Silicon (Si), known also as silica, is the second most available element after oxygen found in the earth’s crust. It is present in clay and sand, and rocks like quartz and granite.Silica is present in the human body in the form of either a derivative of silanate or silicic acid. It is a vital trace mineral required by human body for strong hair, flexible joints, glowing skin, and strong bones. It also increases the overall benefits of vitamin D, glucosamine, and calcium. In the past it was believed silica was just a trace mineral, and that we only needed a very small amount of it to maintain health. However, with further research, silica is now considered one of the top 12 elements necessary for life. Silica’s importance in overall optimal health has been recognized for quite some time. As early as 1878, Louis Pasteur predicted that silica should be regarded as an important therapeutic substance for many health problems. Silica has been proven to benefit the health of our bones, hair, skin and nails. Human hair contains 90 micrograms of silica per every gram. Only our bones contain more of this mineral, and that is the reason why we must make sure we have enough of silica to have healthy bones and hair.