Hello,
I've been meaning to write in for a while on this topic. Two months ago, I decided to start taking diatomaceous earth as a treatement for mild digestive issues. My dose is 1 tablespoon a day. Within a month or so, I noticed some amazing improvements in my skin. My face looked a lot younger and people commented that I was looking healthier. I lost all the dry patches on my hands. Also, I seem to generally feel more energetic and healthier and my heart seems more stable. So, I got interested and started looking into what might be happening. Diatomaceous earth is made up of about 80% silica. It is in a form the body can't use, but small amounts are converted to the absorbable form, orthosilicic acid, in the digestive system. I feel that if this can make such a difference in my skin, it must be helping my heart, too. I don't have plaque build-up (mentioned below), but silica improves tissue flexibility and stabilizes nerve function (not detailed in excerpts below) and this applies to me.
Tish
The following are excerpts from documents on silica:
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[
www.efsa.europa.eu]
The silicon content, however, declines with age in aorta, other arterial vessels and skin (Carlisle, 1984).
Loeper et al. (1978) reported that the concentration of silicon in the arterial wall of humans decreases with the development of atherosclerosis.
Women who were supplemented with 6 mg silicon, as ch-OSA, showed a significant increase in copper and magnesium concentration, but within the normal concentration range for these elements in the serum.
Connective tissue is composed of cells which produce the fibrous protein matrixes of collagen and elastin, as well as the hydrated (water retaining) network of amino-sugars called glycosaminoglycans (GAG) or mucopolysaccharides (MPS). Silicon is believed to act as a cross-linking agent which stabilizes the glycosaminoglycan network.
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[
www.thelancet.com]
The fact that atherosclerosis has a low incidence in less developed countries may be related to the availability of dietary silicon.
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[
www.enerex.ca]
It appears that the two fibrous proteins necessary for healthy connective tissue, i.e. collagen and elastin, and also the glycosaminoglycans , are dependent on a specific enzyme, prolyl hydroxylase, for connective tissue synthesis. Not only is this enzyme lower in silicon deficient tissues, but it increases when silicon is added. When Dr. Schwartz found silicon present in GAGs, he hypothesized that it has a cross-linking role to stabilize the network. Collagen synthesis and GAG formation are therefore both adversely affected by a Si deficiency. Dr. Calomme suggests that making sure silicon is available in conjunction with Glucosamine and Chondroitin could be useful in the treatment of connective tissue disorders.
Silicon and Cardiovascular Disease
There have been several suggestive studies which indicate that silicon may play a part in heart health. In France , supplementation with Si has prevented the formation of plaque in the arteries of rabbits. The aortas of the animals receiving the Si were undamaged, where the controls receiving cholesterol showed thinning and fragmenting elastin fibers. Of 31 animals receiving a high cholesterol diet alone, 77.4% were found to have atheromatous aortas. Of 38 animals fed the same diet supplemented with Si, 23.7% showed arterial damage. (Loeper at al, Atherosclerosis, 33,397,1979) It would be possible to extrapolate from this that preventing damage to the artery through Si supplementation would inhibit the laying down of plaque which frequently follows injury to the artery wall. In France the consumption of high fiber foods, hard water and wine provides a rich source of silicon, possibly indicating a bit player in the French Paradox, whereas in Finland , the inverse relationship between low Si in the water and high levels of heart disease would also prove a connection. More research is needed in this area.
Silicon and Neurological Disorders
While it has not yet been proved conclusively that Aluminum is a factor in Alzheimer's disease, it does remain a possible player in the development of the disease. A study by Jacqmin ( Epidemiology, 7, 281, 1996) of 3777 subjects 65 and older, showed that aluminum affected cognitive impairment when Si was low in the drinking water, and when the Si level was high, it provided a protective effect. An animal study ( Carlisle , Alz. Dis. Ass. Dis., 1, 83, 1987) also showed that decreased amounts of Si in the diet led to increased amounts of Al in the tissues. Where aluminum was added in the presence of a normal amount of Si, there was no increase in the Al level.
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[
jsite.uwm.edu.pl]
Studies on kinetics of silicon absorption and elimination demonstrated that the organs and tissues characterized by the highest concentrations of silicon are connective tissues, bone, skin liver, heart, muscle, kidneys and lungs (POPPLEWELL et al. 1998, JUGDAOHSINGH 2007). The amount of silicon in tissues decreases with age, probably because the organ responsible for silicon absorption and turnover in an organism is the thymus, which undergoes atrophy with age.
The highest concentrations of silicon have been found in organs consisting of connective tissues such as the aorta, trachea, bones and skin.
All tissues contain large amounts of silicon when they are perfectly healthy, but its amount decreases with age and then the tissues undergo gradual degradation.
Depleted levels of silicon have also been observed in some pathological states like atherosclerosis or neoplastic diseases (BISSÉ et al. 2005).
Antineoplastic properties of silicon, which can be associated with its influence on the connective tissue synthesis, thereby reducing progress and propagation cancer, have been reported.
Silicon also plays a role in immune functions influencing lymphocytes proliferation (SEABORN et al. 2002). Silicon has a unique property of binding heavy metals into insoluble complexes, thereby limiting their possible harmful effects. Additionally, silicic acid inhibits the gastrointestinal absorption of aluminium, a metal of neurodegenerative action
Silicon metabolism is connected with the turnover of numerous macroand microelements. With calcium, silicon is involved in the processes of bone decalcification as well as calcification. Silicon is calcium-antagonist, therefore
it can regulate calcium and magnesium turnover. It acts synergistically with copper
Additionally, silicon influences the metabolism of such elements as P, Cl, Na, K, S, Mo, Co (O’CONNOR et al. 2008). This element is required to remove harmful and toxic heavy metals from the brain (BIRCHALL et al. 1996, PERRY, KEELING-TUCKER 1998, BOGUSZEWSKA et al. 2003). Disturbances in silicon
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[
www.nutritionandmetabolism.com]
--silicone in crystaline form--
However, in controlled studies on mouse and rats it was shown that sub-chronic and short-term exposure to this compound can actually have beneficial effects on respiratory defence mechanisms by stimulating immune system through the increase of neutrophils, T lymphocytes and NK cells. It also activates phagocytes and consequently additional ROS production [81-83] which can help the pulmonary clearance of infectious agents. In rats, crystalline silica caused proliferation and activation of CD8+ T cells and, to a lesser amount, of CD4+ T cells.
Pure sodium metasilicate (Na2SiO3) also bears immunostimulatory effects and acts as a potent mitochondria activator [91]. Dietary silicon in the form of sodium metasilicate activates formation of ammonia by elevating mitochondrial oxygen utilisation as shown in a controlled animal experiment [91].
