Available via license: CC BY-NC 4.0
Content may be subject to copyright.
331
An Bras Dermatol. 2016;91(3):331-5.
review
Use of silicon for skin and hair care: an approach of chemical
forms available and efficacy*
LidianeAdvinculadeAraújo1 FlaviaAddor2
Patrícia Maria Berardo Gonçalves Maia Campos1
s
Received on 27.08.2014
ApprovedbytheAdvisoryBoardandacceptedforpublicationon21.11.2014
* StudyperformedatFaculdadedeCiênciasFarmacêuticasdeRibeirãoPreto,ofUniversidadedeSãoPaulo(USP)–RibeirãoPreto(SP),Brazil.
Financial Support: None.
ConictofInterest:None.
1 UniversidadedeSãoPaulo(USP)–RibeirãoPreto(SP),Brazil.
2 Privateclinic–SãoPulo(SP),Brazil.
©2016byAnaisBrasileirosdeDermatologia
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/abd1806-4841.20163986
Abstract:SiliconisthesecondmostabundantelementonEarth,andthethirdmostabundanttraceelementin
humanbody.Itispresentinwater,plantandanimalsources.Ontheskin,itissuggestedthatsiliconisimportant
foroptimalcollagensynthesisandactivationofhydroxylatingenzymes,improvingskinstrengthandelasticity.
Regardinghairbenets,itwassuggestedthatahighersiliconcontentinthehairresultsinalowerrateofhair
lossandincreasedbrightness.Forthesebenecialeffects,thereisgrowinginterestinscienticstudiesevaluating
theefcacyandsafetyofusingdietarysupplementscontainingsilicon.Itsuseaimsatincreasingbloodlevelsof
this element and improving the skin and its annexes appearance. There are different forms of silicon supplements
available and the most important consideration to be made in order to select the best option is related to safety
andbioavailability.Siliconsupplementsarewidelyused,thoughthereiswidevariationinsiliconbioavailability,
rangingfromvaluesbelow1%uptovaluescloseto50%,dependingonthechemicalform.Therefore,theaimof
thisstudywastoevaluatethescienticliteraturerelatedtothedifferentchemicalformsofsiliconsupplements
availableandthelimitationsandrecentprogressinthiseld.Accordingtoreportedstudies,amongthedifferent
chemicalformsavailable,theorthosilicicacid(OSA)presentsthehigherbioavailability,whereastheothersforms
haveabsorptioninverselyproportionaltothedegreeofpolymerization.However,clinicalstudiesevaluating
safetyandefcacyarestilllacking.
Keywords: Biological availability; Collagen; Dietary supplements; Hair; Silicon; Silicon compounds; Skin aging
INTRODUCTION
Silicon is the second most abundant element on
earth,exceededonlybyoxygen.Also,itisthethird
most abundant trace element in the human body.1,2 It
is present in the water and in plant and animal sourc-
es.Ontheskin,itissuggestedthatsiliconisimportant
for optimal synthesis of collagen and for activating
thehydroxylationenzymes, improvingskinstrength
and elasticity. It was shown that physiological con-
centrationsoforthosilicicacid(OSA)stimulatebro-
blasts to secrete collagen type I.3-5Inthecaseofhair,
it is suggested that higher silicon content in the hair
berresultsinalowerrateofhairlossandincreased
brightness. Nails are also affected by the presence of
silicon,sincethisisthepredominantmineralintheir
composition.4,5 For these benecial effects, there is
growing interest in scientic studies to examine the
efcacyandsafetyoftheuseofdietarysupplements
containingsilicon,whichaimstoincreaseserumlevels
of this element and hence lead to improvements in the
skin and its annexes. There are different forms of sili-
con supplements available and to select the most suit-
ableoption,themost importantconsiderationstobe
made are regarding safety and bioavailability. In some
countries,thesesupplementsarealreadywidelyused,
although there is great variation in silicon bioavail-
ability,rangingfromlessthan1%uptovaluescloseto
50%,dependingonthechemicalform.6,7
However, it is observed that there is still no
consensus among researchers about the statement
that silicon is an essential element for man or about
therealbenetsobtainedfromtheuseofsupplements
containingsilicon.Thus,it isextremelyimportantto
critically evaluate the information published so far
regardingefcacy,safetyandbioavailabilityofsilicon
used in complementary supplements to the diet. That
was the aim of this study.
An Bras Dermatol. 2016;91(3):331-5.
SKIN AGING PROCESS
The aging process occurs by two main mecha-
nisms: intrinsic and extrinsic. The intrinsic aging is un-
avoidableandresultsinatrophy,broblastsreduction
andthinningofbloodvessels.Thecollagenbersare
particularlyaffectedinthisprocess,whichresultsfrom
the accumulation of irreversible degenerative changes
associated with aging.4,8,9 The extrinsic aging primar-
ily results from damage caused by ultraviolet radia-
tion. Other factors related to this type of aging include
smoking, pollution and inadequate nutrition. These
typesofinjuryleadtoincreaseddegradationofcolla-
genandelastin.Also,areductioninthenumberofex-
tracellularmatrixproteinsandadecreaseinbroblasts
are described,8,9 in addition to a reduction of silicon
levels and hyaluronic acid in the connective tissues.10
Collagenandbersformedbyitareresponsible
forthebiomechanicalpropertiesoftheskin,allowing
it to act as an organ of protection from external trau-
ma. They present as essential components of structur-
al integrity of the connective tissue and are present in
largequantities intheskin,bonesandjoints.9,11A re-
duction in the amount of collagen in the skin of about
1%peryearafter21yearsofageisdescribed,resulting
inthicknessreductionandelasticityloss,whichisdi-
rectly related to the wrinkles depth.11,12
Changes occurring after menopause are even
morestriking,includinglossofabout30%ofskincol-
lageninthe rst 5 years and annual loss of 0.55% of
elastin.13,14 The biosynthesis process of collagen after the
thirdorfourthdecadeofliferemainsatalowlevel,in-
sufcienttoallowmatureskintorepairorreplacethe
collagen that has been lost as part of the degradation
processes associated with age.9 The decrease of collagen
that occurs after menopause especially correlates with
decreased bone mineral density associated with age.14
Bythestudyofskinagingprocess,it’spossible
toobservethatthedegradationofcollagenbershasa
remarkableroleinthiscontext.Basedonthis,theuse
ofmechanismsthatinuencethebiosynthesisofthis
protein is as a potential tool for improving and pre-
venting skin aging.
SILICON: A UBIQUITOUS ELEMENT
Considering the abundance of silicon in the hu-
manbody,itseemsunlikelythatitsdeciencyoccurs
in men and women.15
In1972,twostudiesbytwodifferentresearch
groups showed that silicon was an essential element
in chickens and mice.16,17 These experiments demon-
strated that nutritional deciencies of silicon led to
skeletal deformities such as abnormal skull and long
bonestructures,aswellasmalformedjointswithcar-
tilagepoorcontent.Thus,animportantroleofsilicon
inbonemineralizationwasdemonstrated.
Afterthat,severalstudiesshowedsiliconpartic-
ipationindifferentmechanisms,withpositiveresults
associated with higher concentrations of this element
inthebloodinpatientswithosteoporosis,atheroscle-
rosis,skinagingandfragilehairandnails.10,15 Howev-
er,therearenoconclusivedatatodeterminewhether
or not silicon is an essential nutrient for humans and
superioranimals,sinceitsdeciencyhasnotledtocell
cycleinterruptioninmammals,anditsfunctionalrole
remainstobeclearlydened.15,18-20 Most of the silicon
presentinthebloodislteredbythekidneys,suggest-
ingthatthismechanismrepresentthemajorrouteof
excretion and that levels of silicon in blood correlate
with the levels present in urine.21Forthisreason,var-
ious studies evaluate the serum concentration as well
as the one present in urine in order to study the bio-
availability of silicon and its derivatives.
Silicon occurs naturally in foods in the form of
siliconoxideandsilicates, whicharepresentin water
and in plant and animal sources and are found in high
concentrations especially in cereals.18,22 The main sourc-
es of silicon from the diet in the Western Hemisphere
arecereals(30%),followedbyfruit,beverageandvege-
table-derivedproductsingeneral.Together,thesefoods
provide about 75% of the total silicon ingested by man.23
However, there are studies that question the
bioavailabilityofsiliconfromsomesources,duetothe
low solubility of some compounds, especially those
that are polymerized.15,24 Thus, although signicant
quantitiesofsiliconarepresentinsomefoods,some-
times it is presented in an insoluble form and cannot
be directly absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. The
siliconpresentinfoodissolubilizedintheacidenvi-
ronmentofstomach,becomingOSA[Si(OH)4],which
can then be absorbed. It is described in the literature
that the aging process is associated with an increase in
gastricpH,which decreasesthe conversion capacity
of this silicon found in foods in the bioavailable form.5
OSAisthemaintypederivedfromsiliconpresent
indrinkingwaterandotherliquids,includingbeer,and
it is considered the most readily available form of sili-
con to humans.19 It is stable when diluted (<10-4M)but
polymerizesinhigher concentrationsinapH closeto
neutral.AbsorptionstudiesindicatedthatonlyOSAis
availablewhileitspolymerizedformisnotabsorbed.25
Questions on the bioavailability of silicon from the min-
eral water are reported in the literature. In a study con-
ducted with rats that received supplementation with
OSAin thewatertheyingested,therewerenosignif-
icant differences in the concentration of silicon present
in bones in relation to baseline.1Inbeer,itdemonstrated
that about 80% of the total silicon found corresponds
toOSA.26However,therearediscussionsinvolvingthe
availabilityofOSA,whichcouldbeunstableinindus-
trialprocessessuchas,forexample,bottling.
332 Araújo LA, Addor F, Campos PMBGM
An Bras Dermatol. 2016;91(3):331-5.
Useofsiliconforskinandhaircare:anapproachofchemicalformsavailableandefcacy 333
Athighconcentrations,OSAneedstobestabi-
lizedsoitdoesn’tpolymerizeexcessively,resultingin
a reduced bioavailability.10Forthisreason,silicon-con-
tainingsupplementsattempt,bydifferentmethods,to
concentrateOSAandstabilizeit inawayto makeit
more bioavailable.
FOOD SUPPLEMENTS CONTAINING SILI-
CON
Different consumptions patterns of supple-
ments containing silicon are observed around the
world. As an example, the organic silicon – com-
monlythemonomethylsilanetriol(MMST)–ismore
consumedinFrance, whileinGermanythe colloidal
siliconaremorepresentand,inBelgium,choline-sta-
bilizedOSA(ch-OSA)ismorefrequent.6,7
TheMMSTisnotonlyorganic,butalsomono-
meric while other silicates show different degrees of
polymerization,whichshouldexplainthedifferentsil-
icon absorption values in experiments with rats and in
some preliminary studies in humans.25,27 Some studies
have shown that it is readily absorbed after digestion
and observed no adverse events with its use. Never-
theless,itisnoteworthythat,untilthecompletionof
theseworks,specicstudiestoevaluateitssafetywere
not conducted.28
Jugdaohsingh et al,in2013,conductedastudy
toassessthesafetyofusingthissupplement.Agroup
of22healthywomen,whowerenotmenopausal,re-
ceivedMMSToralsupplementationfor4weeks,with
the maximum recommended dose of 10.5 mg/Si/day.
The authors concluded that MMST intake is safe and
that it was absorbed. They also presented data to prove
that,afteringestion, thereisconversionof MMSRin
OSA,whichwouldjustifyitsabsorption.28
However,in responsetothepublishedarticle,
VandenBerghequestionedsomepointsof thestudy,
claiming that studies of longer duration in humans
and toxicological tests in vitro and in animals are need-
ed in order to prove the safety of using the supplement
containingMMST.AccordingtoVandenBerghe,these
studieswerenotpresentedin the article in question
and they are also scarce in the available literature on
the subject. The statement on MMST conversion in
OSAwasalsoquestioned.29
The authors of the original study published a
responsethat keptemphasizingthestudy’sndings.
They argued that they used rigorous methodology and
that,intheadoptedconditions, they could conclude
it was safe to use the supplement containing MMST.
Theauthors,however,agreedthat studieswithlarg-
er numbers of volunteers and greater length of time
would be needed for the continuation of research in-
volving this supplement.30
MMST has been used as a silicon source for a
long time around the world, especially in Europe.28
Thissupplement,unlikeothersavailable,doesnotcon-
tainnano-silicaparticles,onwhichconcernsregarding
the safety have been reported.31,32 However, the Eu-
ropean Food Safety Authority (EFSA) considers that
thereisnotenoughdatatojustifytheuseofMMSTas
silicon supplement.19
The greatest number of studies in the literature
evaluatesch-OSA.Thech-OSAhasbeenapprovedfor
humanconsumptionandisknowntobenon-toxic,in
addition to representing the most bioavailable form of
silicon.15,22
Inchemicalterms,ch-OSAisamixtureofOSA
and choline chloride. Given the lack of data about ad-
versereactionstosilicon,arecommendeddosehasnot
beenestablished.Nevertheless,accordingtotheAmer-
icanregulatoryagency,choline,siliconoxidesandvar-
ious silicates are classied as substances “generally
recognizedassafe”.18,19
Thestabilizationwithcholineisconsideredthe
mostadvancedtechnologyforOSAstabilization.Cho-
line has important characteristics that place it in the
positionofan idealstabilizerforOSA, inadditionto
promotingbenetsduetoitsowncharacteristics.33 In
highconcentrations,cholineavoids extensive polym-
erizationandaggregationofsiliconparticles,tokeepit
inanaqueoussuspension.33
Furthermore,aspreviously mentioned,choline
present in the compound may have a synergistic effect
withOSA, since it is well known its participation in
many basic biological processes.33 Choline is a precur-
sorofphospholipids,whichareessentialforthefor-
mationofcellmembranes,aswellasbeinginvolvedin
processessuchascellsignaling,lipidmetabolismand
protection against the collagen breakdown mediated
by homocysteine.34,35
In2009,EFSArequestedascienticopinion to
the Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources
Added to Food concerning ch-OSA safety. The only
objective was to evaluate ch-OSA as a silicon source
andalsoitsbioavailability.Thus,siliconsafetyitself,
in terms of daily amounts that can be consumed and
itsclassicationasanutrient,wasoutsidethescopeof
scienticopinionpublishedbythePanel.19
Based on different studies conducted in animals
and in humans, the Panel concluded that the silicon
present in ch-OSA is bioavailable and that its use in
supplements,intheproposeddoses,doesnotpresent
risksforsafety, providingthatthecholinemaximum
levelisnotexceeded(3.5g/day).
Studies were analyzed both in animals and in
humans so the conclusion on bioavailability and safe-
tywerepublishedbyEFSA.Astudyofcalvesthatre-
ceivedsupplementcontainingch-OSA or placebofor
23 weeks evaluated the evolution of serum silicon con-
334 Araújo LA, Addor F, Campos PMBGM
An Bras Dermatol. 2016;91(3):331-5.
centration. There was a 4.9% increase at this concen-
tration in the group of animals receiving silicon.36 In
anotherstudy, VandenBergheassessed the bioavail-
abilityofsiliconinoffspringof21pigs,whichreceived
ornot(control)supplementcontainingch-OSAduring
the gestation (16 weeks) and lactation (four weeks)
period. In the offspring of pigs that received supple-
ment containing silicon, signicantly higher silicon
concentrationswerefound(150%increase)thaninthe
offspring of the control group. The authors attributed
this result to the bioavailability of silicon in the sup-
plementcontainingch-OSAandalso tothematernal
transfer capability of absorbed silicon.37 The silicon ab-
sorptionfromsupplementcontainingch-OSAwasas-
sessed in a study of 14 healthy volunteers aged 22-34
years. Each volunteer received successive oral doses
ofsiliconfromdifferentsources.Asignicantincrease
in serum concentration of silica compared to baseline
wasobservedforch-OSA.6,19 This study demonstrated
that the bioavailability of silicon is to a great extent
dependent on the chemical form of the compound.
Inanotherstudy,conductedinordertoexamine
in vivo absorption of silicon by evaluating its serum
dosageanditsurinaryexcretion,differentpatternsof
absorption for the different sources used were found.
Thisstudyobtaineddifferentresults,dependingonthe
source,althoughithasevaluatedabsorptioninjusta
healthy volunteer. It was observed that a diet rich in sil-
icondoesnotresultinsufcientbioavailableamounts
ofthiselementthatwouldleadtoastatisticallysigni-
cantincreaseinitsurinaryexcretionandserumlevels,
when compared with the period in which the volunteer
wassubjectedtoanormaldiet.Asignicantincreasein
silicon urinary excretion was observed when the eval-
uated supplementation consisted of tablets containing
dry extract of horsetail. However, the silicon serum
levels remained constant. Only the biologically active
silicon present in solution at 2% silicon in a matrix of
cholineandglycerolwasabsorbed,whichreectedin
thesignicantincreaseofsiliconinbothserum levels
andinurineexcretion.Basedonthisstudy,theauthors
concludedthatsiliconabsorptionisstronglyinuenced
by its chemical form and matrix.
Sripanyakorn et al measured silicon uptake
from8differentsources.Inhealthyvolunteers,blood
andurinesampleswereanalyzedtoquantifythecon-
centration of silicon. The results conrmed that the
degreeofsilicon polymerizationisinverselypropor-
tional to intestinal absorption.7
SILICON AND ITS RELATION WITH SKIN,
HAIR AND NAILS
Regardingtheskin,itissuggested thatsiliconis
important for optimal synthesis of collagen and for ac-
tivating the hydroxylation enzymes, important in the
formationofcollagennetwork,improvingskinstrength
and elasticity. Silicon is also associated with the synthesis
of glycosaminoglycans. Concerning the hair, it is sug-
gested that strands with higher silicon content tend to
have lower falling rate and higher brightness. Nails are
alsoaffectedbythepresenceofsilicon,sincethiselement
is one of the predominant mineral in their composition.
The presence of soft and brittle nails can indicate system-
icdeciencyofsilicon.Byimprovingthequalityofnails,
there is an increased protection against nail infections.4,5
Inastudywith50healthyvolunteers,agedbe-
tween 40 and 65 years and with clear clinical signs of
facialphotoaging, the effect of the intake of supple-
mentscontainingch-OSAtotheskin,hairandnails
wereanalyzed.Thesupplementwasheldforaperiod
of20weeks,with2capsulescontaining10mgofch-
OSAtaken daily.Also, serumconcentrationsofvari-
ous components in the blood were evaluated in order
to verify safety of oral treatment. The silicon intake
under these experimental conditions was considered
safe,sincetherewerenoreportedadverseeventswith
this treatment. This study, according to the authors,
wasthe rstrandomized,double-blind,placebo-con-
trolled trial that showed positive results in the skin
microtopography and anisotropy after the intake of
supplementcontainingch-OSA.Attheendofthepe-
riodofusesupplementcontainingsilicon,therewasa
signicantimprovementintheskinsurfacecharacter-
istics and in its mechanical properties.
Alsointhisstudy,itwasobservedasignicant
improvement in the fragility of nails and hair in the
groupusingthech-OSA.Theplacebodidnotleadto
signicantdifferencesinratingassignedbythevolun-
teersbytheself-assessmentquestionnairescompleted
before the start and after the end of the study.
Anotherrandomizedstudywith48volunteers
investigatedtheeffectofch-OSAonhair.Thevolun-
teers had thin hairs and were divided into 2 groups:
ch-OSA and placebo. The rst group received daily
dosesof10mgof silicon, for a periodof9months.4
Morphology and mechanical properties of hair were
evaluated at the beginning and at the end of the study.
Ingeneral,positiveresultswereobtainedintheevalu-
atedhairproperties,suchasstrandresistancetobreak-
ing,forexample.Furthermore,theareaofthestrand
frontsectionincreasedsignicantlyafter9monthsof
supplementationcontainingch-OSA,whereasthepla-
cebogroupexhibitednosignicantdifference.4
Thefactthatch-OSAhavepartiallypreventedthe
loss of hair tensile strength suggests that it has a struc-
turaleffecton hair bers.Accordingto the authors,an
interactionwithkeratinispossible,consideringthatOSA
is the chemical form of silicon prevalent in physiological
uidsandthatsilanolgroup,presentonOSA,isknown
to form complexes with amino acids and peptides.4,38,39
An Bras Dermatol. 2016;91(3):331-5.
Useofsiliconforskinandhaircare:anapproachofchemicalformsavailableandefcacy 335
CONCLUSION
The analysis of the scientic literature on the
use of supplements containing silicon shows great
therapeuticpotentialofthiselement,asitoperatesin
different conditions of human health and presents aes-
theticproperties.Amongthevarious chemicalforms
available,theanalysisofstudiesshowsthatOSAisthe
form that presents greater bioavailability; other forms
have absorption inversely proportional to the degree
of polymerization. We also observed that ch-OSA is
themostreferencedformintheliterature,suggesting
agreaterscienticsupportregardingitsuse.Howev-
er,therearefewstudiesevaluatingthesafety,efcacy
and bioavailability of the different existing chemical
formsofsiliconthatuseproperdesign,largenumber
of volunteers and long follow-up period.q
REFERENCES
1. Jugdaohsingh R, Calomme MR, Robinson K, Nielsen F, Anderson SH, D’Haese
P, et al. Increased longitudinal growth in rats on a silicon-depleted diet. Bone.
2008;43:596-606.
2. Reffitt DM, Jugdaohsingh R, Thompson RP, Powell JJ. Silicic acid: its
gastrointestinal uptake and urinary excretion in man and effects on aluminium
excretion. J J Inorg Biochem. 1999;76:141-7.
3. Reffitt DM, Ogston N, Jugdaohsingh R, Cheung HF, Evans BA, Thompson RP,
et al. Orthosilicic acid stimulates collagen type 1 synthesis and osteoblastic
differentiation in human osteoblast-like cells in vitro. Bone. 2003;32:127-35.
4. Wickett RR, Kossmann E, Barel A, Demeester N, Clarys P, Vanden Berghe D, et al.
Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on hair tensile strength
and morphology in women with fine hair. Arch Dermatol Res. 2007;299:499-505.
5. Lef.org [Internet]. Silicon: An Overlooked Trace Mineral Silicon. 2003 p. 1-6.
[Cited 2003 apr 1]. Available from: http://www.lef.org/
6. Calomme MR, D’Haese PC, Vingerhoets R, Lamberts LV, De Broe ME, Van
Hoorebeke DA, et al. Absorption of silicon in healthy subjects. In: Collery P, Brätter
P, Negretti De Brätter V, Khassanova L, Etienne JC, editors. Metal Ions in Biology
and Medicine. vol V. Paris: John Libbey Euro Text; 1998. p. 228–32.
7. Sripanyakorn S, Jugdaohsingh R, Dissayabutr W, Anderson SH, Thompson RP,
Powell JJ. The comparative absorption of silicon from different foods and food
supplements. Br J Nutr. 2009; 102:825-34.
8. Fanian F, Mac-Mar y S, Jeudy A, Lihoreau T, Messikh R, Or tonne JP, et al. Efficacy of
micronutrient supplementation on skin aging and seasonal variation: a randomized,
placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Clin Interv Aging. 2013;8:1527-37.
9. Jouni Uitto MD. The role of Elastin and Collagen in Cutaneous Aging: Intrinsec
Aging Versus Photoexposure. J Drugs Dermatol. 2008;7:s12-6.
10. Jurkić LM, Cepanec I, Pavelić SK, Pavelić K. Biological and therapeutic effects
of ortho-silicic acid and some ortho-silicic acid-releasing compounds: New
perspectives for therapy. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013;10:2.
11. Shuster S. Osteoporosis, a unitary hypothesis of collagen loss in skin and bone.
Med Hypotheses. 2005;65:426-32.
12. Akazaki S, Nakagawa H, Kazama H, Osanai O, Kawai M, Takema Y, et al. Clinical
and Laboratory Investigations Age-related changes in skin wrinkles assessed by a
novel three-dimensional morphometric analysis. Br J Dermatol. 2002;147:689-95.
13. Baumann L. Skin ageing and its treatment. J Pathol. 2007;211:241-51.
14. Sumino H, Ichikawa S, Abe M, Endo Y, Ishikawa O, Kurabayashi M. Effects of
aging, menopause, and hormone replacement therapy on forearm skin elasticity
in women. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2004;52:945-9.
15. Van Dyck K, Van Cauwenbergh R, Robberecht H, Deelstra H. Bioavailability of silicon
from food and food supplements. Fresenius J Anal Chem. 1999; 363:541-4.
16. Carlisle ME. Silicon: an Essential Element for the Chick. Science. 1972; 178:619-21.
17. Schwarz K, Milne DB. Growth-promoting Effects of Silicon in Rats. Nature. 1972;
239:333-4.
18. Fda.gov [Internet]. Dioxides, Select Committee on GRAS Substances (SCOGS)
Opinion: Silicon. Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition; 2013 [cited 2014
Jul 21]. Available from: http://www.fda.gov/food/ingredientspackaginglabeling/
gras/scogs/ucm261095.htm
19. Aguilar F, Charrondiere UR, Dusemund B, Galtier P, Gilbert J, Gott DM, et al.
Scientific Opinion. Choline-stabilised orthosilicic acid added for nutritional
purposes to food supplements. Scientific Opinion of the Panel on Food Additives
and Nutrient Sources added to Food. EFSA J. 2009; 948:1-23.
20. Nielsen FH. Update on the possible nutritional importance of silicon. J Trace Elem
Med Biol. 2014; 28:379-82.
21. Berlyne GM, Adler AJ, Ferran N, Bennett S, Holt J. Silicon metabolism. I. Some
aspects of renal silicon handling in normal man. Nephron. 1986;43:5-9.
Mailing address:
Patrícia Maria Berardo Gonçalves Maia Campos
Avenida do Café, S/N
Monte Alegre
14040-903 - Ribeirão Preto - SP - Brazil
Email: pmcampos@usp.br
How to cite this article:AraújoLA,AddorF,CamposPMBGM.UseofSiliconforskinandhaircare:anapproachof
chemicalformsavailableandefcacy.AnBrasDermatol.2016;91(3):331-5.
22. Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies on a
request from the Commission related to the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Silicon.
EFSA J. 2004;60: 1-11
23. McNaughton SA, Bolton-Smith C, Mishra GD, Jugdaohsingh R, Powell JJ. Dietary
silicon intake in post-menopausal women. Br J Nutr. 2005; 94:813-7.
24. Bellia JP, Birchall JD, Roberts NB. Beer: a dietary source of silicon. Lancet. 1994;
343:235.
25. Jugdaohsingh R, Reffitt DM, Oldham C, Day JP, Fifield LK, Thompson RP, et al.
Oligomeric but not monomeric silica prevents aluminum absorption in humans.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2000; 71:944-9.
26. Sripanyakorn S, Jugdaohsingh R, Elliott H, Walker C, Mehta P, Shoukru S, et al.
The silicon content of beer and its bioavailability in healthy volunteers. Br J Nutr.
2004;91 :403-9.
27. Jugdaohsingh R, Anderson SH, Tucker KL, Elliott H, Kiel DP, Thompson RP, et
al. Dietary silicon intake and absorption 1 - 3. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002; 75:887-93.
28. Jugdaohsingh R, Hui M, Anderson SH, Kinrade SD, Powell JJ. The silicon
supplement “ Monomethylsilanetriol “ is safe and increases the body pool of
silicon in healthy Pre-menopausal women. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013;10:37.
29. Vanden Berghe DA. There are not enough data to conclude that
Monomethylsilanetriol is safe. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013; 10:66
30. Jugdaohsingh R, Anderson SH, Kinrade SD, Powell JJ. Response to Prof D . Vanden
Berghe letter: There are not enough data to conclude that Monomethylsilanetriol is
safe. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013; 10:65.
31. Gehrke H, Frühmesser A, Pelka J, Esselen M, Hecht LL, Blank H, et al. In vitro
toxicity of amorphous silica nanoparticles in human colon carcinoma cells.
Nanotoxicology. 2013; 7:274-93.
32. Napierska D, Thomassen LC, Lison D, Martens JA, Hoet PH. The nanosilica
hazard: another variable entity. Part. Fibre Toxicol. Part Fibre Toxicol. 2010;7:39.
33. Bio Minerals NV. Ch-OSA (choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid). Clinically Proven.
ch-OSA monograph 2007. p. 1-11.
34. Zeisel SH, da Costa KA. Choline: an essential nutrient for public health. Nutr Rev.
2009; 67:615-23.
35. Blusztajn JK. Choline, a Vital Amine. Science. 1998;281:794-5.
36. Calomme MR, Vanden Berghe DA. Supplementation of Calves with Stabilized
Orthosilicic Acid Effect on the Si , Ca , Mg , and P Concentrations in Serum and
the Collagen Concentration in Skin and Cartilage. Biol Trace Elem Res. 1997;
56:153-65.
37. Vanden Berghe DA. Supplementation of sows and rats with ch-OSA, a safety
assessment. Belgium; 2004.
38. Coradin T, Livage J. Effect of some amino acids and peptides on silicic acid
polymerization. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces. 2001; 21:329-336.
39. Coradin T, Lopez PJ. Biogenic silica patterning: simple chemistry or subtle
biology? Chembiochem. 2003;4:251-9.