✓ No active regulatory warningsFDA MedWatch, EMA EudraVigilance, WHO VigiBase, WADA Prohibited List · 2026-05-29
Updated: 2026-05-29 · v2.0 · Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhDCiteEditorial
📰Read the full Silicon evidence review on GMJ News →Complete clinical article, references and updates on news.gmj.ge. This page is the structured safety summary.
1
Safe
Silicon
Orthosilicic acid
Generally SafeLimitedTrace Minerals
RDA
Typical 5–10 mg
Target
N/A
Upper limit
No UL
Products
8,033
Dosage by population group — reference
🔗 Best with: Calcium, Vitamin D, Boron, Collagen Peptides✅ USP Verified, NSF Contents Certified, Clean Label Project Certified
⚠ Beer is a surprisingly rich bioavailable silicon source [1]
⚠ Framingham: higher dietary Si = greater BMD [2]
⚠ Horsetail: variable bioavailability + thiaminase (B1 depletion risk) [1]
ℹ️ Not obtained from food. A trace element from whole grains and plants; no formal daily dietary target is established.
🔬 Lab interpreter
Recommended test
No standard monitoring
Reference range / target
N/A
When to test
N/A [1].
No validated serum silicon test [1].
Full lab monitoring ↓
⚕ For professionals — confirm ranges against your local laboratory.
Clinical verdict
Silicon supports collagen cross-linking and bone mineralization. Framingham: higher Si intake = greater BMD. Beer is surprisingly the richest bioavailable source. ch-OSA (BioSil): stabilized, some clinical data. Not essential but probably important. Horsetail has variable bioavailability and may deplete B1 [1] [2].
1 How much do I need?
👤 Adults: Specific dosage data under clinical review
👴 Elderly: Specific dosage data under clinical review
🤰 Pregnancy: See guidance
Dietary safe. No supplement data [1].
👦 Pediatric: See guidance
No data [1].
🏃 Athletes: Standard dose
⚖️ Obesity: Standard dose
Fat-soluble compounds may require dose adjustment in obesity.
🩺 Renal: Consult specialist
Dose adjustment may be needed in renal impairment.
🌱 Vegan: Standard dose

How to take

🍽 Timing: Any time [1].
💊 With food: With or without food [1].
🚫 Avoid: Horsetail long-term (thiaminase) [1].
2 Which form?
FormBioavailabilityVeganCost
['Choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA, BioSil)', 'preferred', 'Stabilized bioavailable form. 5–10 mg Si/day [2].']StandardCheck label
['Colloidal silica', 'common', 'Less bioavailable [1].']StandardCheck label
['Horsetail extract (Equisetum)', '', 'Traditional silicon source. Variable bioavailability [1].']StandardCheck label
3 Common questions
Is beer really a good silicon source? ▼
Yes — beer contains 6–9 mg highly bioavailable silicon per bottle, from barley hops processing. The Framingham silicon-BMD association was partly driven by beer consumption [1] [2]. This doesn't mean drinking beer for bone health.
BioSil vs horsetail? ▼
ch-OSA (BioSil) is a stabilized, bioavailable form with some clinical data. Horsetail is a traditional source with variable bioavailability and potential thiaminase (B1-depleting) activity [1].
4 Clinical evidence

Strong

Silicon is present in bone and connective tissue — confirmed histochemistry [1]. Collagen cross-linking role — in vitro and animal models [1]. HIGH

Moderate

Bone density: Framingham Offspring (epidemiological) — higher Si intake = greater BMD [2]. Hair/skin/nails: ch-OSA improved hair tensile strength and skin roughness in one RCT [2]. Bone fracture: epidemiological association [2]. MODERATE

Insufficient

Fracture prevention (RCT) [2]. Osteoporosis treatment [1]. Cardiovascular [1]. Alzheimer (aluminum antagonism theory) [1]. LOW
5 Safety, toxicity & adverse events

Relative

⚠ Renal impairment — reduced clearance
⚠ High-dose long-term data limited
⚠ Pregnancy and lactation — use food-level amounts

🚩 Red flags

● Patient confusing dietary silicon with industrial silica/silicone — different substances [1]
6 Interactions

Supplement synergies

Calcium + D3 + K2 + Mg + Boron · Standard bone stack doses
Comprehensive bone health stack [1] [2].
7 Regulatory
United States: Dietary supplement. No RDA [1].
EFSA: No authorized health claims [1].
8 US supplement products
8,033
on-market products containing Silicon (NIH DSLD)

Brands carrying Silicon (1074)

Click a brand to see its Silicon products.
Or browse all 8,033 products in one list →
9 Frequently paired with
Magnesium 3,538 sharedCalcium 3,287 sharedVitamin C 2,340 sharedZinc 1,641 shared
Silicon vs CalciumSilicon vs Vitamin D
10 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Silicon — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Jul 15]. Available from: https://supplement.ge/ingredients/silicon/
APA 7th: Pkhakadze, G. (2026). Silicon — Safety profile. Public Health Institute of Georgia. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/silicon/
📋 Editorial information
Author: Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: January 2027
References: 2 cited sources
COI: SupplementIndex receives no funding from supplement manufacturers. All content independently authored by PHIG.
Process: Systematic literature review
📄 License & reuse
Published under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). You may share and adapt for any purpose with attribution.
Pkhakadze G. "Silicon — Safety Profile." SupplementIndex, PHIG, 2026. https://supplement.ge/ingredients/silicon/ CC BY 4.0.
GP
Prof. G. Pkhakadze, MD, MPH, PhD
Professor of Public Health · Head of Department, DTMU
Editor-in-Chief, Georgian Medical Journal (ISSN 3088-4322)
Chair, Public Health Institute of Georgia · UEMS Public Health Section
Educational and public health purposes. CC BY 4.0. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplement. Corrections: info@accreditation.ge. Publisher: PHIG