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Silica Ingredient Notes
Silica is silicon dioxide, a compound of silicon and oxygen. Silicon is the element, while horsetail and bamboo are plant sources, not other names for silica.
Silica is silicon dioxide, a compound of silicon and oxygen. Silicon is the element, while horsetail and bamboo are plant sources, not other names for silica.
Community experiences
Selected positive personal experiences from external communities, edited and summarized. These accounts do not establish effectiveness.
A contributor who used a silica supplement for about three months because of hair loss after menopause wrote that hair was growing back and their skin seemed better. They also reported that their nails had become so hard that they broke easily. Concerned about long-term use, they decided to take a break; without confirmation of the product, exact strength or other treatments, the account does not establish a hair-loss treatment effect or long-term safety.
Experience shared by external community contributor A
A contributor who started a silica product because of concerns about gray hair wrote that their hair felt more hydrated after using two bottles. They wanted to buy it again, but did not report fewer gray hairs or a return to their original hair color. The seller's ingredient list identified silica from horsetail extract and whole herb, so this perception cannot be generalized to an effect of purified silica alone.
Experience shared by external community contributor B
This page is for general reference only and is not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or prescription. Ask a qualified professional if you need medical advice or diagnosis.
What is Silica?
Silica is silicon dioxide, a compound of silicon and oxygen. Silicon is the element, while horsetail and bamboo are plant sources, not other names for silica.
On Supplecipe, you can search iHerb products that mention Silica and compare single-ingredient products against broader supplement blends.
Evidence and limitations
In a 20-week trial in 50 women with photodamaged skin, choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid improved some skin-roughness measures versus placebo. Hair and nail brittleness ratings improved from baseline, but this does not establish hair-loss treatment or equivalent benefits for all silica and plant extracts.
Barel et al. (2005): ch-OSA skin trial · EFSA: Silicon sources in supplements
Forms and other names
Silica and Silicon Dioxide name the compound. Orthosilicic acid is a different silicon preparation; the whole weight of horsetail is not silica.
Related ingredients
Related reading, not a recommendation to combine supplements.
Side effects and cautions
Check the ingredient form with a professional if pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medicines or managing a medical condition. Persistent hair loss or nail changes need assessment rather than an assumption of nutrient deficiency.
Barel et al. (2005): ch-OSA skin trial · EFSA: Silicon sources in supplements
How to compare iHerb products
- Distinguish elemental silicon supplied from silicon-dioxide or plant-extract weight. Silicon dioxide listed only as an excipient does not establish a declared supplemental silicon dose.
- Look for form, serving size, extra ingredients, allergens, and whether the product is a single ingredient or a blend.
- Compare brand, price per serving, ingredient form, and single-ingredient versus complex products.
- Use the search button below to compare iHerb products that mention this ingredient.
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