About The Use of Silicon Dioxide in Fat Burners
With new fat-burning supplements being created daily, it's difficult for consumers to keep up with which options are safe and which may contain harmful substances. Though the ingredients in fat burners must be publicly shared, consumers are often unaware of what the purpose of each ingredient is and whether it is necessary. Silicon dioxide is one ingredient often found in fat burners, with little explanation as to why.
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Definition
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Silicon is the second most plentiful substance in the earth's crust, second to oxygen, and is found in the form of sand and quartz. Silicon dioxide is a mixture of silicon and oxygen, which together make up 75 percent of the earth's crust. Because silicon dioxide is so abundant, it is used for a variety of purposes, including wire insulation, radio and TV signals, wrist watches, window glass, sandblasting and anti-caking in supplements.
Function
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The finely ground silicon dioxide found in fat-burning supplements is used as an anti-caking, drying mechanism to keep the moisture out and the supplements dry. Silicon dioxide prevents moisture in the air from soaking into the pills or from the pills sticking together. Because it is naturally low in toxicity, this is the choice for most supplements. Research continues to study whether silicon dioxide is safe to ingest.
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Effects
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Pure silicon dioxide is harmless, containing no fumes or nutritional value. According to an article from "Whole Foods Magazine," silicon alone contains nutritional values for the body. However, silicone dioxide, which is what is added to pills as an anti-caking mechanism, is indigestible. The silicon dioxide must be swallowed in small amounts, which is an average of 10 mg. This amount will pass through the digestive system, untouched.
Theories/Speculation
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Ivan Fraser, a former nurse who experienced these symptoms firsthand, founded a theory that silicon dioxide may cause Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. The symptoms Fraser experienced from supplements that contained silicon dioxide were similar to those experienced by women when their breast implants leak, which contain a significant amount of silicon dioxide. No scientific research has backed up this theory, however. Worldimage.com recommends not consuming silicon dioxide in pills because it is used to make glass and electrical components and it might be "carcinogenic to humans," according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
FDA Rule
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) states that silicon dioxide is found all over the world. Not only is it the foundation of sand on beaches, in bodies of water and in deserts, but it is also found in drinking water, in plants and in animals. Therefore, it is naturally part of the foods we eat. No scientific research has found whether it is a necessary nutrient for our bodies, nor has research found any signs that it causes harm to the body. The rule goes that if supplements contain less than 2 percent of silicon dioxide, they are safe.
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