The Health Benefits of Orthosilicic Acid
Orthosilicic acid is a natural substance found in seafood, seawater, vegetables, whole grains, and certain beverages,
including beer. Sometimes referred to as soluble silica, an
ortho silicic
acid is a dietary form of silicon, a mineral involved in the formation of collagen and bone.
Orthosilicic acid is available in supplement form and is used to treat certain medical conditions and to boost hair and
skin health. Some, but not all, of these uses have been supported by scientific evidence.
Note: Silicon should not be confused with silicone—a substance used to make medical devices, including breast implants.
Health Benefits
Some alternative medicine proponents claim that orthosilicic acid supplements can treat or prevent a wide range of health
conditions, including:
Alzheimer's disease
Arthritis
Atherosclerosis
Heart disease
High cholesterol
Stroke
In addition, orthosilicic acid is said to improve nails, protect skin from the negative effects of aging, preserve dental
health, and stimulate digestion.
To date, very few studies have tested the health effects of orthosilicic acid, so it's too soon to recommend it as a
treatment for any condition. However, preliminary research shows that orthosilicic acid may offer certain health benefits in
some key areas.
Bone Health
In early studies on human cells, scientists discovered that orthosilicic acid may help promote bone formation by
stimulating the production of collagen (a protein found in connective tissue, including bone) and promoting the development
of bone-forming cells.1
A 2008 study from BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders suggested that orthosilicic acid may help protect against loss of bone
density. For the study, 136 women with osteopenia took calcium, vitamin D, and either orthosilicic acid or a placebo every
day for a year.
By the study's end, participants given the vitamins with orthosilicic acid showed greater improvements in bone
formation. According to the study's authors, this finding indicates that orthosilicic acid shows promise as a treatment
for osteoporosis.
However, studies have been inconsistent in determining if taking an orthosilicic acid supplement is as effective as
consuming silicon through diet. So far, research indicates that getting silicon from food may be more effective.
Although not a major plant nutrient, silica is still considered to be important in any grow room. One of the most
abundant components in the earth’s crust, silicon is a major contributor to the plant kingdom. It comprises of about 55-70%
of soil mass and just happens that some plants have the ability to gather high levels of silica in their tissue. These plants
have high levels of silica compared to minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus.
In the past, agronomists ignored the use of
silicon fertilizer
but lately, due to its benefits to the growth of a plant and its ability to improve plants resistance to disease it is
becoming more popular with many plant growers who apply silica to their gardens for a wide range of plants.
The use of silica is common among hydroponic farmers who add it directly to the reservoir away from other nutrients since
the mineral becomes sticky when added together with other concentrated salts.
Liquid
seaweed fertilizer is simply what its name suggests: a
fertilizer that has been derived from natural seaweed sources. Seaweed is collected, some of the saltwater rinsed away and
then allowed to decompose or ferment in water until the plant material is broken down into a liquid or slurry.
Seaweeds - especially kelp, a large brown seaweed - and liquid seaweed extract have been used for many years as
fertilizers in commercial crop production because of their positive effect on plant growth and yield. As the trend towards
using sustainable products increases, these products are gaining more popularity both commercially and in home gardens to
meet plant demands. Known as biofertilizers, or biostimulants, they offer many benefits over conventional fertilizers.
As a new type of fertilizer,
water soluble fertilizer has
obvious advantages compared with traditional fertilizers and granulated compound fertilizers. It is a quick-acting fertilizer
with good water solubility, no residue, can be completely dissolved in water, and can be directly absorbed and utilized by
the roots and leaves of crops.
The integration of water and fertilizer has attracted much attention because of its convenience, high efficiency, water
and fertilizer saving, and less environmental pollution. Many countries also regards the integration of water and fertilizer
as an important strategic goal of agricultural development.
Water-soluble fertilizers can be divided into two types: solid water-soluble fertilizer and liquid water-soluble
fertilizer. From the nutrient content, there are macro-nutrient water-soluble fertilizers, medium element water-soluble
fertilizers, trace element water-soluble fertilizers, amino acid-containing water-soluble fertilizers, humic acid-containing
water-soluble fertilizers, and organic water-soluble fertilizers.
Applied at the beginning of the cropping cycle,
controlled
release fertilizers (CRFs) are coated fertilizers that deliver nutrients to plants over a defined and extended period
of time. Generally, CRF nutrient release is driven by average soil temperature. Higher soil temperatures cause the fertilizer
to release nutrients more quickly. Greenhouse growers have much greater control over the indoor production environment
compared to outside container nurseries, where CRF use is more prevalent.
Humic acid is a mixture of natural organic macromolecular compounds, which exists in all soils, plants and animals,and
have been widely used in agricultural production in recent years due to their unique physiological functions.
The one source of humic acids are the sedimentation layers referred to as Leonardite.
Leonardite is organic matter, which has not reached the state of coal and differs from soft brown coal by its high
oxidation degree, a result of the process of coal formation (bog > peat > coal), and high humic acid content as well as
higher carboxyl groups.
Now
Humic fertilizer has been widely used in agricultural
production in recent years due to its unique physiological functions.
Chitosan Fertilizer functions as it can start, regulate and
directly affect the opening and closing of certain gens and regulate the process of plant growth. Oligosaccharin can reduce
and eliminate the encroachment of pathogenic agents especially against fungal infections, which are difficult to control. The
product has no poison, no residue is left over and is fit for organic farming and nonpolluting. Chitosan oligosaccharides can
activate plants and induce plants to produce antiviral substances.