What is Silica?

Silica consists for the most part of silicic acid. This contains the trace element silicon, which is considered to be an important building substance for hair, nails and connective tissue. Siliceous earth provides a beautiful look and as a gel it has anti-inflammatory effects on minor injuries and relieves sunburn, cold sores and insect bites. Siliceous earth occurs naturally in food but in certain circumstances the intake of silica supplements can be helpful

With increasing age, the silicon content in the body decreases

Researchers discovered in the early 1990s that the amount of silicon in the body decreases with age, especially in the skin and in the blood vessels. How high the body's need for silicon is and how much should be supplied daily with food, however, has not yet been determined.

Silica benefits and bone and cartilage formation

Silicon is the second most abundant element on Earth after oxygen. In the body, it is found mainly in the connective tissue, in the skin and in the bones (about 20 mg / kg body weight). There is much to suggest that the important trace element is involved in bone and cartilage formation. In nature, silicon never occurs in free form, but is usually bound to oxygen as silicic acid. Plants owe their stability to silicic acid: a blade of grass is stable due to silicic acid and at the same time flexible enough to move in the wind without breaking.

Benefits of silica supplements for skin, hair, and nails

In a similar way, silicic acid also supports our skin, hair, fingernails and toenails: silicon provides strength and flexibility at the same time as it stimulates the formation of connective tissue fibers collagen and elastin. If it is lacking in silicon, the elasticity and elasticity of the connective tissue diminishes. Broken nails, skin irritation, brittle hair or hair loss can be the result. Hübner has several silica supplements for skin, hair and nails in different forms such as Hübner Gel Capsules and Hübner Calcium Capsules. The Hübner balm is very special because it can be eaten for the prevention of brittle fingernails and hair, for the strengthening of connective tissue. Also, one can apply it externally to the skin.

Scientific proof for the effect of silica supplements

The fact that silicic acid has a strengthening effect on skin, hair and nails has long been known in natural medicine. In 2006, Professor Matthias Augustin, head of the Center for Dermatological Research at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, examined whether the effects on the hair structure attributed to silica can also be scientifically proven: for half a year, he conducted a study with 55 women who swallowed silica gel daily.

The result: After the test period, the women's hair seemed fuller, because the hair thickness had increased on average by 13 percent. Augustin suspects that silicon has a helper function in hair growth: "Certain protein compounds, which are responsible for the stability of hair, are reinforced by silicon. The hair then grows from the root, thicker”. The dermatologist recommends a six-month treatment with silica gel to improve the structure of stressed or thin hair.

Natural silica sources in the daily diet

It is clear that our body can not form silicon itself. Those who daily eat cereals, fruits and vegetables, will probably be well supplied with silicon. The trace element is mainly found in plant foods, especially in oats, barley and millet. Alcohol-free beer in barley malt provides silicon in the form of silica, which can be easily absorbed by the body.

If you like bananas, you can be happy because they contain the most silicon of all types of fruit. But there are also different dietary supplements. On VicNic.com you can find Hübner’s product range which contains silicic acid as a balm and as a gel. In contrast to powder, the silica is present in the gel in solid-liquid form as the finest particles, from which the silicon can be absorbed by the body particularly well.

Silica is good for your health

But silicic acid not only supports beauty from within, it also does good for your health. Because silica acts as a gel like a sponge and can thus bind disease germs and wound secretions. This promotes the healing of minor wounds, cold sores, minor burns and sunburn, as well as other irritation and inflammation of the skin.

Applied externally, the gel also has a pleasant cooling effect on reddened, irritated and itchy areas. The binding power of the silica particles in the gel can also be used for gastrointestinal complaints: Silica gels such as Hübner Gastro-Intestinal Gel relieves symptoms such as flatulence, diarrhea and nausea, by binding pathogens in the body, so that they can be excreted faster. Hübner also provides silica for gastrointestinal complaints in a more handy format of sachets for direct consumption: Hübner Gastro-Intestinal Direct relieves stomach aches, diarrhoea and regenerates the intestine.

Article contributed by  VicNic Staff