Silicon balance in human volunteers; a pilot study to establish the variance in silicon excretion versus intake

Abstract

BackgroundAccumulating evidence suggests a role for silicon in optimal connective tissue health. Further proof of its importance/essentiality may be provided by studies involving imposed depletion followed by 29Si challenge to estimate metabolic balance. Prior to conducting these expensive studies, we first established the variance of estimating normal Si excretion versus intake using a single oral dose of typical dietary Si, orthosilicic acid.MethodsHealthy volunteers were recruited from Loei Rajabhat University, separated into two matched groups (three males and three females/group) and maintained on a standardized diet for the three study days. One group ingested 500 ml water containing orthosilicic acid (28.9 mg Si) and the other group received 500 ml water alone, all on a fasted stomach. Blood samples and total urine and faeces were collected over the 48 h post-dose period and 24 h before-hand (baseline) and analysed for silicon by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry.ResultsSerum Si analysis confirmed the ready absorption of silicon from the orthosilicic acid solution. Mean total urinary and faecal Si excretions over the 24 h post-dose period accounted for 57 ± 9.5% and 39 ± 9.4% of the ingested dose, respectively. Thus in total 96.3 ± 5.8% of the ingested dose was recovered in faecal plus urinary excretions over the 24 h post-dose period.ConclusionsWe report that in healthy subjects (presumably in Si balance), the ingestion of a soluble dose of dietary Si results in the same quantity (within analytical error) being excreted within 24 h. It is currently not known if this all originated from the dose solution or if there was some exchange with the body Si pool but, given the low variance in these silicon balance data, isotopic studies are now merited.

Digestive absorption of silicon, supplemented as orthosilicic acid–vanillin complex

“…When comparing the data observed in our clinical trial to previous publications, we can note that plasma Si concentration at baseline (T0) was in the range of baseline values commonly observed in the literature . Ingestion of Si from OSA‐VC led to a marked increase in plasma Si concentration – almost twice the baseline value and the concentration observed after placebo ingestion.…”

“…The Si balance, determined by comparing Si dietary intake with Si urinary and fecal excretions, was recently investigated by Pruska et al . . Twelve subjects received OSA, in a liquid form (28.9 mg Si), or UHP water on two different occasions.…”

Anti-Aging Effects of Monomethylsilanetriol and Maltodextrin-Stabilized Orthosilicic Acid on Nails, Skin and Hair

“…demonstrated that 90% of circulating orthosilicic acid was rapidly excreted without any form of cellular processing. Afterwards, Pruksa et al [26] reported that ingestion of a dose of soluble dietary silicon by healthy subjects resulted in the same amount being excreted within 24 h. In relation to MMST, it is kwon that there is a rapid majority urinary excretion, but the storage (m) hair luminosity; (n) dandruff. All parameters listed showed significance differences between both treatments and the control.…”

Venous insufficiency: Differences in the content of trace elements. A preliminary report

“…32 Silicon (Si) is an important element in the biology of all living organisms -small amounts of this element are essential for their proper functioning. 35,36 It plays an important role in the connective tissue (bone, cartilage, skin, and blood vessels). 37,38 It is believed that Si is associated with the content of collagen and glycosaminoglycans in the connective tissue matrix.…”