Dietary sources of silica

Since silica cannot be produced in the body, it must be supplemented by diet. Dietary sources of silica include whole grains, cereal products and root vegetables, such as string beans. Unfortunately, many foods are demineralized and it is increasingly rare to get silica from modern foods. Silica is mainly found in plant fibers and it cannot be broken down by our digestive system. Hence, the amount of absorbable silica by the human body is negligible. On top of that, silica absorption decreases with age. Therefore, supplementation of highly absorbable silica is crucial. Silica-Rx99 is a water-soluble form of silica that can be absorbed easily in the intestinal tract, with excess amounts removed by the kidneys within 4–8 hours after intake. Hence, silica is unlikely to accumulate in excessive amounts and no adverse effects from oral intake have been observed.