The herb Horsetail {Equisetum arvense}, is the most plentiful source of:

SILICON (Si)

· Silicon (Si) Is one of the 106 elements that make up all matter

· Silicon does not occur by itself in nature,' but rather Is found as either silica (SiO₂) or silicate (SiO₄). For instance, the silicon found in quartz or sand is in the form of silica.

· Silicon Is also the 2nd most abundant element In nature, second only to oxygen. In fact, silica in the form of quartz is the most abundant mineral In the earth's crust.²

· Most of the silicon in the human body is found in connective tissues, such as in tendons, bones, and the skln.³

· Organic silicon, as found in food (lettuce is a good source}, and in springtime horsetail, is absorbed at a greater rate than inorganic silicon.⁴

FUNCTION OF SILICON IN CONNECTIVE TISSUE:

· Silicon serves five functions in connective tissue and bone formation:

1. Essential for collagen synthesis. Silicon is required for the synthesis of collagen, the predominant protein in connective tissue as well as the entire human body {collagen is 25% of the proteins in the body by weight}.^3,5

2. More specifically, silicon is required for maximal activity of the enzymes that hydroxylate L-Proline and L-Lysine; two amino acids found in high amounts in collagen, especially L-Proline.^3,5

3. Biological cross-linking agent which contributes to the strength and resilience of connective tissue.⁶

4. Stimulates synthesis of glycosamlnoglycans, important substances in connective tlssue.²

5. Bone mineralization -although a minor role, silicon stills playa significant role in the mineralization of bone, particularly the early stages of bone calcification – (which goes on all through life as bone is remodeled all through life).²

· In addition, animals fed a silicon-deficient diet show signs not only of Impaired bone and connective tissue formation,³ but atrophy of all organs.²

FUNCTION OF SILICON IN BLOOD PRESSURE

· Silicon helps keep arterial walls elastic, which is an important factor in determining blood pressure.⁷

FUNCTION OF SILICON IN AGING AND DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING

· The silicon content of the skin, the aorta, and other arteries, decreases with age.²

· A reduction in the silicon content of the arterial wall has been associated with atherosclerosis, or the

process by which cholesterol is deposited in the arteries,⁸ In addition, low dietary intakes of silicon have been associated with increased atherosclerosis.¹⁰

· Despite the need for more research, silicon deficiency has been associated with the aging process itself, as well as diseases associated with aging, such as atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, and hypertension,¹¹

REQUIREMENTS:

· Although the essentiality of silicon in rats and chicks was first demonstrated in 1972,¹² no minimum requirement has been established for humans.⁶

· Supplementally. it is recommended that 500 mg of springtime Horsetail be ingested daily. To nutritionally support recovery from connective tissue injuries (broken bones, torn ligaments. etc), the recommended daily dose is 1500 mg springtime Horsetail.

SAFETY:

· Silicon is essentially nontoxic when taken orally .⁶

· The safety of this mineral is demonstrated by Magnesium trisilicate, an over-the-counter antacid, that has been used by humans for over 40 years without any obvious deleterious effects.⁶

· The only contraindication with silicon is kidney disease, as elevated urine levels of silicon have been observed in chronic uremic patients. The effects of these elevated which is not presently known.

REFERENCES:

1. Carlisle E.M. Silicon. In Nutrition Reviews' Present Knowledge of Nutrition (5th ed). Washington DC: Nutrition Foundation, 1984;549-57.

2. Budavari S, O'Neil M.J., Smith A, Heckelman PE (eds). The Merck Index (11th ed). Rahway, NJ: Merck & Co, 1989.

3. Adler AJ, Etzion l, Berlyne GM. Uptake, distribution, and excretion of 31 silicon in normal rats. Am J Physlol. 1986;251:E670-3.

4. Carlisle E.M.. In vivo requirement for silicon in articular cartilage and connective tissue formation in the chick. J Nutr. 1976;106:478-84

5. Pool e A, Myllyla R, Wagner J.C., Brown RC. Collagen biosynthesis enzymes in lung tissue and serum of rats with experimental silicosis. Br J Exp Pathol. 1985;66:567-75.

6. Nielsen F.H. Other trace elements. In Brown ML (ed). Present Knowledge In Nutrition (6th ed). Washington DC: International Life Sciences Institute, 1990;294-307.

7. Mervyn L. The Dictionary of Minerals. Melbourne: Lothian, 1985;177,88

8. Loeper J, Loeper J, Lemaire A. Etude du silicurn en biologie animale et au cours de L'anthrerome. Presse Med. 1966;74:865-8.

9. Schwarz K, Ricci BA, Punsar S, Karvonen MJ. Inverse relation of silicon in drinking water and atherosclerosis in Finland. Lancet. 1977;i:538-9.

10. Dawson E.B., Frey M.J., Moore TD, McGanity W.J. Relationship of metal metabolism to vascular disease mortality rates in Texas. Am J Clln Nutr. 1978;31 :1188-97.

11. Nielsen F.H. The ultra trace elements. In Smith KT (ed). Trace Minerals In Foods. NY: Marcel Dekker, 1988;357-428.

12. Carlisle EM. Silicon. In Frieden (ed). Biochemistry of the Essential Ultratrace Elements. NY: Plenum, 1984;257-91.