Kynosil® for Dogs: Bioavailable Silicium for Joint Mobility, Bone Strength & Connective Tissue Support

Kynosil® – Silicon for Your Dog’s Joints, Bones and Coat Health

Summary

If your dog is showing signs of joint stiffness, reduced mobility or a coat that has lost its lustre, there may be a mineral deficiency at the root of the problem that most conventional joint supplements completely overlook: silicon.

Silicon, also known as silicium, is the third most abundant trace mineral in your dog’s body, after iron and zinc. It plays a critical structural role in the formation of collagen, the integrity of bone, the resilience of cartilage and the strength of connective tissue throughout the body. Without adequate silicon, your dog’s body simply cannot build and maintain the collagen matrix that holds joints, bones, skin and coat together. The problem is that silicon from food sources is notoriously poorly absorbed, and levels decline naturally with age — precisely when the demand for structural repair is highest.

This is where Kynosil® changes the equation. Developed by Eytelia (European leader in silicium-based health products) in partnership with APR Pharma, Kynosil® is a patented, Triple-A Certified bioactive silicium compound based on mesoporous silica technology. It achieves 380 times greater solubility than standard silicon forms, with over 90% solubility within 4–8 hours. This means the silicon actually reaches your dog’s cells and tissues in a form they can use, addressing the core bioavailability problem that has limited silicon supplementation for decades.

The science behind silicon’s role in connective tissue health is well established. Landmark research has demonstrated that bioavailable silicon stimulates collagen type I synthesis, supports osteoblastic differentiation in bone-forming cells, increases collagen concentration in both skin and cartilage, and reduces biomarkers of cartilage degradation in osteoarthritis. These are findings from peer-reviewed studies spanning over five decades of research into silicon’s biological roles.

Perhaps most importantly for dogs, silicon doesn’t just support one tissue, it provides foundational structural support across multiple body systems simultaneously. The same collagen cross-linking that strengthens cartilage in joints also reinforces bone mineral density, supports the dermal matrix of the skin and maintains the keratin structures that form a healthy coat. This makes silicon a uniquely multi-system mineral, and one that aligns directly with Bonza’s “One Gut. Whole Dog.” philosophy.

In this guide, we examine the evidence behind silicon supplementation for dogs — from its foundational role in collagen and bone biology, through the clinical research on joint mobility and skin health, to the specific mesoporous silica technology that makes Kynosil® a meaningful advance in bioavailable delivery, and why Bonza chose this innovative ingredient for its Bounce joint-support formulation.

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Key Takeaways

• Silicon (silicium) is an essential trace mineral involved in the formation of collagen, glycosaminoglycans, bone mineralisation and connective tissue integrity throughout the body, yet it is chronically under-supplied through diet due to extremely poor bioavailability from natural food sources.
• Bioavailable silicon has been shown in peer-reviewed in vitro research to stimulate collagen type I synthesis in osteoblast-like cells and skin fibroblasts, and to promote osteoblastic differentiation — the cellular processes essential for building bone, cartilage and skin matrix.
• In a double-blind, placebo-controlled animal study, silicon supplementation significantly increased collagen concentration in skin dermis (p = 0.019) and showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.72, p = 0.018) with cartilage collagen concentration, demonstrating that dietary silicon reaches and supports the very tissues most relevant to joint and skin health.
• A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial in knee osteoarthritis patients found that bioavailable silicon supplementation reduced WOMAC stiffness and physical function scores and significantly lowered biomarkers of cartilage degradation (CTX-II and COMP), with effects particularly pronounced in male subjects.
• Kynosil® uses patented mesoporous silica technology that achieves 380 times greater water solubility than standard silicon forms, with over 90% solubility within 4–8 hours, and prevents the polymerisation that renders most dietary silicon non-absorbable, delivering bioactive silicium at the recommended dosage of 1.5 mg per kg of body weight.

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In this guide:

• Summary
• Key Takeaways
• What Is Silicon (Silicium)?
• Bioactive Compounds and Mechanism of Action
• Evidence-Based Benefits for Dogs
• Beyond Joints: Multi-System Structural Support
• Silicon and Gut Health: Structural Support for the Gut–Joint Axis
• Kynosil®: Mesoporous Silica Technology for Superior Bioavailability
• Why Bonza Uses Kynosil®
• Safety, Dosage and What to Expect
• How to Support Your Dog’s Structural Health with Silicon
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Reading
• References
• Editorial Information
• About the Author

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What Is Silicon (Silicium)?

Silicon (Si) — referred to as silicium in European pharmacological nomenclature — is the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust and the third most abundant trace mineral in the mammalian body after iron and zinc.¹ ² It is present in virtually every tissue, but is found at particularly high concentrations in connective tissues including bone, cartilage, skin, tendons, ligaments, blood vessel walls and the cornea of the eye.¹ ³

In the body, silicon exists primarily as orthosilicic acid (Si(OH)₄) — a small, water-soluble monomeric molecule that is the only biologically active and absorbable form of silicon.² ⁴ Orthosilicic acid is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract with an uptake exceeding 50% of the ingested dose in monomeric form.⁵ However, at higher concentrations or in the acidic environment of the stomach, orthosilicic acid readily polymerises into larger polysilicic acid molecules and eventually into insoluble silica gel — dramatically reducing its bioavailability.² ⁴ This polymerisation problem is the fundamental reason why silicon from dietary sources (found primarily in whole grains, vegetables and drinking water as either polymeric plant silica or dissolved orthosilicic acid) has such poor and unpredictable absorption.⁶

Silicon’s biological significance was first established in landmark studies by Carlisle (1972) and Schwarz and Milne (1972), who independently demonstrated that silicon deprivation in chicks and rats caused severe abnormalities in skeletal and connective tissue development — including malformed joints, reduced cartilage and collagen content, thinner cortical bone and increased susceptibility to fractures.⁷ ⁸ These foundational findings established silicon as an essential element for normal connective tissue formation, and subsequent decades of research have progressively elucidated its mechanisms of action.

The concentration of silicon in connective tissues decreases with age — a decline that parallels the progressive deterioration of bone density, joint cartilage integrity and skin elasticity observed in ageing.⁹ This age-related depletion, combined with the poor bioavailability of dietary silicon, creates a growing gap between supply and demand that makes targeted, bioavailable silicon supplementation increasingly relevant as dogs age.

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Bioactive Compounds and Mechanism of Action

Silicon exerts its structural benefits through several distinct but interconnected biological mechanisms.

Stimulation of collagen synthesis. The most extensively documented mechanism of silicon is its role in collagen production. In a seminal in vitro study, Reffitt et al. (2003) demonstrated that orthosilicic acid at physiological concentrations (10–20 μM) stimulated collagen type I synthesis in human osteoblast-like cells (MG-63), primary osteoblast-like cells derived from bone marrow stromal cells, and an immortalised early osteoblastic cell line, achieving 1.75- to 1.8-fold increases in collagen output. Crucially, this collagen-stimulating effect was also observed in skin fibroblast cells, confirming that silicon supports collagen production across multiple tissue types.¹⁰ The effect was abolished in the presence of prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors, indicating that silicon acts through the prolyl hydroxylase enzyme pathway — the same enzymatic pathway that is essential for the structural stabilisation of collagen fibres.¹⁰

Collagen cross-linking and structural stabilisation. Beyond stimulating collagen synthesis, silicon plays a fundamental role in the cross-linking of collagen fibres and their interaction with proteoglycans — the structural molecules that give connective tissues their mechanical strength and resilience.¹ ³ Silicon is known to form complexes with polyols including hexosamines and ascorbate, which are precursors to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), mucopolysaccharides and collagen.² As the Kynosil® manufacturer data illustrates, collagen alone has no structural function, it requires silicon-mediated cross-linking to form the functional fibres that constitute connective tissue.¹⁸ This cross-linking role means silicon is essential for the structural integrity of every collagen-dependent tissue in the body, from articular cartilage to skin dermis to tendon and ligament.

Promotion of osteoblastic differentiation and bone mineralisation. Reffitt et al. (2003) further demonstrated that orthosilicic acid significantly increased alkaline phosphatase activity (1.5-fold) and osteocalcin expression in osteoblast-like cells, both markers of osteoblastic differentiation, the process by which precursor cells mature into active bone-forming osteoblasts.¹⁰ Additional research has confirmed that silicon supplementation stimulates osteoblastogenesis while inhibiting osteoclastogenesis (the formation of bone-resorbing cells), creating a net positive effect on bone formation.² ⁴ Silicon also appears to play a role in the mineralisation phase of bone formation, with early research by Carlisle suggesting that silicon promotes the deposition of calcium and phosphate into the bone matrix independently of vitamin D.⁷ ¹¹

Inhibition of bone resorption. Complementing its anabolic effects on bone formation, silicon has been shown to reduce bone resorption by decreasing the surface area and activity of osteoclasts.² ⁴ This dual mechanism, stimulating bone building while suppressing bone breakdown, positions silicon as a uniquely balanced mineral for maintaining skeletal integrity.

Support for keratin formation. Silicon is present at 1–10 ppm in hair and is involved in the formation of keratin, the tough, fibrous structural protein that constitutes the primary component of hair, nails and the outer layers of skin.¹² ¹³ By supporting both collagen production in the dermal layer and keratin formation in the epidermis, silicon provides structural support to the skin and coat from both the inside and outside layers simultaneously.

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Evidence-Based Benefits for Dogs

Joint mobility and cartilage support

The most compelling evidence for silicon’s relevance to joint health comes from studies demonstrating its direct effects on cartilage collagen and clinical outcomes in osteoarthritis.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled supplementation study in calves, Calomme and Vanden Berghe (1997) demonstrated that 23 weeks of stabilised orthosilicic acid supplementation increased serum silicon concentrations by 70% (p = 0.0001, n = 29) despite the low dose administered. Most significantly, a strong positive correlation (r = 0.72, p = 0.018) was found between serum silicon concentration and collagen concentration in cartilage, providing direct evidence that dietary silicon supplementation increases the collagen content of cartilage tissue.¹⁴

Geusens et al. (2017) conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre study in 211 patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren and Lawrence grade II or III) to assess the efficacy of choline-stabilised orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA) over 12 weeks. In the pre-specified gender subgroup analysis, men receiving ch-OSA showed significant improvements in WOMAC total score, WOMAC stiffness, and WOMAC physical function, along with a significant reduction in biomarkers of cartilage degradation, C-terminal telopeptide of collagen type II (CTX-II) and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). The researchers concluded that ch-OSA was effective in reducing symptoms of knee OA in men, with the effect associated with reduced cartilage degradation biomarkers. The gender difference may relate to oestrogen’s interaction with silicon metabolism in bone and connective tissue.¹⁵

Bone strength and mineralisation

The relationship between silicon and bone health is supported by both epidemiological and interventional evidence.

In a significant randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial, Spector et al. (2008) investigated the effect of ch-OSA supplementation as an adjunct to calcium and vitamin D₃ in 184 women with osteopenia over 12 months. The ch-OSA group showed a significant increase in PINP (pro-collagen type I N-terminal propeptide), a specific biomarker of type I collagen synthesis, at the 6 mg and 12 mg silicon doses compared to calcium/vitamin D₃ alone. A modest but significant increase in femoral bone mineral density was also observed at the 6 mg dose. The researchers concluded that ch-OSA has a potentially beneficial effect on bone turnover, particularly on bone collagen formation.¹⁶

An umbrella review published in Nutrients (2024) by Nielsen et al. systematically evaluated animal studies of silicon supplementation and bone health. The review found consistent evidence that silicon supplementation inhibits bone resorption, increases osteoblastogenesis and osteoblast activity, and has been associated with increases in collagen markers, bone mineral content and bone mineral density across multiple animal species.¹⁷ The authors noted that silicon supplementation in calves increased hydroxyproline content (an early marker for collagen formation) in skin, and that silicon is important in the formation of cross-linkages between collagen and proteoglycans in bone.¹⁷

Synergy with glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM

Silicon works through a complementary mechanism to other established joint-support compounds. While glucosamine provides raw substrate for glycosaminoglycan synthesis, chondroitin sulphate inhibits cartilage-degrading enzymes, and MSM provides bioavailable sulphur for disulphide bonds, silicon addresses a different and equally fundamental requirement: the structural cross-linking that converts raw collagen molecules into functional, load-bearing connective tissue fibres. Without adequate silicon, the collagen that glucosamine and chondroitin help produce cannot be properly assembled into the resilient matrix that cartilage requires.¹ ² ¹⁰ This makes silicon a genuinely complementary addition to a comprehensive joint-support formulation rather than a duplication of existing pathways.

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Beyond Joints: Multi-System Structural Support

Silicon’s distribution throughout collagen-rich tissues means its benefits extend well beyond articular cartilage and bone. Every tissue that depends on collagen, keratin or glycosaminoglycans for structural integrity is influenced by silicon availability.

Skin health and coat quality

Silicon’s role in skin and coat health is supported by both mechanistic evidence and clinical trial data.

As noted above, Reffitt et al. (2003) demonstrated that orthosilicic acid stimulates collagen type I synthesis not only in osteoblast-like cells but also in human skin fibroblasts — confirming that silicon directly supports the dermal collagen production that underpins skin elasticity and resilience.¹⁰

In the Calomme and Vanden Berghe (1997) calf supplementation study, animals receiving orthosilicic acid showed significantly higher collagen concentration in skin dermis (p = 0.019) compared to controls, providing direct in vivo evidence that silicon supplementation increases the collagen content of skin tissue.¹⁴

Barel et al. (2005) conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 50 women with photodamaged facial skin, administering 10 mg Si/day as choline-stabilised orthosilicic acid for 20 weeks. The ch-OSA group showed significant positive effects on skin surface and skin mechanical properties, and significantly lower scores for hair and nail brittleness compared to placebo. The researchers attributed these improvements to regeneration or de novo synthesis of skin collagen stimulated by bioavailable silicon.¹²

In a follow-up randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, Wickett et al. (2007) investigated the effect of 10 mg Si/day (as ch-OSA) for 9 months in 48 women with fine hair. The ch-OSA group showed positive effects on hair tensile strength including elasticity and break load, and hair cross-sectional area increased significantly, indicating thicker, stronger hair. The change in urinary silicon excretion was significantly correlated with the change in cross-sectional area, establishing a direct dose-response relationship.¹³

While these studies were conducted in humans rather than dogs, the underlying biology of collagen synthesis, keratin formation and connective tissue structure is conserved across mammalian species. The Kynosil® product documentation specifically identifies skin and coat integrity — including strengthened keratin formation and reduced hair loss — as key benefits, and the recommended canine dosage (1.5 mg/kg body weight) is calibrated accordingly.¹⁸

Connective tissue, ligament and tendon resilience

Silicon’s role in collagen cross-linking extends to the connective tissues that provide structural support throughout the body, including the ligaments and tendons that stabilise joints, the blood vessel walls that maintain cardiovascular integrity, and the fascial networks that connect muscle to bone. Silicon deprivation studies have consistently shown defects in these tissues, including poorly formed joints, reduced cartilage content, decreased collagen concentration and impaired connective tissue architecture.⁷ ⁸ ¹¹ By supporting the collagen and elastin networks within these tissues, silicon supplementation helps maintain the elasticity, durability and repair capacity of the connective tissue infrastructure that active and ageing dogs depend on for comfortable movement.

Wound healing and tissue repair

Silicon supports cellular function and tissue repair through its effects on collagen synthesis, extracellular matrix formation and cell proliferation. The Kynosil® technical documentation identifies enhanced cellular function, tissue repair and wound healing as recognised benefits of bioactive silicium supplementation.¹⁸ These effects are consistent with the established role of silicon in stimulating the synthesis of the extracellular matrix components — collagen, glycosaminoglycans and proteoglycans, that are essential for tissue regeneration following injury.

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Silicon and Gut Health: Structural Support for the Gut–Joint Axis

While silicon does not act as a direct prebiotic substrate for gut bacteria in the way that chondroitin sulphate or prebiotic fibres do, its structural role in collagen and connective tissue integrity has relevance to the gut–joint axis through a different but complementary pathway.

The intestinal barrier, the single-cell-thick epithelial lining that separates the contents of the gut from systemic circulation, depends on collagen, glycosaminoglycans and connective tissue for its structural integrity. The submucosal connective tissue layer and the extracellular matrix that supports the epithelial cells are collagen-rich structures, and their maintenance requires the same collagen synthesis and cross-linking processes that silicon supports in bone, cartilage and skin.² ¹⁰

This is significant in the context of the gut–joint axis because a growing body of research implicates compromised intestinal barrier integrity (“leaky gut”) in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. When the gut barrier is compromised, pro-inflammatory molecules including bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can enter systemic circulation and reach joint tissues, driving inflammation and accelerating cartilage degradation.¹⁹ By supporting the collagen and connective tissue structures that maintain barrier integrity, silicon supplementation may contribute to gut–joint axis health through structural reinforcement of the intestinal wall, an indirect but mechanistically plausible benefit that complements the direct prebiotic and probiotic approaches used elsewhere in Bonza’s formulations.

This structural support role places silicon within Bonza’s “One Gut. Whole Dog.” framework not as a microbiome modulator, but as a foundational building-block mineral that supports the physical infrastructure upon which gut barrier function depends.

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Kynosil®: Mesoporous Silica Technology for Superior Bioavailability

The central challenge of silicon supplementation has always been bioavailability. Orthosilicic acid, the only biologically active form of silicon, readily polymerises at higher concentrations into non-absorbable polysilicic acid and silica gel, which pass through the digestive tract without delivering meaningful biological benefit.² ⁴ ⁵ In vitro assessment of standard dietary silica sources shows that approximately only 5% of total silica content is bioavailable, meaning 95% of the silicon in conventional supplements and food sources is essentially wasted.²⁰

Kynosil® addresses this fundamental problem through patented mesoporous silica technology developed by Eytelia, a Belgian company founded in 1995 and European leader in silicium-based products for health and wellbeing, in partnership with APR Pharma.

Mesoporous silica: the technology

Mesoporous silica is a form of silicon dioxide characterised by an ordered arrangement of nanoscale pores (typically 2–50 nm in diameter) within its structure. This “sponge-like” architecture creates a vastly increased surface area compared to conventional amorphous silica, enabling dramatically enhanced dissolution and release of bioavailable orthosilicic acid in the gastrointestinal environment.²¹ The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognises silica as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), and it is commonly used as a food-grade excipient and dietary supplement ingredient.²¹

Kynosil®’s Triple-A technology

Kynosil® is Triple-A Certified by Eytelia, referring to its three-stage bioavailability process:¹⁸

Activation — The mesoporous silica structure dissolves rapidly in the aqueous environment of the gastrointestinal tract, releasing orthosilicic acid in its monomeric, bioactive form.

Absorption — The released orthosilicic acid is absorbed across the intestinal epithelium. Kynosil®’s formulation prevents the polymerisation that normally converts orthosilicic acid into non-absorbable polysilicic acid, ensuring that the silicon remains in its monomeric, absorbable form throughout the digestive process.

Assimilation — Once absorbed, the bioavailable silicon reaches target tissues including bone, cartilage, skin, tendons and ligaments, where it supports collagen synthesis, cross-linking and mineralisation.

Superior solubility data

The performance advantages of Kynosil®’s mesoporous silica technology are substantial:¹⁸

• 380 times higher water solubility compared to standard mesoporous silica forms
• Over 90% solubility within 4–8 hours
• Prevention of polymerisation — the critical factor that ensures orthosilicic acid remains in its bioactive monomeric form and actually reaches cells and tissues

These characteristics represent a significant advancement over both conventional dietary silicon sources (which are largely non-bioavailable) and earlier stabilised orthosilicic acid formulations. The mesoporous structure essentially functions as a controlled-release delivery system, dissolving at a rate that maintains orthosilicic acid concentrations in the monomeric range while preventing the concentration-dependent polymerisation that limits absorption from other sources.

Partnership and manufacturing

Kynosil® is produced through a partnership between Eytelia (developer), APR Pharma (pharmaceutical partner) and Vetio Animal Health (formerly part of Swedencare), a global animal health contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO) that brings the ingredient to the pet health market through formulated soft chew products. This collaboration combines silicium science expertise with established pet supplement manufacturing capabilities.²²

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Why Bonza Uses Kynosil®

Bonza’s Bounce Bioactive Bites contains 15 mg of Kynosil® per chewy. In Bounce’s formulation, Kynosil® serves a unique and complementary role that no other ingredient in the formula can fulfil.

Addressing a mechanism no other ingredient covers. Bounce contains a comprehensive suite of joint-support compounds: glucosamine HCl (240 mg) for GAG substrate, GreenDroitin® chondroitin sulphate (80 mg) for enzyme inhibition and cartilage protection, MSM (120 mg) for bioavailable sulphur, hyaluronic acid (5 mg) for synovial fluid quality, avocado-soybean unsaponifiables (10 mg) for chondroprotection, and anti-inflammatory botanicals including Boswellia serrata (10 mg), Curcuma longa (Turmeric) (10 mg) and Zingiber officinalis (Ginger) (5 mg). Each of these ingredients addresses a specific aspect of joint health – substrate supply, enzyme inhibition, inflammation modulation, lubrication. What Kynosil® adds is the foundational mineral that enables the final structural assembly: the collagen cross-linking that converts raw cartilage building blocks into functional, load-bearing tissue.¹ ² ¹⁰

Multi-system structural support. Because silicon supports collagen synthesis and cross-linking throughout the body, not just in joints, Kynosil® simultaneously contributes to bone mineralisation, skin and coat quality, tendon and ligament resilience and connective tissue integrity. This multi-system reach aligns with Bonza’s “One Gut. Whole Dog.” philosophy, where each ingredient is selected for its contribution to whole-body health rather than isolated symptom relief.

Addressing the bioavailability gap. The decision to use Kynosil® rather than a standard silicon source reflects the same quality-first approach that led to Bonza’s choice of GreenDroitin® for chondroitin. Standard dietary silicon sources deliver approximately 5% bioavailability, meaning 95% is wasted.²⁰ Kynosil®’s mesoporous silica technology, with 380 times greater solubility and over 90% dissolution within hours, ensures that the 15 mg included per chewy delivers meaningful biological activity at the tissue level.¹⁸

Formulation synergy. Kynosil® works synergistically with several other Bounce ingredients. The collagen synthesis stimulated by silicon requires vitamin C as a cofactor for prolyl hydroxylase activity, and Bounce includes 20 mg of vitamin C per chewy.¹⁰ The omega-3 DHA from DHAgold (30 mg) supports the anti-inflammatory environment that allows collagen synthesis and tissue repair to proceed unimpeded. And the Ascophyllum nodosum (60 mg) provides a natural source of additional trace minerals that complement silicon’s structural role.

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Safety, Dosage and What to Expect

Silicon is a naturally occurring trace mineral with an excellent safety profile. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated choline-stabilised orthosilicic acid for use in food supplements and has not identified safety concerns at recommended supplemental doses.²³ Silica is classified as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) by the US FDA, and has a long history of use as a food additive and dietary supplement ingredient.²¹

Recommended dosage. The Kynosil® manufacturer recommends a dosage of 1.5 mg per kg of body weight daily for dogs.¹⁸ Bonza Bounce provides 15 mg of Kynosil® per chewy, with daily serving sizes scaled by body weight to deliver appropriate supplementation across all sizes.

Onset of effect. Like all structural-support nutrients, silicon works through cumulative mechanisms of collagen synthesis and tissue remodelling rather than providing immediate symptomatic relief. The Barel et al. skin study showed significant improvements after 20 weeks of supplementation, while the Geusens et al. osteoarthritis trial demonstrated measurable effects on cartilage biomarkers within 12 weeks.¹² ¹⁵ Dog owners should expect to allow 8–16 weeks of consistent daily supplementation before visible improvements in joint mobility, coat quality or overall structural resilience become apparent, reflecting the time required for collagen turnover and connective tissue remodelling at the tissue level.

Long-term use. Silicon supplementation is appropriate for long-term, ongoing use. Because silicon levels decline naturally with age and the demand for structural repair increases, continuous supplementation helps maintain the mineral supply that connective tissues need for ongoing maintenance and repair.⁹

Precautions. No significant adverse effects have been reported with silicon supplementation at recommended doses. As with all supplements, consult your veterinarian before adding silicon supplementation to your dog’s regime, particularly if your dog has existing kidney disease or is on multiple medications.

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How to Support Your Dog’s Structural Health with Silicon

Simple, practical steps to help your dog get the most from silicon supplementation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Related Reading

• Chondroitin Sulphate for Dogs: Joint Mobility, Inflammation & Whole-Body Support
• Benefits of Glucosamine HCl for Dogs – Gut-Joint Axis Support
• MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane) for Dogs: Joint Mobility & Inflammation Support
• Hyaluronic Acid for Dogs: Joint Mobility & Inflammation Support
• Avocado-Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) for Dogs: Joint Protection & Mobility Support
• Best Joint Supplements for Dogs: Science Informed Bioactive Ingredients
• The Gut-Joint Axis in Dogs – Nutritional Impact on Mobility
• The Dog Gut Microbiome: Vital Key to Dog Health

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References

1. Jugdaohsingh R. Silicon and bone health. Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging. 2007;11(2):99–110. PMC2658806
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4. Rondanelli M, Faliva MA, Peroni G, Gasparri C, Perna S, Riva A, Petrangolini G, Tartara A. Silicon: A neglected micronutrient essential for bone health. Experimental Biology and Medicine. 2021;246(13):1500–1511. doi:10.1177/1535370221997072
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12. Barel A, Calomme M, Timchenko A, De Paepe K, Demeester N, Rogiers V, Clarys P, Vanden Berghe D. Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on skin, nails and hair in women with photodamaged skin. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2005;297(4):147–153. doi:10.1007/s00403-005-0584-6
13. Wickett RR, Kossmann E, Barel A, Demeester N, Clarys P, Vanden Berghe D, Calomme M. Effect of oral intake of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid on hair tensile strength and morphology in women with fine hair. Archives of Dermatological Research. 2007;299(10):499–505. doi:10.1007/s00403-007-0796-z
14. Calomme MR, Vanden Berghe DA. Supplementation of calves with stabilized orthosilicic acid. Effect on the Si, Ca, Mg, and P concentrations in serum and the collagen concentration in skin and cartilage. Biological Trace Element Research. 1997;56(2):153–165. doi:10.1007/BF02785389
15. Geusens P, Pavelka K, Rovensky J, Vanhoof J, Demeester N, Calomme M, Vanden Berghe D. A 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter study of choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid in patients with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2017;18(1):2. doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1370-7
16. Spector TD, Calomme MR, Anderson SH, et al. Choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid supplementation as an adjunct to calcium/vitamin D3 stimulates markers of bone formation in osteopenic females: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 2008;9:85. doi:10.1186/1471-2474-9-85
17. Nielsen BD, Woodward AD, Farquhar MJ. Silicon supplementation for bone health: an umbrella review attempting to translate from animals to humans. Nutrients. 2024;16(3):339. doi:10.3390/nu16030339
18. APR Pharma / Eytelia. Kynosil® — A vital mineral for canine health. Product technical documentation and leaflet. Available at: https://aprpharma.eu/ [Manufacturer data — mesoporous silica technology, Triple-A certification, dosage recommendations, canine health benefits]
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Editorial Information

Editorial Information
Published	February 2026
Last updated	February 2026 — New article
Reviewed by	Glendon Lloyd, Dip. Canine Nutrition (Dist.), Dip. Canine Nutrigenomics (Dist.)
Next review	August 2026
Author	Glendon Lloyd
Disclaimer	This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian before adding supplements to your dog’s diet.

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