BioSil for Skin, Hair & Nails – Experiment Update

Beer contains 10-40 mg of silicon per litre. (Photo by Bernt Rostad)

For the past two and a half months, I've been taking 5 drops of BioSil. The active ingredient in BioSil is choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid, a bioavailable form of silicon. The reason behind the experiment is that BioSil was shown in one study to improve skin, hair and nail quality after 20 weeks.

While the women in the study used 10 mg, Natrol recommends to take 5 mg (equal to 5 drops) for hair, skin and nails, so I've stuck with the lower dosage so far. As for hair thickness, I haven't seen any visible difference yet. A microscopic analysis might show different results, but to the naked eye, there's been no change in the thickness of individual hairs.

It's difficult to compare results in skin quality, since I have so many other experiments going on at the same time (see my topical vitamin C experiment and lutein experiment for examples). The only change that I've noticed is perhaps a slight decrease in nail brittleness. I can't be certain, but my fingernails may be a bit thicker than they were. The rate of growth is unchanged, however.

Since I'm impatient and anxious to see results, I'm going to double my dosage and go for 10 mg per day. The taste is pretty vulgar even with 5 drops, but anything for the sake of science, right? I'll report back when I've finished the bottle, which should take about a month or so.

Oh, and if you've used BioSil and have noticed a difference, feel free to drop a comment and let me know how many drops you used.

For more information on skin, hair and nails, see these posts:

Examining Possible Causes for Slower Wound Healing
Coconut Oil Is Better than Olive Oil for Atopic Dermatitis
Hyaluronic Acid for Skin & Hair – Experiment Conclusion
Emu Oil and Hair Growth: A Critical Look at the Evidence