BioSil

BioSil is a supplement that allegedly reduces fine lines and wrinkles, increases skin elasticity, improves overall hair health, and strengthens nails.

The BioSil products include capsules for the hair, skin and nails; as well as liquid drops for bones and joints.

Both products contain BioSil’s patented ch-OSA®. This stands for choline-stabilized OrthoSilicic Acid, and is BioSil’s clinically proven complex that turns on the fibroblasts in skin and osteoblasts in bone that generate collagen.

According to Dr. Michael Murray, who is considered one of the world's leading authorities on natural medicine, BioSil has been shown to improve the health of the skin, hair, nails and bone and may also show benefit in improving joint health, cardiovascular health – and even brain health.

Independent Scientific Studies

Ch-OSA is a bio-available form of silicon which was found to increase the hydroxyproline (a major component of the protein collagen) concentration in the dermis of animals, according to a study on the “Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photo-damaged skin” published by the National Institutes of Health.

The effect of ch-OSA on skin, nails and hair was investigated in a randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study that involved 50 females with photo-damaged facial skin, who were administered orally during 20 weeks in the form of ch-OSA pellets or a placebo.

The study noted that Silicon (Si) was suggested to have an important function in the formation and maintenance of connective tissue.

Results showed that the serum Si concentration was “significantly higher” after a 20-week supplementation in subjects with ch-OSA compared to the placebo group. Additionally, skin roughness parameters increased in the placebo group, but decreased in the ch-OSA group.

The study ultimately noted that the oral intake of ch-OSA for 20 weeks resulted in “a significant positive effect” on the skin surface and skin mechanical properties, as well as on brittleness of hair and nails.

The ch-OSA represents “the most bio-available source of silicon,” according to another study published by the National Institutes of Health entitled: Biological and therapeutic effects of ortho-silicic acid and some ortho-silicic acid-releasing compounds: New perspectives for therapy.”

The study noted that Silicon has already been associated with bone mineralization, collagen synthesis, skin, hair and nails health atherosclerosis, Alzheimer disease, immune system enhancement, and with some other disorders or pharmacological effects.

BioSil in Peer-Reviewed Medical Journals

According to the company’s website, results in the BioSil clinical trials are considered “statistically significant, which means that the obtained results have come from the compound tested.

“This reduces any possibility of chance to a great extent,” the company noted.

Peer-reviewed medical journals published graphs that showed BioSil’s patented ch-OSA® is clinically proven to do the following:

• Reduce fine line and wrinkles by 30.0% (after 20 weeks versus the placebo group)
• Increase skin elasticity by 89.0% (after 20 weeks versus the placebo group)
• Strengthen hair by 13.1% (after 36 weeks versus the placebo group)
• Thicken hair by 12.8% (after 36 weeks versus the placebo group)
• Dramatically strengthen nails (after 20 weeks versus the placebo group)

These results were based on healthy female participants – in their 40s, 50s and 60s – who showed signs of wrinkles, sagging skin, and loss of skin elasticity caused by decreased collagen, a degraded collagen “mesh” and degraded elastin. For hair, the female participants ranged between 18 and 65 years old who all showed signs of weak, thinning, dull hair.

Side Effects

According to the company’s website, no, and this answer is based on numerous scientific clinical trials – as well as the fact that hundreds of thousands of people are currently taking BioSil.

The company states that instead of side effects occurring, users of BioSil will experience the “side benefits” of a smoother skin complexion and reduced wrinkles, as well as thicker, stronger hair and healthier bones.

In a study published by the European Food Safety Authority, the Scientific Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food was asked to provide a scientific opinion on the safety of ch-OSA added for nutritional purposes as a source of silicon in food supplements and on the bioavailability of silicon from this source. The opinion dealt only with the safety of ch-OSA as source of silicon and with the bioavailability of silicon from this source.

The Panel concluded that silicon is bio-available from ch-OSA and that its use in supplements “is of no safety concern provided that the upper level for choline is not exceeded.”

Tips for Best Use

If you’re taking the liquid BioSil for the skin, hair and nails, the company recommends taking 5 drops, twice per day, which can be mixed with a quarter cup of fluid, preferably juice, and should be consumed immediately. If you’re taking the capsules, the recommended use is one capsule twice a day.

Those who are taking BioSil for the bones should consume 6 drops once a day in fluid, preferably juice. If you’re taking capsules, take one twice a day.

As far as the best time to take BioSil is concerned, the company states that the drop dose can be taken at any time if the dose is only once a day. If you’re taking more – like 2 capsules daily – take half in the morning and the other half in the evening.

For those who wonder if taking more is better, the company does not recommend taking more than 10 drops or 2 capsules per day, unless you are advised otherwise by a qualified health professional. The company further states that “we do not have clinical evidence suggesting that larger dosages yield better results.”

Existing Customer Reviews

On Amazon, BioSil received 4.4 out of 5 stars based on nearly 2,000 customer reviews.

One customer that gave the product 5 stars stated “I was losing an alarming amount of hair and my nails were very weak. I started taking one BioSil capsule a day and after a couple of months my hair and nails are back to normal. This supplement has become and will remain part of my daily regimen.”

On the flipside, another customer who gave the product 2 out of 5 stars stated: “Gives me terrible migraines.” This was echoed by another customer who stated that “I got terrible headaches when I was taking this…as soon as I quit taking it the headaches disappeared.” And another who rated the product 2 out of 5 stars stated “I’ve used it for 3 months twice & never noticed an improvement.”

Another who gave BioSil 5 out of 5 stars stated that “This product has always worked for my hair, skin and nails. I am 68 yrs old and helps keep nails long & strong, fills in hair lose at temples. skin is nice.”

A 60-year-old customer, who gave the product 5 out of 5 stars, stated that she’s been taking the product for a few years now, and as a result, “I don't have any wrinkles. I don't have crow’s feet, or even a forehead crease. Of course I do take very good care of skin as well, but I'm convinced these help tremendously. They have also really helped to thicken up my hair as well. My hairdresser always comments on how much thicker my hair has become over time. I'm never without them! They are excellent for your fingernails too.”

Where To Buy

Both the BioSil liquid and BioSil capsules can be purchased online at a number of local retailers. For the most part, the prices are similar everywhere it’s sold.

Amazon: A bottle of 120 capsules costs $50.39; and a bottle containing 30 capsules costs $15.99. A one-ounce bottle of the liquid drops costs $25.59.

iHerb: A bottle of 120 capsules costs $50.39; 60 capsules cost $28.79 and 30 capsules cost $15.99. A one-ounce bottle of the liquid drops costs $25.59.

Vitamin World: A bottle of 60 capsules costs $29.49

GNC: A bottle of 60 capsules costs $29.99.

Pharmaca: A bottle of 30 capsules costs $15.99; 60 capsules cost $28.79; and 120 capsules cost $50.39. A one-ounce bottle of the liquid drops costs $25.59.

Bottom Line

For the most part, reviews from customers about BioSil are positive – with the negative reviews coming from customers who claim they got headaches while taking the product.

There are several scientific studies backing the efficacy of BioSil, including studies posted on the company’s website. For these clinical trial protocols, researchers used the same protocol that the U.S. government requires the pharmaceutical companies to use – which ensures accuracy and repeatable results.

Additionally, independent studies on ch-OSA, which is the magic ingredient in BioSil, showed that ch-OSA was found to increase a major component of the protein collagen.

All these factors combined make BioSil seem like a legitimate product to improve signs of aging, including wrinkles, sagging skin, and loss of skin elasticity caused by decreased collagen.