Bamboo Silica
A plant source of silicon, a trace mineral involved in connective tissue.
The controlled skin, hair and nail trial used choline-stabilised orthosilicic acid, a different and better-absorbed form than plant silica.
On the label: Bamboo Silica. Also known as Silica, Silicon, Bamboo extract.
What it does for you
Included for connective tissue support alongside the collagen inputs.
Why we use it
Silicon has a plausible role in how connective tissue assembles. We are upfront that the form with the best trial evidence is not this one.
Mechanism
Silicon is thought to take part in connective tissue formation, possibly in cross-linking collagen and the sugars around it. The mechanism in humans is not firmly established.
Commonly confused with
Not all silica is equivalent. Bamboo and horsetail supply silicon largely as particulate silica, which is absorbed far less efficiently than orthosilicic acid. Trial results for one form should not be quoted for the other.