Natrum silicatum

What is Natrum silicatum?

Natrum silicatum is a homeopathic remedy. It is made from sodium silicate, the same salt sold as water glass. Its Latin name is Natrii silicas.

Homeopaths have used it for slow healing, weak bones and long-lasting tiredness. It is what homeopaths call a small remedy. That means few people use it, and little has been written about it.

The remedy is watered down over and over, so little or nothing of the salt is left. Tests in people do not show it beats a dummy pill. Long use in a tradition is not proof that a thing works.

How does Natrum silicatum work?

The honest answer is that no one has shown a way it could work in the body.

It is made by serial dilution, which means watering the salt down in steps. A little sodium silicate is mixed into water or alcohol, shaken hard, then diluted again and again. At the common 30C strength, essentially none of the starting material is left.

Homeopathy teaches that the shaking leaves a kind of pattern of the salt behind. Chemistry gives no support for that idea. When homeopathic pills are tested against placebo (dummy) pills, the two do not come apart.

What forms does Natrum silicatum come in?

Sugar pellets are the most common form.

You may also see liquid drops in water and alcohol. A third form is a soft tablet made by grinding the salt with milk sugar. Strengths are written as 6C, 30C or 200C, or as 3X and 6X.

A higher number means more watering down, not more strength in any measured sense. Only the low X strengths may still hold traces of the salt.

Where it comes from:

Natrum silicatum turns up as a minor entry in homeopathic reference books from the late 1800s and early 1900s. It grew out of homeopathic interest in silica and in sodium salts. Records of formal testing on healthy people are thin.

It has never been a staple remedy. Many homeopaths go a whole career without reaching for it.

What does Natrum silicatum help with?

• Slow healing of bones after a break: This is the use the old homeopathic books mention most. There are no human trials of Natrum silicatum for broken bones. A bone that is healing slowly needs an X-ray and a doctor's review, not a homeopathic pill.
• Slow healing of skin and wounds: Tradition only. Homeopaths matched this remedy to people whose cuts and sores were slow to close. No trial has tested that. A wound that will not close, smells bad, or weeps pus needs medical care.
• Long-lasting tiredness and weakness: Homeopaths used it for people who felt worn out and cold. No human study supports this. Lasting tiredness has many causes, such as anaemia (low iron in the blood), thyroid problems or depression, and these are worth testing for.
• Swollen glands in the neck: The old books group this remedy with silica for slow, hard gland swelling. No trial evidence exists. A lump in the neck that lasts more than three weeks should be checked by a doctor.
• Boils and abscesses that keep coming back: Traditional use only, again borrowed from the picture of silica. Repeat boils can point to diabetes or a staph infection that needs antibiotics. See a doctor rather than treating them at home for weeks.
• Aching bones and joints: Some homeopathic texts list bone pain and stiffness for this remedy. There are no trials in people. Joint pain that swells, locks or wakes you at night should be looked at.

Which foods are rich in Natrum silicatum?

1. Oats and whole grains: natural sources of silicon
2. Bananas: a common food source of silicon
3. Green beans: contain silicon
4. Drinking water and mineral water: carry dissolved silicon
5. Beer: high in silicon from the barley and hops

Practical Tips:

These foods supply silicon in food form; they are not the same as the remedy and are not a way to dose yourself.

What are the side effects of Natrum silicatum?

• Usually nothing at all at 12C and above, since the pellets are mostly sugar
• Wind, bloating or loose stools if you cannot digest lactose (milk sugar) and the pellets are lactose-based
• Stinging in the mouth or throat from alcohol-based drops
• A small sugar load, which matters if you count carbohydrates for diabetes
• A short flare of your symptoms, which homeopaths call an aggravation and which has not been shown in trials
• Burns to the mouth, throat and stomach if raw sodium silicate (water glass) is swallowed by mistake — that is the raw chemical, not the diluted remedy

Good to know:

Direct harm from the diluted remedy is very unlikely, because there is almost nothing in it.

The real risk is different. If you use it in place of proven treatment, an illness can get worse while you wait.

The raw chemical is another matter. Sodium silicate from a hardware or craft shop is strongly alkaline (like drain cleaner) and burns tissue, so it must never be swallowed.

How much Natrum silicatum should you take?

• Recommended daily: There is no proven dose, because no trial has ever set one. In practice, homeopaths give 3 to 5 pellets of 30C, or about 5 drops of liquid. This is usually once or twice a day. Some give one dose and then simply wait. Labels differ between brands, so follow the label on the pack you hold.
• Best time of day: Any time of day is fine, because no time has been shown to matter. The usual habit is to take it away from strong tastes such as coffee, mint and toothpaste. That habit comes from tradition, not from testing.
• With or without food: Between meals is the usual advice. Homeopaths suggest about 15 minutes before or after food or drink. This is custom, not a tested rule.
• Time to effect: No trial has measured how fast it acts, or whether it acts at all. Homeopaths expect some change within a few days for a short-term problem. For long-running problems they often wait two to four weeks before judging.
• How long to take it: Keep it short. Homeopaths look for some change within a few days to a few weeks. If nothing changes, stop and get a medical opinion. Do not keep taking it for months for a problem that is not getting better.