Le silicium, un oligoélément essentiel à la santé, à tous les âges de la vie

Organic Silicon, or Monomethylsilanetriol.

• Organic silicon is a trace element, present in the human body from birth. It is studied in many fields: recovery after surgery, joint comfort, bone strength, skin quality, healing, hair loss, brittle nails…
• It is found inside all living beings on Earth. It is a trace element essential to the life of plants, animals and humans.
• For humans, many scientific studies have shown its importance in the face of ageing and in maintaining good health.
• Be careful not to confuse silicon, silica and organic silicon. To properly understand the difference, it is important to understand what it is exactly.

SILICIUM ORGANIQUE FORTE = Monomethylsilanetriol

Silicon provides the following benefits:

• Essential for bones and joint cartilage: strength and flexibility!
• Contributes to the quality of blood vessels: elasticity and suppleness
• Helps the brain to function well
• An antioxidant, studied for its role in blood sugar balance
• A role studied in cell division
• Helps the body's defences
• Contributes to the quality of the skin
• Contributes to the quality of the hair
• Strengthens the nails

Before understanding how silicon can be such an important ally for our health, it is essential to understand where it comes from and what it is exactly!

What exactly is silicon?

• The second most abundant element on Earth, it makes up 28% of the Earth's crust. In Mendeleev's table (the periodic classification of chemical elements), it is named Si and sits in 14th position.
• In the human body, it is non-toxic. Our body needs it to maintain and stimulate its immune defences (study).
• Silicon can combine with a good many other chemical elements. With 4 oxygen atoms, it forms a silicate. Combined with aluminium, it becomes aluminium silicate. With magnesium, it gives magnesium trisilicate, an excellent stomach antacid that is widely used in medicine.
• The term “Organic Silicon” is used when one (or more) carbon atom(s) is added to a silicon atom through a chemical reaction. This transformation produces a methyl radical CH3 (which makes it lipophilic and allows it to cross the skin easily and mix easily with fats) and three alcohol functions (which make it soluble in water). Chemically modified silicon becomes organic silicon and is also called monomethylsilanetriol.

This Organic Silicon has the best bioavailability, 70%, compared with mineral silicon (less than 10% bioavailability)

Silicon in nature

• Silicon does not exist as such but in the form of oxides (silicates). It is a hard grey metal which, reduced to a brown powder, conducts electricity. Mineral silicon is found in the most modern technologies such as computer chips, solar panels and smartphones. The name Silicon Valley in the USA is due to the presence of many electronics companies, which need a great deal of silicon.
• Electronics is not the only place where you can find silicon. It is present in plants and animals. It is also found on the seabed, in a concentration 10 times higher at a depth of 2000 metres than at the surface.
• Very present in nature, particularly in plants and animals, although in smaller quantities in plants than in animals.
• Silicon in its chemically modified form (organic silicon) is very different from mineral silicon. Our body can assimilate it more easily in its organic form (from 70% to 90%) than in its mineral form (10%), and it is necessary for the human body to function well.
• Only plants and micro-organisms are able to transform the molecules of mineral silicon, which is insoluble in water (silica and silicates). Once transformed by these plants, humans can then assimilate this silicon at a rate of 10%. Food supplements made of silicon from plants such as horsetail, oats, nettle, bamboo, parsley and so on contain a silicon that our body assimilates poorly, 90% of which is eliminated through the bladder. Excessive consumption of this type of silicon can cause kidney stones. Organic silicon, on the other hand, can be absorbed freely. It is perfectly soluble in water and any excess is easily eliminated through the kidneys.

In summary, there are 4 types of silicon:

1. The element silicon, which cannot exist on its own in nature. It is always part of a molecule. It is a trace element useful to the body.
2. Mineral silicon, not soluble in water, found in sand and rocks. It cannot be assimilated by humans and animals.
3. Bioavailable mineral silicon, which results from plants and micro-organisms digesting its water-insoluble form. Assimilable at 10%, it allows us to benefit from the advantages of silicon.
4. Organic silicon, obtained in the laboratory. Soluble in water and in fats. It is the most assimilable and the most effective. It is the only one that deserves the name organic silicon. Its scientific name is monomethylsilanetriol.

Who discovered organic silicon?

• The use of silicon for therapeutic purposes goes back to antiquity. Many products based on silicon drawn from plants were used for their benefits to health.
• The silicon known as organic was synthesised for the first time in 1957 by Norbert Duffaut, an organic chemist at the University of Bordeaux. This organic silicon (monomethylsilanetriol) was first used as an ointment for skin problems. Nowadays, ointments have been replaced by a non-greasy Organic Silicon gel.
• Since then, monomethylsilanetriol has become a food supplement authorised by the European Commission on 4 August 2016. You can find a copy of this authorisation in the documents on the Silicium Organique Forte presentation page, under the attached documents.

Organic Silicon is ESSENTIAL to the proper functioning of our body.

• According to numerous scientific studies silicon contributes to the production of collagen. It is therefore the basis for the making of all the tissues of our human body: bones, cartilage, tendons, muscles, skin, hair, nails, arteries and the aorta.
• The human body needs about 50 mg/day of silicon. This intake must come from our diet.
• The problem with silicon is that we are born with a reservoir full of it, which we empty little by little as we age. This decline is even sharper in menopausal women. A baby is born with 7 grams of silicon in the body. By the age of fifty, only about 4 grams remain. After 65/70 years, barely 2 grams. This silicon deficiency (see study) makes bones more fragile, bringing all the worries of osteoporosis
• Silicon contributes to the balance of calcium in our body. Researchers have studied its ability to bind to heavy metals that are dangerous to health, such as aluminium, lead, cadmium and arsenic (very present in cigarettes). These heavy metals are studied for their role in neurodegenerative diseases. This power of silicon was studied by Professor Christopher Exley professor of inorganic biochemistry at Keele University in England.
• Organic silicon taken by mouth is absorbed very quickly through the upper part of the small intestine. An hour and a half after it is ingested, organic silicon is at its maximum concentration in the blood. It is then distributed to the bones, tendons, cartilage, blood vessels, skin and integuments (hair and nails). It is present free in the blood in the form of orthosilicic acid, not bound to proteins

Essential for bones and joint cartilage: strength and flexibility!

• Silicon is necessary for the synthesis of bone, collagen and elastin for the more flexible tissues. Without silicon, there is no collagen. It is necessary from the embryonic stage for the synthesis of bone, collagen and elastin for the most flexible tissues. Chemically speaking, these are proteoglycans, which bind proteins and complex sugars.
• It allows bone tissue to be harder and to have better cohesion. This makes it an ally of bone strength. Silicon is present in bone at a rate of 500 mg per kilo of dry tissue. A good concentration of silicon in the human body allows bones to be stronger and less brittle.
• Silicon is necessary for calcium to bind to bones. Some recent studies have observed that regular intake of Organic Silicon is associated with an increase in bone mineral density in men and pre-menopausal women.
• As we age, with a lower consumption of plants compared with animal products, bone and connective tissues no longer have enough silicon to strengthen themselves. This leaves the door open to osteoporosis. We must not forget that our body is in permanent reconstruction. Even at 100 years old, with either a perfect diet (80% fresh plant products from the garden and at most 20% products of animal origin) or a correct intake of organic silicon (25 ml per day), you rebuild your skeleton every 10 years. It is up to you to choose how you wish to age!
• Sport places heavy demands on tendons and joints. The silicon gel, which easily penetrates the skin and the tissues beneath it, is used as a massage after exertion. It is also used on stretch marks: in that case, count on 25 ml of organic silicon per day for at least 6 months, combined with a daily application of gel.
• Silicon plays a major role in the formation and growth of bone. The scientific studies (pages 99-110) confirm it.

Essential for the vessels: elasticity and suppleness

• The highest concentration of silicon in our body is found in the aorta. With ageing, the elastin content falls considerably. This leads to a stiffening of the arteries.
• The aorta contains glycosaminoglycans, which are very important for reducing atherosclerosis. It is worth noting that a study has shown that organic silicon is involved in the production of glycosaminoglycans.
• Blood vessels are connective tissues that need a great deal of flexibility to work well. Keeping a good silicon content at this level is vital for the health of the whole cardiovascular system.
• A study carried out on animals whose arteries had stiffened showed that an intake of organic silicon (monomethylsilanetriol) reduces the lesions.
• As regards hypertension, regular intake of organic silicon (monomethylsilanetriol) has been associated with a drop in blood pressure. (see the study) Excessively high blood pressure favours the onset of atherosclerosis.

The best friend of our brain: mental health

• It is well known that aluminium is toxic to the human body, and that it is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Some studies carried out in France have observed that drinking water rich in silica is associated with a reduced risk of cognitive decline.
• Moreover, other studies provide evidence that when organic silicon is taken for a minimum of 12 weeks (3 months), the body eliminates in the urine large quantities of aluminium, heavy metals and even arsenic. In short, silicon helps the body to eliminate part of what does not suit it and is found in our modern diet.
• Silicon also has an antioxidant effect (see the study) by protecting cells against oxidative stress. In our brain cells, this antioxidant effect is an additional protection for mental health.
• In view of these results, organic silicon (monomethylsilanetriol) should be part of our daily diet as a food supplement, so that we can age healthily in this modern world.

Antioxidant and blood sugar balance

• A regular intake of organic silicon would help to lower blood sugar and improve the response to insulin, according to some studies carried out on animals.

Silicon and cell division: a line of research

• Silicon in its organic form (monomethylsilanetriol) is said to favour normal cell division (regeneration). A study carried out in 1988 points in this direction, but more in-depth studies are needed to confirm this line of research.

Helps the body's defences

• Our immune system needs the thymus to work well. It is inside the thymus that silicon is the basis for the making of T lymphocytes (see the study ). White blood cells also need this silicon.
• The adrenal glands work better with sufficient silicon to manage the various stresses during the day.
• According to another study, silicon acts with arginine to improve the effectiveness of the immune defences.
• For good defences, the presence of silicon matters.

Contributes to the quality of the skin

• When we are teenagers, our skin is supple and delicate. This suppleness is due to elastin, in which silicon is present in large quantity. As we age, the amount of silicon in our body decreases. It is present at around 7 grams at birth and only about 4 grams remain at the age of 50. A lack of silicon leaves the skin dry, poorly hydrated and inextensible.
• The loss of silicon with age shows in the appearance of wrinkles and stretch marks (after childbirth or weight gain). The skin becomes less supple and has difficulty regenerating.
• Organic Silicon passes easily through the skin. Transcutaneous absorption of Organic Silicon placed on the skin with a soaked compress has been demonstrated. A few minutes later, it is found in full in the blood.
• To support the skin in the face of wrinkles, Géomer advises an intake of organic silicon (monomethylsilanetriol) by mouth, with Silicium Organique Forté, or a silicon-rich gel applied directly to the skin.
• The more silicon-rich your body is, the more the skin stays supple, of good consistency, with few or no wrinkles. And if you have a wound, healing will be quick and good.
• One of the flagship products in the Laboratoire Géomer range is an anti-wrinkle rich in organic silicon: the Tenseur Minéral

Silicium Organique Forte

Strengthens the hair fibre and helps limit hair loss. Perfect for nails!

• Hair and nails are called integuments (phanera). They have the particularity of growing in the epidermis and, just like the skin, they need Organic Silicon at the base of their making.
• The older we get, the drier and more wrinkled the skin becomes. As for hair, it becomes finer, brittle and falls out. It is common to see many older women with very sparse hair. The same goes for nails, which become brittle with age.
• The presence of organic silicon in the skin tissues helps hair to have more shine, to have its renewal favoured and to grow better. Some clinical studies have found that the presence of silicon has a positive effect on the structure of hair keratin.
• Organic silicon is a major component of the Laboratoire Géomer's anti-hair-loss products such as: Régénorsil, Phytogel Bio H, Oligo F3. The numerous testimonials from users regarding hair regrowth is one more illustration of the value of organic silicon.

How can you preserve your silicon reserve?

Traditional Chinese Medicine helps us understand

• As explained at the beginning of this article, the older we get, the more of our body's silicon reserve we lose. This loss begins gently around the age of 25 and becomes more marked between 40 and 50. Traditional Chinese Medicine illustrates this very well with the law of the 5 Elements. The loss of minerals in the human body corresponds to element number 4: Metal. Silicon is an important, even indispensable, metal element for every living organism. This law of the 5 Elements , more than 5,000 years old, explains why after the age of 40 the body begins to lack minerals. It is in theautumn of its life. The energy rules that govern our planet tell us that in the autumn of life, minerals should be prioritised. Eat 80% vegetables grown on compost made from animal and human manure and make do with 20% meat or fish.
• A healthy life is a cycle that has not changed since the dawn of time. It is very well described by the law of the 5 Elements.
• At 1, it is the energy of spring, wood = the start of a year and the start of a life, from birth to puberty. Everything begins to grow, like young shoots full of vigour and silicon.
• At 2, it is the energy of summer, fire = we are full of fire and passion. In the prime of life = the peak of life. We act without thinking too much and charge ahead.
• At 3, it is the energy of late summer, earth = we finally become mature and reap the fruits of our actions. We think and reflect before acting. The famous midlife crisis. We are in the late summer of our life and we decide only after reflection. It is at this point that the human body starts to lose its silicon stock very sharply. It is at this point that all the waste and excrement produced during the long days of summer must be put on the compost heap, if we want to recover the minerals (silicon) in the food of the next spring.
• At 4, it is the energy of autumn, Metal = The sap of the trees begins to flow towards the roots. The leaves fall to return to the ground the minerals drawn up during spring and summer. This will make compost to provide the energy needed to regrow new leaves next spring. For us human beings, there will not be another spring. We are slowly heading towards the end of life. It is therefore essential that the autumn of our life be of good quality, in order to bring greater longevity. This is where it is essential to keep as much silicon (minerals) as possible in our body, so as not to have overly dry skin, hair loss, brittle bones, etc. Géomer advises supplementing your diet with assimilable organic silicon in order to make up for these losses.
• At 5, it is the energy of winter, water = a period when energy is at its lowest. For nature, it is a season of hibernation before a new spring. For us human beings, it is the winter of our life. A period of old age whose length will depend on the quality of our vehicle = our human body.

• In light of the teachings of the law of the 5 Elements, our body needs to be strongly mineralised (above all with silicon) in order to get through the winter of life as durably and in the best possible quality. To do so, once the ageing process has begun (around the age of 25), we need to draw from nature the silicon that is essential to life.
• And that is the big problem of the modern world!
• Soils are depleted and are unable to regenerate.
• We consume what the earth produces (vegetables and meat), but modern civilisation no longer returns the minerals to the earth as it did in the past. Our excrement goes into the toilet water. All of this is then treated in sewage plants whose sludge is not turned into fertiliser but burned in power plants. And that is what causes soil depletion. In the past, human excrement was collected to spend the winter on the garden (a true compost) and to provide rich vegetables from the following spring. We are very far from the time when food was naturally rich in minerals.
• The modern view of Man cannot imagine eating vegetables that have grown in soil enriched with his own excrement!
• modern Man wants to live in cities and have every luxury at his disposal without having to recover his own waste to recreate his food in his own garden.
• The animals we eat are also raised on depleted soils and provide us with food of poor quality. It is recognised that a single apple harvested at the beginning of the century had as many vitamins as 50 apples today, even organic ones.
• It is difficult to find quality silicon in the modern diet.
• The silicon found in vegetables or in nature is very poorly assimilated (see the beginning of the article) by our body.
• Thanks to Norbert Duffaut since 1957 (who deserved worldwide recognition, like a Nobel Prize), it is possible to provide the human body with chemically modified silicon (addition of a carbon atom) that is completely assimilable: Organic Silicon
• Géomer offers it to you in its Silicium Organique Forté

Does Organic Silicon have any contraindications?

• To date, scientists have discovered no danger linked to the consumption of true Organic Silicon: monomethylsilanetriol. (chemically modified silicon). This monomethylsilanetriol food supplement is authorised by a European Commission decision dated 4 August 2016 under number 2016/1344.
• The only danger identified is linked to overconsumption of the trace element silicon from plants or from nature, as it can cause kidney stones.
• In shops and pharmacies you will find a good number of products labelled "organic silicon" derived from plants, or based on orthosilicic acid (OSA), which are organic in name only.
• As regards monomethylsilanetriol, the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has not validated the benefits of Organic Silicon. The EFSA has therefore prohibited mention of beneficial effects as health claims.
• Organic silicon is considered solely as a food supplement that helps to maintain the human body, and not as a medicine. It does not replace any medicine.
• Only consumers who dare to trust alternative products will be able to see for themselves the benefits that Organic Silicon brings.

In short, as you have understood, organic silicon is a trace element essential to health and longevity, at every age of life.

I wish you all good health

Personally, I take it every morning on an empty stomach!

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To write this article, I consulted numerous scientific clinical studies: click on the links under the word "studies" to discover these sources

The information in this blog article is published for information purposes only and cannot be considered medical advice. Do not start or stop any treatment on the basis of this article alone. For any question relating to your health, readers are strongly advised to consult health professionals duly approved by the health authorities. None of the information or products mentioned on this site replaces medical advice or follow-up.