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Dietary supplement

Silica Ingredients & Drug Interactions

by GNC Women's

Silica label
See full label image
Softgel Capsule Category: Mineral
Most serious interaction: Moderate
Clinical methodology reviewed by · Updated Sep 16, 2026 · Label data from the NIH DSLD
What is this page for?

First and foremost: checking Silica against your medications. The heart of this page is the interaction checker and the full interaction report — how this product’s ingredients may interact with prescription and over-the-counter medicines you may be taking.

Around that, we add a pharmacist’s high-level view of the product as a whole — what’s inside, the evidence for its stated use, how transparent the label is, and what safety data exists — so you can see the full picture in one place. It’s educational information from our licensed clinical databases and the clinical staff at HelloPharmacist — not medical advice — and we don’t sell or endorse products. Our editorial policy

The interaction bottom line Most serious interaction: Moderate

Silica is a dietary supplement by GNC Women's with 1 active ingredient. Its ingredients are commonly taken for hair, skin, and nail health, bone health and osteoporosis, joint and connective tissue support.Based on those ingredients, 188 medications have a known interaction with it, the most serious rated moderate. Use the checker below to test your specific medication, or read the full HelloPharmacist Interaction Report.

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Check Your Meds Against Silica by GNC Women's

Ask about any prescription or over-the-counter medication and we check it for interactions with Silica by GNC Women's — and tell you which ingredient is responsible.

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HelloPharmacist Scorecard of Silica by GNC Women's

Our pharmacy team’s full take, with four database checks built into the cards below — a summary of what is known, not a grade of the product itself.

From our pharmacy team — supplement deep dive

Generated from HelloPharmacist’s pharmacist-curated databases and editorial rules · Last generated Sep 10, 2026

What’s inside

Full disclosure
Ingredient Transparency · database check
Full

Every active ingredient lists its own amount on the label.

Why this rating?
  • The label discloses an exact amount for 1 of its 1 active ingredient.
  • “Silica” is listed as a grouped ingredient — the label gives one combined amount (12.50 mg) without saying how much of each component you get.

GNC Women's Silica contains one active ingredient: horsetail extract. Horsetail is a plant that has been studied for its mineral content and potential effects on hair, skin, and nails, though the evidence for these uses remains inconclusive.

The product is filled out with inactive ingredients including olive oil, gelatin, glycerin, soybean oil, lecithin, beeswax, caramel color, and titanium dioxide.

Does it work?

Not established
Evidence for Intended Use · database check
By FDA rules, dietary supplements can’t claim to treat, cure, or prevent disease — so labels speak in careful marketing language. We discern each product’s intended use from its name, label claims, and label statements, then grade the clinical evidence for that use. How these ratings are computed
Not established

The graded evidence we hold for these ingredients covers different conditions than the ones this product is marketed for, so there's no established rating for its stated use — see Horsetail's own graded uses on its monograph.

Why this rating?
  • The label markets this product for: strengthen nails, hair, and connective tissue.
  • We looked for evidence on: Osteoporosis, Hair loss, Nail brittleness, Skin elasticity.
  • The closest evidence on file: Horsetail is rated "Insufficient Reliable Evidence To Rate" for Osteoporosis (Natural Medicines).

The effectiveness data we hold for horsetail extract shows insufficient reliable evidence to rate it for urinary incontinence, obesity, tonsillitis, or male-pattern baldness (androgenic alopecia). In other words, there isn't strong enough clinical research yet to say whether it actually works for these purposes.

If you're looking at this product for a specific health goal, talk it over with your doctor or pharmacist about what the science currently supports.

The evidence, ingredient by ingredient Silicon Horsetail

How safe is it?

Well-documented data
Safety Information · database check
Well characterized

Adverse-effect, pregnancy, and general safety data are on file for most of these ingredients.

Why this rating?
  • We hold adverse-effect (side-effect) data for 1 of the 1 matched ingredient.
  • Pregnancy & breastfeeding safety ratings cover 1 of 1.
  • General safety write-ups exist for 1 of 1.
  • Remember: this measures how much safety information exists. Thin data is not the same as being safe.

Horsetail is generally well tolerated for short-term use in healthy adults, but long-term use and unverified products carry real risks. The most common side effects reported are abdominal bloating, increased bowel movements, and nausea.

One important concern: crude horsetail contains a compound called thiaminase that can cause thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency if you take it for a long time. Canadian horsetail products are required to be certified free of thiaminase-like activity, so check the label.

In rare cases, people have had skin reactions after applying horsetail topically. The safety data advises against use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding because there isn't enough information to know whether it's safe in those situations.

Side effects, ingredient by ingredient Silicon Horsetail

Meds to double-check

Moderate interaction found
Known Interaction Concern · database check
Moderate identified

The most serious documented interaction for these ingredients is Moderate. Check your medications for a personalized result.

Why this rating?
  • 1 of the 1 matched ingredient can interact with medications — Horsetail.
  • The most serious interaction on file is rated Moderate.
  • Some involve high-stakes drug classes: diabetes medications; lithium.
  • For scale: 188 individual medications appear in the full list. A big number alone doesn't make a product dangerous — what matters is whether YOUR medication is on it, so run yours through the interaction checker on this page.

Before taking this product, check with your doctor or pharmacist if you take HIV medications (especially NRTIs or efavirenz), antidiabetes drugs, diuretics, or lithium. Horsetail may lower HIV medication levels, raise your risk of low blood sugar, increase potassium loss, or raise lithium levels — all moderate concerns.

Check your own medication Run your meds through the checker above

The bottom line

Scorecard at a glanceFully disclosed formula with no established evidence rating for its marketed use. Moderate medication interactions have been identified, and safety information is well characterized.

If you don't take diabetes medications, diuretics, lithium, or HIV antiretrovirals, this product is worth checking with your own doctor or pharmacist before you start — especially if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning long-term use. Anyone taking the medications mentioned above should clear it with their healthcare provider first.

The evidence for what horsetail actually does remains limited, so have a conversation about whether it makes sense for your goals.

Educational only — not medical advice; always confirm with your pharmacist. Our editorial policy · How we use AI

Assessment coverage: 1 of 1 active ingredient matched to our full ingredient reviews (monographs). Based on the product label dated Feb 23, 2022.

This Scorecard evaluates available label information, ingredient evidence, and known medication-safety considerations. It does not independently verify product identity, purity, potency, contamination, or manufacturing quality. How these ratings are computed

At a glance

General information

Key facts about Silica, straight from the product label.

Brand GNC Women's
Barcode (UPC) 048107033071
Net contents 90 Softgel(s)
Market status On market
Date entered into DSLD Feb 23, 2022
DSLD ID 259712
Product type Mineral
Supplement form Softgel Capsule
Dietary claims / uses Nutrient, All Other, Structure/Function
Intended target group(s) Adult Female (18 - 50 Years), Gluten Free
From the label
Everything in this section is reproduced from the manufacturer’s own product label — it’s the label speaking, not HelloPharmacist. We show it so you can see exactly what the maker states; we don’t verify or endorse those statements.

Supplement Facts

The label details for Silica by GNC Women's, sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database.

Supplement Facts

Daily Value (DV) Target Group(s):
Adults and children 4 or more years of age
Minimum serving Sizes:
1 Softgel(s)
Maximum serving Sizes:
1 Softgel(s)
Servings per container
90
UPC/BARCODE
048107033071
IngredientAmount% DV
Silica12.5 mg--
Horsetail Extract208.5 mg--

Other ingredients: Olive Oil, Gelatin, Glycerin, Soybean Oil, Lecithin, Beeswax, Caramel color, Titanium Dioxide

Tap any ingredient to jump to its full detail below.

Label statements
These statements are the manufacturer’s wording, reproduced from the product label — the label is saying it, not HelloPharmacist. We don’t verify or endorse them.
Formulation

Helps to strengthen nails, hair, and connective tissue

Recommended Use: Helps to strengthen nails, hair, and connective tissue.

Contains: No lactose, no wheat, no gluten, no artificial flavours, yeast free.

Precautions

This package is sealed for safety. Do not use if safety seal is broken or missing.

Keep out of reach of children.

Suggested/Recommended/Usage/Directions

Recommended Dose: Adults: Take 1 softgel daily with meal.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place.

Is this label outdated? Report a formula or label change and our pharmacy team will review it.

See for yourself

Silica by GNC Women's label

The label scan from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Tap to enlarge.

Silica label

Label images are published by the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database for the version of this product on file. Always read your actual product label.

View the full label (PDF)
What’s inside

The Ingredients in Silica by GNC Women's

This is the 1 active ingredient this product is made of. Select it to open its full monograph.

Serving size1 Softgel(s) Dosage formSoftgel Capsule Servings per container90 Amounts shown are per serving.

Silica

No known
interactions
12.5 mg per serving

Silicon is a trace mineral found in the body and in foods like oats, barley, and certain fruits and vegetables, and it is popular in supplements for h...

Silica monograph & interactions

Other (inactive) ingredients: Olive Oil, Gelatin, Glycerin, Soybean Oil, Lecithin, Beeswax, Caramel color, Titanium Dioxide. These complete the product’s ingredient list but are not active constituents.

Interaction report

Silica by GNC Women's Drug Interactions

Want to check YOUR meds against Silica?

Ask about interactions with your drugs in plain English — “Can I take it with lisinopril?” — and we find you the answer in seconds, ingredient by ingredient.

 Go to the checker
188Drugs
188 Moderate

Ingredients driving the most interactions

Individual Drug Interactions

The ingredients in Silica interact with 188 drugs. Click any drug to see the details.

0 of the 1 ingredient in Silica interact with drugs. Each result below shows which ingredient is responsible.

Each ingredient & the kinds of drugs it affects

For each ingredient in Silica with known interactions, here are the types of medications it can affect. Open any type for the detail — or search your exact drug in the checker above.

The maker

Brand information

Manufacturer and brand details for Silica, from the product label.

GNC Women's

See all GNC Women's products
Name
General Nutrition Centres Company
Street Address
6299 Airport Road
City
Mississauga
State
ON
ZipCode
L4V 1N3
Phone Number
1-888-462-2548
Web Address
www.gnc.com/cs
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Silica by GNC Women's: Common Questions

Does Silica by GNC Women's interact with any medications?
Yes. Based on its ingredients, Silica has a known interaction with 188 medications. Use the checker to see how it interacts with a specific drug.
How can one product interact with so many drugs?
Silica contains a single active ingredient, and that one ingredient can interact with many different medications on its own. We check it against each medication and show the mechanism responsible.
Where does this information come from?
The product label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD); the interaction data is built on the Natural Medicines database and reviewed by HelloPharmacist pharmacists.
Can I take this if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
The safety data advises against use during pregnancy and breastfeeding because there isn't enough information to know whether it's safe. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about whether this product is right for you before taking it during these times.
Does horsetail actually work for hair, skin, or nails?
The evidence we have isn't strong enough yet to rate it as effective for those uses. If that's why you're interested in this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist whether the current research supports it for your specific goal.
What are the most common side effects?
The main ones reported are abdominal bloating, increased bowel movements, and nausea. These are generally mild, but if you develop them, let your healthcare provider know.
How long is it safe to take this?
The data supports short-term use in healthy adults, but long-term use carries real risks — particularly because crude horsetail can cause thiamine deficiency over time. If you're thinking about taking this for weeks or months, run it by your doctor or pharmacist first.
Is this product free of thiaminase?
Canadian horsetail products are required by law to be certified free of thiaminase-like activity, but the label on your bottle should confirm it. Check the packaging before you buy.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Not sure if Silica is safe with your meds?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

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Label information is sourced from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database and reflects the product version on file; always read your actual product label. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Confirm with your pharmacist or doctor before combining supplements and medications.

Silica label
Go deeper

The Full Monographs Behind Silica’s Ingredients

Every ingredient we hold a full HelloPharmacist monograph for — uses, evidence, safety, and the complete interaction list.

Herb & supplement monograph

Silicon

Silicon is a trace mineral found in the body and in foods like oats, barley, and certain fruits and vegetables, and it is popular in supplements for hair, skin, nail, and bone health. Some s...

Read the full Silicon monograph → Herb & supplement monograph

Horsetail

Interacts with 188 drugs

Horsetail is a traditional herb most often used as a mild diuretic and for hair, nail, and bone support, but high-quality human evidence is limited. It can cause thiamine (vitamin B1) loss w...

Read the full Horsetail monograph →
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Silica's label data comes from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database; the ingredient interaction data is from the Natural Medicines database, reviewed by our pharmacists.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

The 33 references behind this product’s interaction data

Every citation that drives the interaction findings for this product’s ingredients, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Open an ingredient to browse its citations — links open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

Silicon 19 references
  1. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
  2. Jugdaohsingh R, Anderson SH, Tucker KL, et al. Dietary silicon intake and absorption. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;75:887-93. PubMed
  3. Ichiyanagi O, Sasagawa I, Adachi Y, et al. Silica urolithiasis without magnesium trisilicate intake. Urol Int 1998;61:39-42. PubMed
  4. Levison DA, Crocker PR, Banim S, Wallace DM. Silica stones in the urinary bladder. Lancet 1982;1:704-5. PubMed
  5. Lee MH, Lee YH, Hsu TH, et al. Silica stone--development due to long time oral trisilicate intake. Scand J Urol Nephrol 1993;27:267-9. PubMed
  6. Cruz Guerra, N. A., Gomez Garcia, M. A., Lovaco, Castellano F., Saez Garrido, J. C., Garcia, Cuerpo E., and Escudero, Barrilero A. [Silica urolithiasis: report of a new case]. Actas Urol.Esp 2000;24(2):202-204.
  7. Merget, R., Bauer, T., Kupper, H. U., Philippou, S., Bauer, H. D., Breitstadt, R., and Bruening, T. Health hazards due to the inhalation of amorphous silica. Arch Toxicol. 2002;75(11-12):625-634. PubMed
  8. Khuder, S. A., Peshimam, A. Z., and Agraharam, S. Environmental risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis. Rev Environ Health 2002;17(4):307-315. PubMed
  9. McLaughlin, J. K., Chow, W. H., and Levy, L. S. Amorphous silica: a review of health effects from inhalation exposure with particular reference to cancer. J Toxicol.Environ Health 4-25-1997;50(6):553-566. DOI
  10. Pelucchi, C., Pira, E., Piolatto, G., Coggiola, M., Carta, P., and La, Vecchia C. Occupational silica exposure and lung cancer risk: a review of epidemiological studies 1996-2005. Ann.Oncol. 2006;17(7):1039-1050. PubMed
  11. Gillissen, A., Gessner, C., Hammerschmidt, S., Hoheisel, G., and Wirtz, H. [Health significance of inhaled particles]. Dtsch.Med Wochenschr. 3-24-2006;131(12):639-644.
  12. Hu, J. F., Qu, H., and Wang, J. Z. [Meta analysis for relationship between exposure of free silicon dioxide and lung tumor]. Zhonghua Lao.Dong.Wei Sheng Zhi.Ye.Bing.Za Zhi. 2006;24(7):415-417.
  13. Jugdaohsingh, R. Silicon and bone health. J Nutr Health Aging 2007;11(2):99-110.
  14. Lacasse, Y., Martin, S., Gagne, D., and Lakhal, L. Dose-response meta-analysis of silica and lung cancer. Cancer Causes Control 2009;20(6):925-933. PubMed
  15. McCormic, Z. D., Khuder, S. S., Aryal, B. K., Ames, A. L., and Khuder, S. A. Occupational silica exposure as a risk factor for scleroderma: a meta-analysis. Int Arch Occup.Environ Health 2010;83(7):763-769. PubMed
  16. Haddad, F. S. and Kouyoumdjian, A. Silica stones in humans. Urol.Int 1986;41(1):70-76. PubMed
  17. Tervaert, J. W., Stegeman, C. A., and Kallenberg, C. G. Silicon exposure and vasculitis. Curr Opin.Rheumatol 1998;10(1):12-17. PubMed
  18. Steenland, K. and Stayner, L. Silica, asbestos, man-made mineral fibers, and cancer. Cancer Causes Control 1997;8(3):491-503. PubMed
  19. Boqué N, Valls RM, Pedret A, Puiggrós F, Arola L, Solà R. Relative absorption of silicon from different formulations of dietary supplements: a pilot randomized, double-blind, crossover post-prandial study. Sci Rep 2021;11(1):16479. PubMed

See these in context on the Silicon monograph →

Horsetail 14 references
  1. Sudan BJ. Seborrhoeic dermatitis induced by nicotine of horsetails (Equisetum arvense L.). Contact Dermatitis 1985;13:201-2.
  2. Perez Gutierrez RM, Laguna GY, Walkowski A. Diuretic activity of Mexican equisetum. J Ethnopharmacol 1985;14:269-72. PubMed
  3. Lemus I, Garcia R, Erazo S, et al. Diuretic activity of an Equisetum bogotense tea (Platero herb): evaluation in healthy volunteers. J Ethnopharmacol 1996;54:55-8. PubMed
  4. Revilla MC, Andrade-Cetto A, Islas S, Wiedenfeld H. Hypoglycemic effect of Equisetum myriochaetum aerial parts on type 2 diabetic patients. J Ethnopharmacol 2002;81:117-20. PubMed
  5. Tiktinskii, O. L. and Bablumian, I. A. [Therapeutic action of Java tea and field horsetail in uric acid diathesis]. Urol.Nefrol.(Mosk) 1983;3(1):47-50.
  6. Henderson JA, Evans EV, and McIntosh RA. The antithiamine action of Equisetum. J Amer Vet Med Assoc 1952;120:375-378.
  7. Carneiro DM, Freire RC, Honório TC, Zoghaib I, Cardoso FF, Tresvenzol LM, de Paula JR, Sousa AL, Jardim PC, da Cunha LC. Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial to Assess the Acute Diuretic Effect of Equisetum arvense (Field Horsetail) in Healthy Voluntee
  8. Klnçalp S, Ekiz F, Basar Ö, Coban S, Yüksel O. Equisetum arvense (Field Horsetail)-induced liver injury. Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2012 Feb;24(2):213-4. PubMed
  9. Ortega García JA, Angulo MG, Sobrino-Najul EJ, Soldin OP, Mira AP, Martínez-Salcedo E, Claudio L. Prenatal exposure of a girl with autism spectrum disorder to 'horsetail' (Equisetum arvense) herbal remedy and alcohol: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2011 M PubMed
  10. Cordova E, Morganti L, Rodriguez C. Possible Drug-Herb Interaction between Herbal Supplement Containing Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) and Antiretroviral Drugs. J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2017;16(1):11-13.
  11. García Gavilán MD, Moreno García AM, Rosales Zabal JM, Navarro Jarabo JM, Sánchez Cantos A. Case of drug-induced acute pancreatitis produced by horsetail infusions. Rev Esp Enferm Dig. 2017 Apr;109(4):301-304. PubMed
  12. Vieira GT, de Oliveira TT, Carneiro MAA, et al. Antidiabetic effect of Equisetum giganteum L. extract on alloxan-diabetic rabbit. J Ethnopharmacol. 2020;260:112898. PubMed
  13. Health Canada. Organism-Equisetum arvense. Available at: http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/ingredReq.do?id=6117&lang=eng. Accessed 21-July 2021.
  14. Bates D, Duong TB, Kheyson S, Moore K. Hyponatremia Secondary to Decreased Oral Intake and SIADH and Possibly Exacerbated by Horsetail (Equisetum arvense). Can J Hosp Pharm 2021;74(4):386-389. PubMed

See these in context on the Horsetail monograph →

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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