It has not yet been possible on the part of the DGE to make any statements about the approximate silicon requirement in humans, since the minimum requirement could not even be determined for animals. According to estimates, the human requirement is between 5 and 20 mg per day. Because of uncertainties in absorption, adult silicon intake should definitely be above 10 mg per day. Nielsen recommended consumption of 20 mg Si/d. Individuals on a mixed diet consume about 20-50 mg of silicon per day. For vegetarians, silicon intake can range from 50 to 150 mg per day due to high consumption of plant-based or fiber-rich foods. However, it is assumed that the nutritive silicon intake has decreased in recent years. This is due to changes in dietary habits characterized by a reduced proportion of plant-based diets and reduced fiber content in many processed foods of plant origin. Deficiency states have not yet been reported in humans.
