Is silicon dioxide helpful or harmful to humans?

Answer 1

The short answer: Unless you are inhaling it as a dust on a fairly continuous basis, then no.. it's perfectly safe. SiO2 is the single most common compound on the face of the earth. It's in various quantities in all of the foods that you eat, with the largest contributions from plants that have absorbed it from the ground. It is readily absorbed and excreted into the urine. It is the basic chemical compound of sand, glass, and most rock. However, don't be bothered by this because like all other chemical compounds, the formation that it takes in relation to fellow molecules determines a lot of its properties. For example, comparing the SiO2 in the food to you eat to the SiO2 in the window next to you, is like comparing the steam in your shower to the iceberg that sunk the titanic. Yeah, the steam and the iceberg are made of the same basic compound (H2O), but they have vastly different properties because of the relationship of the molecules to one another and whats been done to them.

Answer 2

According to wikipedia: "Pure silicon dioxide produces no fumes and is insoluble in vivo. It is indigestible, with zero nutritional value and zero toxicity. When silica is ingested orally, it passes unchanged through the gastrointestinal tract, exiting in the feces, leaving no trace behind." Inhalation of small quantities over time however can lead to silicosis and bronchitis. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica

Toxicity fears may be due to the the fact that asbestos is a silicate containing a combination of silicon and oxygen similar to that found in silicon dioxide (sand) but with long, thin fibrous crystals.

Update:

"...it is naturally 'low in toxicity'...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..."

http://www.ehow.com/about_5108396_use-silicon-dioxide-fat-burners.HTML

low in toxicity? low over and over again equals high. just like the drinking water, other preservatives, the air, everything. u add up 5 cents enough it will equal a million dollars. i wouldn't use it.

Answer 3

Yes, Silicon Dioxide ( SiO2) is VERY dangerous if inhaled.

Even small quantities are enough to cause silicosis, a dangerous and even fatal lung disease.

Silicosis can take even decades after the exposure to SiO2 to occur.

Answer 4

Silicon dioxide in its natural state (as quartz or silica) is generally considered safe for humans and is commonly found in food products as an anti-caking agent. However, exposure to finely ground crystalline silica dust can be harmful when inhaled, leading to lung diseases such as silicosis. It's important to differentiate between the forms of silicon dioxide and ensure proper precautions are taken when working with the crystalline form.

Answer 5

It comes in very handy, but I don't recommend eating it!