Silicon dioxide tiny particles and gut cell function in lab tests
What it found
Tiny silicon dioxide particles changed how lab-grown human gut cells absorbed iron, zinc, sugar and fat.
They also weakened the cell barrier after five days of exposure.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Nutrient absorption changes
In lab-grown human gut cells, the particles reduced the amount of iron passing through the cell layer. After 5 days, they also changed how the cells took up zinc, sugar and fat.
Weakened gut barrier
A single 4-hour exposure did not change the electrical resistance of the cell layer. But after 5 days, the barrier between the cells became leakier, meaning it was less effective at keeping unwanted things out.
Oxidative stress and inflammation
Both short and long exposures caused the gut cells to produce more reactive oxygen molecules. This triggered genes linked to inflammation in the cells.
Damaged cell surface
High doses of the particles shrank the number of tiny finger-like projections on the cell surface. These projections normally increase the area available for absorbing nutrients.
Increased enzyme activity
An enzyme called intestinal alkaline phosphatase became more active after exposure. The authors suggest the cells may have produced more of this enzyme to try to protect their barrier.
What the authors conclude
- They found that exposing gut cells to realistic amounts of silicon dioxide particles changed nutrient absorption, increased oxidative stress and damaged the cell surface structure.
- Their results show that chronic exposure weakened the barrier function of the intestinal cell model.
- They advise that these particles cause negative outcomes in their lab model and call for further study.
How it was done
Food-grade silicon dioxide contains tiny particles used to improve texture, preserve color and stop powders from clumping. The authors wanted to see what realistic amounts of these particles do to gut health and function.
The researchers grew a layer of human intestinal cells in the lab that mimics the gut lining. They exposed these cells to tiny silicon dioxide particles for either 4 hours or 5 days. They then measured how well the cells absorbed nutrients and checked their physical structure.
What it can’t tell you
- These experiments used isolated cells in a dish, not whole animals or people.
- Lab-grown cells cannot show what actually happens when someone eats food containing silicon dioxide.
- A real digestive system breaks down food and moves it along, which could change how the particles behave.
Who paid
- Funding
- Funded by NIEHS NIH HHS (from the PubMed record).
- Authors work at
- Binghamton University, USA; Soil and Nutrition Laboratory, USA
The paper
- Title
- Silicon dioxide nanoparticle exposure affects small intestine function in an in vitro model
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Guo Z, Martucci NJ, Liu Y, Yoo E, Tako E, Mahler GJ (2018). Silicon dioxide nanoparticle exposure affects small intestine function in an in vitro model. Nanotoxicology. doi:10.1080/17435390.2018.1463407Free full textPubMed 29668341DOI
Summary written 30 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error