Silica – superfluous powder or powerful remedy?

Silica promises to be a true miracle cure for beauty and health. But what is really in the promising powder?

Ingesting silica: why?

The over-the-counter real silica (silicia terra) is extracted today from the shell of fossil algae. Their main component is silicon. Almost every cell in your body contains this semimetal. The element is of particular importance for bones and connective tissue.

Your body cannot produce silicon itself, which is why it is reasonable to assume that it makes sense to add it from the outside. Manufacturers of silica powder promise that taking it will counteract various problems:

• brittle nails
• split hair
• slack connective tissue

The ingestion of capsules or powder with silica should flow directly into the structure of your skin, bones and cartilage.

Is it really necessary to add silicon?

Even if the assumption seems plausible: In scientific studies one could not prove a positive effect of the silica until today. However, taking silicon in small amounts should not have any harmful effects.

Nevertheless, silica powder is still considered a placebo in specialist circles. The European Food Safety Authority levels the promise of action of common silica preparations as “not sufficiently secured”.

Silicon: not an essential element

Silicon is not classified as an essential element. Only those are considered to be those that have physical effects in the event of a deficiency and are therefore urgently necessary for your body. An addition of silica powder therefore seems to be simply unnecessary. In addition, your body is normally supplied with sufficient silicon through food and drinks anyway.

What is really in silica products?

Even if silica in normal doses does not seem to do any harm or use, the big problem with over-the-counter silica products is another: In numerous preparations, completely different substances were found in addition to and even instead of silicon.

So could loud NDR market In nine out of ten samples, crystalline substances such as quartz or cristobalite are detected instead of the aforementioned algae silicon. Both are crystalline forms of silicon dioxide and are toxic to your body.

Quartz and cristobalite are generally considered hazardous substances and can damage your body if they are inhaled. They are far cheaper than fossil silicon and the suspicion is that the manufacturers simply want to save money by processing them. On the other hand, there was no trace of the body’s own silicon in the products examined. With numerous products with silica powder, you are dealing with classic consumer deception.

Health consequences of commercially available silica

Even if you are dealing with a preparation that actually contains silicon: an overdose of this endogenous mineral can also be harmful to your health. Your body is simply overwhelmed by the unnaturally large amount of the mineral. Your kidneys as a metabolic organ are heavily used and deposits can form. Kidney or urinary stones can be the result.

Preparations with “wrong” silica by adding quartz and cristobalite have further consequences. Ground into powder, these substances can promote lung tumors when inhaled. The effects of taking them have not yet been adequately researched. One thing is certain, however: Both substances do not belong in your body.

More effective and cheaper alternatives to silica

If you want to do something for firm skin, stable nails and strong hair, there is good news: you usually do not need senseless and overpriced food supplements such as silica. Because with the right diet alone, you can do a lot for a healthy body.

Always look for a high fiber and balanced nutrition. For strong connective tissue and strong bones are very special Biotin, zinc, Calcium and Folic acid essential. So eat lots of whole grains, legumes, and protein foods. And if you want to consume silicon in a targeted manner, also put the following foods on your menu regularly:

• potatoes
• cauliflower
• millet
• parsley
• Berries, grapes and pears
• spinach
• peas
• paprika

Try to buy organic quality whenever possible. This is the only way to ensure that you go through chemical-synthetic Pesticides and preservatives don’t consume toxins right away on the other side. And even if you are definitely not reading this for the first time: there is nothing more effective than regular exercise for tight connective tissue and a resilient body.

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