Originally published February 3 2014
Horsetail herb can potentially counter the damaging effects of osteoporosis
by P. Simard
(NaturalNews) The horsetail plant possesses a slender and elongated structure similar to the tail of a horse, hence the name it was eventually given. It is quite effective at absorbing a variety of minerals, but unlike most other plants, it is literally filled with silicon. Certain health advocates, such as Mr. David Wolfe, have gone as far as considering it amongst nature's top six herbs.
It has a long list of health benefits backed by a wide array of research from all around the world. Its strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties have all been well documented throughout the years, but it is mainly its ability to repair and solidify bone structures that has long retained the attention of certain scientists. There is a belief that the horsetail herb can adequately help overcome the damaging effects caused by osteoporosis.
The Journal of Medicinal Food reported in 2010 some experiments that were made in order to confirm that horsetail extracts can suppress the formation of lipid peroxyl radicals; in other words, they respond to free radicals and basically remove them from the system. Different types of horsetail extracts were analyzed, but it turns out that the ethyl acetate ones showed the most promising results.
How can horsetails provide so much calcium for the bones?
Based on past studies, researchers came to the conclusion that horsetails could play an important role in the fight against osteoporosis. The basic understanding was that a high quantity of silicon within horsetails was the prime reason for its positive impact on bone density. The true explanation for this may very well be explained by biological transmutations.
A few decades ago, a French biologist by the name of Louis Kervran provided extensive research to help explain what biological transmutations are. To briefly summarize what a biological transmutation is, we can say that it consists of the body's ability to convert a particular substance into another one. This phenomenon apparently only happens when five specific criteria are met with elements on hand. The first one requires an equilibrium among atomic masses (ex: Si28 = C12 + O16). The second one is having an equilibrium among atomic numbers, basically the number of electrons. The third criterion implies that either hydrogen, oxygen, carbon or lithium must be involved in order for a biological transmutation to take place. The fourth law says that elements involved must be stable, which means that isotopes cannot be considered. Finally, Kervran's fifth and final rule says that any possible transmutation would also involve a specific enzyme for it to occur.
It remains to be researched further, and unfortunately it hasn't been in a long time, but this phenomenon could partly explain why horsetails have such high calcific properties even if they have very little calcium to start with. About 50 years ago, Professor Kervran was quoted as saying that tests conducted on rats showed that, by giving them organic silicon rather than calcium, their bones healed much quicker. In fact, the tests demonstrated that, by the end of only 17 days, the bone fractures were practically all repaired using organic silicon, while they were only in the early stages of repair with the use of calcium. (Ref.: Nature & Progress, Bulletin de l'Association Europeenne d'Agriculture et d'Hygiene Biologiques, 1965, n.3, p.22)
Sources for this article include:
http://www.naturalalternativeremedy.com
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
http://www.masantenaturelle.com
About the author:
After spending several years working in property management, P. Simard is now focusing on being a naturopath in Quebec.
After spending several years working in property management, P. Simard is now focusing on being a naturopath in Quebec.
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