SILICON: Skin, hair and nails provider

You probably won’t find silicon in your typical multivitamin or multimineral supplement. Most nutritionists believe that diet satisfies our need for this essential trace mineral. There are, however, some prominent dissenters whose opinions I share, such as Forrest H. Nielsen, director of the US Human Nutrition Research Center.

In certain mammals, silicon affects a variety of substances necessary for healthy development of bones, blood vessels and the brain, including collagen, elastin and glycosaminoglycans. It specifically helps animals develop better cartilage. It helps bones to absorb calcium, evidenced by its presence around the calcification sites of growing bones. Lab animals deficient in silicon develop joint abnormalities, and people, some research suggests, may lose bone density if they don’t get enough.

Epidemiologists have noted that fewer cases of arteriosclerosis exist in areas with a higher concentration of silicon in the water supply, just one piece of evidence that the mineral may help keep arteries strong and supple. A deficiency also may contribute to high blood pressure and ischemic heart disease.

A BARRIER AGAINST ALZHEIMER’S?

Newer research implicates silicon in the brain’s absorption of aluminum, which might influence the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. When the silicon concentration in soil is low, the aluminum concentration is frequently high, and some studies suggest that the same association may exist in the brain.

SUPPLEMENT SUGGESTIONS

The typical diet provides about 30 mg of silicon per day, which conventional thinking considers an adequate amount. Because most processed foods are virtually devoid of the mineral, as insurance against the loss of bone density, I recommend a 2 mg daily supplement. I would consider adding between 3 and 6 mg to a woman’s nutrient programme. Instead of having to swallow an even greater number of pills, you may want to take an extract of horsetail, an herb rich in silicon that can be found in most health food stores. Other dietary sources include apples, unrefined grains, legumes and root vegetables.