Silicon is the most common mineral in the world. It is found, for example, in white sand, but in that form, it is not absorbable for animals and humans. By 'absorbable,' we mean that the active substances also reach the intended place in the body and perform their function there. This is also called 'biological availability.' If you feed a supplement that contains silicon but if that silicon is not well absorbable, then your dog won't benefit from it. It's a waste of your money and time.

Always Connected

We need a little chemistry lesson to understand how absorbability works. Silicon almost never occurs alone but is always in a compound with another element, together in a molecule. That molecule can be a very large compound; there are all kinds of so-called 'polymers' of silicon known. But it can also be a small, 'monomer' molecule. Such a silicon compound can be a solid, like white sand, or liquid like silicic acid or hydrolyzed silicon. Hydrolysis causes the breakdown of biopolymers into smaller biomolecules (monomers). This is important for silicon absorption because those monomers are necessary. Hydrolysis is a process that occurs frequently in mammal bodies. It is part of digestion and energy production.

Absorbable Silicon

Only a few silicon compounds can truly be used by the body. First, the silicon molecule must be soluble in water, otherwise, it cannot be transported from the intestines to the blood. When the silicon is dissolved (liquid), it must also be absorbable by the body cells of your dog. This is not always guaranteed. Scientists have found that the monomers, the small forms of silicon, are much better absorbed than the large polymers. Often, food contains large molecules, and our digestion (and that of dogs) is not always capable of breaking those molecules into small pieces. As a result, much silicon in food is unfortunately lost. Many plants contain silicon, but the bioavailability of that silicon is not always high. For example, bananas contain a lot of silicon, but only about 2% of it can be absorbed into the blood.

The Solution: Hydrolyzed Silicon

So, silicon is a strange (and inconvenient) mineral, which is only water-soluble in low concentrations. But because it is so important for bones, tendons, and cartilage, it would be nice if you could give a good supplement. The only solution for this is a highly concentrated liquid product with tiny silicon particles. Because the smaller those silicon particles are, the easier they are absorbed. Feeding silicon as a powder is not useful; the particles are too large. Therefore, scientists have developed hydrolyzed silicon. This is liquid, and the silicon particles are tiny. They are in water, and the silicon has the form of a 'nanoparticle,' which is no less than 40 times smaller than the largest bacterium. Therefore, hydrolyzed silicon can easily pass through the intestinal wall and can contain a lot of particles, so it is very concentrated. Hydrolyzed silicon is the most concentrated and readily absorbable form of silicon that exists. That's why it is so suitable for dietary supplements.

Conclusion: Tiny and Liquid

Dogs supplemented with silicon are less prone to injuries. In humans, it has been discovered that sufficient silicon in the diet increases bone density. When you want to give a dog a silicon supplement, it is important to select a well-absorbable supplement. That means: liquid and with very tiny silicon particles, so it easily passes through the intestinal wall. Hydrolyzed silicon has the highest absorbability.

Bronnen

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Sripanyakorn S, Jugdaohsingh R, Dissayabutr W, Anderson SH, Thompson RP, Powell JJ. The comparative absorption of silicon from different foods and food supplements. Br J Nutr. 2009;102(6):825-834. doi:10.1017/S0007114509311757 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2744664/

Martin, Keith. (2007). The chemistry of silica and its potential health benefits. The journal of nutrition, health & aging. 11. 94-7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6392416_The_chemistry_of_silica_and_its_potential_health_benefits/citation/download

Charles T. Price, Kenneth J. Koval, and Joshua R. Langford. 2013. Silicon: A Review of Its Potential Role in the Prevention and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis. International Journal of Endocrinology, Vol 2013. https://www.scienceopen.com/document_file/35a4be73-4673-4f19-8ebb-3e2723201c0d/PubMedCentral/35a4be73-4673-4f19-8ebb-3e2723201c0d.pdf

Casey et al. Silicon in beer and brewing. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, February 2010; DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.3884 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jsfa.3884

Jugdaohsingh R, Hui M, Anderson SH, Kinrade SD, Powell JJ. The silicon supplement 'Monomethylsilanetriol' is safe and increases the body pool of silicon in healthy Pre-menopausal women. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2013;10(1):37. Published 2013 Apr 26. doi:10.1186/1743-7075-10-37 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3649945/