✓ 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
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]
🥗 Food first — build your daily Typical 5–10 mg
Check the foods you regularly eat — the bar fills toward your daily target.
Whole grain bread (1 slice)3 mg silicon
Green beans (100 g)4 mg silicon
Banana (1 medium)5 mg silicon
Brown rice (195 g)3 mg silicon
0 mg silicon
Check your regular foods above
🔬 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 Am I deficient?
Not applicable0%

What happens as status declines

Not applicable
Not an essential nutrient [1].

Risk factors

• Not applicable — not an essential nutrient [1]
🧬 How Silicon works ▼
Silicon (as orthosilicic acid) is a trace element implicated in collagen synthesis and bone-matrix formation. Observational data link silicon intake to bone density, but a definitive essential role and a defined mechanism in humans are not firmly established.
2 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].
3 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
4 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].
5 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
6 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]
7 Interactions

Supplement synergies

Calcium + D3 + K2 + Mg + Boron · Standard bone stack doses
Comprehensive bone health stack [1] [2].
8 Laboratory monitoring
No standard monitoring Primary
Target: N/A · N/A [1].
9 Regulatory
United States: Dietary supplement. No RDA [1].
EFSA: No authorized health claims [1].
10 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 →
11 Frequently paired with
Magnesium 3,538 sharedCalcium 3,287 sharedVitamin C 2,340 sharedZinc 1,641 shared
Silicon vs CalciumSilicon vs Vitamin D
12 References (2)
[1]National Institutes of Health. Silicon. Trace elements in health and disease. 2024. REVIEW Accessed: 2026-05-29
[2]Jugdaohsingh R, et al. Dietary silicon intake and absorption. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002;75(5):887-893. doi:10.1093/ajcn/75.5.887 REVIEW Accessed: 2026-05-29
13 Related articles
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14 Cite this page
Vancouver: Pkhakadze G. Silicon — safety profile [Internet]. Tbilisi: PHIG; 2026 [cited 2026 Jun 02]. 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
Institution: Public Health Institute of Georgia (PHIG)
Affiliation: David Tvildiani Medical University (DTMU)
First published: January 2026
Last reviewed: 2026-05-29
Next review: December 2026
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