Contents
It is the most abundant element on Earth after oxygen. In the chemical composition of the human body, its total mass is about 7 g.
Silicon compounds are essential for the normal functioning of epithelial and connective tissues.
Silicon-rich foods
Indicated approximate availability in 100 g of product
Daily silicon requirement
The daily requirement for silicon is 20-30 mg. The upper acceptable level of silicon consumption has not been established.
The need for silicon increases with:
- fractures;
- osteoporosis;
- neurological disorders.
Useful properties of silicon and its effect on the body
Silicon is essential for the normal course of fat metabolism in the body. The presence of silicon in the walls of blood vessels prevents the penetration of fats into the blood plasma and their deposition in the vascular wall. Silicon helps the formation of bone tissue, promotes collagen synthesis.
It has a vasodilating effect, which helps to lower blood pressure. It also stimulates the immune system and is involved in maintaining the elasticity of the skin.
Interaction with other essential elements
Silicon improves the absorption of iron (Fe) and calcium (Ca) by the body.
Lack and excess of silicon
Signs of a lack of silicon
- fragility of bones and hair;
- increased sensitivity to weather changes;
- poor wound healing;
- deterioration of the mental state;
- decreased appetite;
- itching;
- decreased elasticity of tissues and skin;
- tendency to bruising and hemorrhage (increased vascular permeability).
Deficiency of silicon in the body can lead to silicosis anemia.
Signs of excess silicon
An excess of silicon in the body can lead to the formation of urinary stones and to impaired calcium-phosphorus metabolism.
Factors Affecting the Silicon Content of Products
Thanks to industrial processing technologies (refining food – getting rid of the so-called ballasts), the products are purified, which in turn greatly reduces the silicon content in them, which ends up in waste. Silicon deficiency is aggravated in the same way: chlorinated water, dairy products with radionuclides.
Why silicon deficiency occurs
A day, with food and water, we consume on average about 3,5 mg of silicon, and we lose almost three times more – about 9 mg. This is due to poor ecology, oxidative processes that provoke the formation of free radicals, stress and due to malnutrition.