marker PINP rose significantly against placebo, at 6 and 12 mg, without a clear dose response. A post hoc subgroup showed a femoral neck difference at 6 mg [3]. In 17 postmenopausal women with low bone mass, 1 L a day of silicon-rich water (86 mg/L silica) for 12 weeks raised urinary silicon and did not change bone resorption or formation markers against purified water [4]. An umbrella review of animal studies estimated that silicon consistently affected bone at about 139 mg per kg of body weight a day, an amount the authors call likely unfeasible in humans [5].
- Population
- 184 women with spine T-score below -1.5 randomized, 136 completed [3]; 17 postmenopausal women [4]; animal studies [5].
- Sources
- [3], [4], [5]
- Caveats
- The ch-OSA trial was supported by a grant from Bio Minerals n.v., two authors received a Bio Minerals research grant, and the company performed the randomization [3]. The femoral neck finding was a post hoc subgroup [3]. The water trial was a 12-week pilot [4]. No trial measured fractures.
Doses studied
The skin, hair and nail trials used 10 mg of silicon a day as ch-OSA for 20 weeks [1] and 9 months [2]. The bone trial used 3, 6 or 12 mg of silicon a day as ch-OSA alongside calcium and vitamin D3 for 12 months [3]. The monomethylsilanetriol trial used 10.5 mg of silicon a day for 4 weeks [6]. The water trial used 1 L a day of water with 86 mg/L silica [4].
Risks
Checked, no increase found1
Adverse events in trials
Small trials found no adverse events or blood chemistry changes in women over 4 weeks to 12 months.
The numbers and sources
- Effect
- No ch-OSA related adverse events were observed over 12 months, and biochemical safety measures stayed within the normal range [3]. In a crossover trial of 22 healthy premenopausal women, 4 weeks of monomethylsilanetriol at 10.5 mg of silicon a day produced no reported adverse effects or serum biochemistry changes against placebo, and raised fasting serum and urine silicon [6].
- Population
- Osteopenic women [3]; 22 women aged 22 to 38 [6].
- Sources
- [3], [6]
- Caveats
- Small trials of 4 weeks to 12 months.
Claims tested and not found
Sources
- Barel A, Calomme M, Timchenko A, et al. Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2005. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-005-0584-6
- Wickett RR, Kossmann E, Barel A, et al. Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on hair tensile strength and morphology in women with fine hair. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2007. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-007-0796-z
- Spector TD, Calomme MR, Anderson SH, et al. Choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid supplementation as an adjunct to calcium/vitamin D3 stimulates markers of bone formation in osteopenic females: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2008. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2474-9-85
- Li Z, Karp H, Zerlin A, et al. Absorption of silicon from artesian aquifer water and its impact on bone health in postmenopausal women: a 12 week pilot study. Nutrition Journal. 2010. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-9-44
- Pritchard A, Nielsen BD. Silicon Supplementation for Bone Health: An Umbrella Review Attempting to Translate from Animals to Humans. Nutrients. 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16030339
- Jugdaohsingh R, Hui M, Anderson SH, et al. The silicon supplement 'Monomethylsilanetriol' is safe and increases the body pool of silicon in healthy Pre-menopausal women. Nutrition & Metabolism. 2013. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-10-37