BioSil: Natural Remedy for Arthritis and Osteoporosis

BioSil: Natural Remedy for Arthritis and Osteoporosis
Researchers in Europe have found a natural remedy, now called BioSil, that helps to ease knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. (Jakub Jirsák/iStock/Thinkstock)
10/19/2014
Updated:
10/19/2014

What brings millions of North Americans to their knees late in life? Today, with an aging population, many people end their lives in wheelchairs due to brittle bones (osteoporosis) or are crippled by the pain of osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear type.

Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease, is an inflammatory condition involving the destruction of cartilage. Its gel-like nature normally acts as a shock absorber. Without cartilage, bones rub on bones, causing daily pain.

Studies show that one in two people will develop osteoarthritis in their latter years, and two in three obese people will suffer from it at some time during their life.

Now, studies done at the Netherlands Institute of Rheumatology and other European centers have found that a natural remedy, choline-stabilized orthosilic acid (ch-OSA), better known as BioSil, helps to ease the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee.

Benefits for Arthritis Sufferers

Researchers reported at the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology in Paris, France, that the average age of patients studied was 61 years; 72 percent were women, of which 98 percent were menopausal.

The study demonstrated that after 12 weeks of treatment, ch-OSA reduced pain, stiffness, and improved function of the knee in men.

Researchers are not certain why BioSil had a more positive effect on men than on women. They concluded that women waited longer to get treatment and had more advanced changes than men.

The good news is that women are helped by BioSil in several other ways, most importantly with osteoporosis. Studies reveal that one in four women over the age of 50 has this disease.

Benefits for Osteoporosis Sufferers

Osteoporosis, a silent killer, results in fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist. A rib fracture can even occur from a forceful hug. Some patients face chronic pain or life in a wheelchair.

Who develops this crippling disease depends on several factors. Genetics plays a role in certain families. So does being thin, small boned, and of white or Asian ancestry. Smokers, those who consume three or more alcoholic drinks a day, and patients who require corticosteroids to treat arthritis or asthma are at increased risk.

Professor T. D. Spector, a leading bone researcher at St. Thomas Hospital in London, England, has also shown that low dose ch-OSA, a form of silicon, plays a major role in building strong bones.

In his study, women with either osteopenia (early stage of osteoporosis) or osteoporosis were divided into three groups. They were all prescribed a daily supplement of 1,000 milligrams of elemental calcium and 800 international units of vitamin D3. But three of the four groups were also given daily amounts of either 3, 6, or 12 drops of ch-OSA.

Spector reported that after 12 months, women taking 6 or 12 drops of ch-OSA showed significant changes in bone formation, particularly in the hip bone.

Additional Benefits

Ch-OSA builds and maintains strong bones by depositing calcium and phosphate into bone. Equally vital is that ch-OSA triggers collagen formation, the fibrous protein that provides support for bony structures. It’s like the steel rods that keep buildings from collapsing.

The aorta, the largest artery in the body, also benefits from ch-OSA. In later life, the aorta contains only 15 percent silicon, the same amount as found in a child. Losing this supporting structure may be one reason for development of an aortic aneurysm, subsequent rupture, and death.

The predominant component of nails is keratin, and the lack of collagen causes brittle nails. Also, less hair tends to fall out and skin is less wrinkled when adequate collagen is present.

It’s not often that a natural remedy such as BioSil helps so many diverse problems. The reason is that collagen is the glue that holds cells together—and a sound, solid framework is good for all human organs.

BioSil can be taken as drops or capsules. The usual dose for bone strength is 5 drops daily in either juice or water or one capsule daily. For skin, additional hair, or nail benefits take 10 drops daily or two capsules. Pregnant or nursing mothers should not take BioSil. This natural remedy is available in health food stores.

This article is provided for information only and is not meant to prescribe medical care. Please consult a physician for treatment of any medical problems.

Dr. Gifford-Jones is a medical journalist in Toronto. His website is DocGiff.com. He may be contacted at [email protected].

Worldwide Prevalence of Osteoporosis

• Osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually.
• One in five men and one in three women over the age of 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures sometime in their lives.
• The incidence of hip fracture is projected to increase by 310 percent in men and 240 percent in women by 2050.
• In women over 45 years of age, osteoporosis accounts for more days spent in the hospital than diabetes, myocardial infarction, and breast cancer.

Source: International Osteoporosis Foundation