Boron

Boron is a mineral that plants need and that humans may need too. Boron helps magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D work in the body.

Research has found that Boron may:

• Build harder, stronger bones

• Decrease risk of prostate cancer by half (54%).

• Decrease risk of lung cancer by half in post-menopausal women on ERT. Less boron, more lung cancer: 39%, 64%, and 95% increased risk as boron intake decreased from highest to lowest. Am. J. Epidemiol. 167:1070-1080, 2008.

• Help prevent or treat arthritis 20-70% of people get arthritis in low boron areas of the world (1mg or less a day), but only 0-10% get arthritis in areas getting 3 to 10 mg a day. A small study found that about half of those on boron got some arthritis pain relief.

• Affect hormone levels: PTH, thyroid, estrogen, and testosterone but it does not help athletes build muscles as some claim.

• Help the brain: people low in boron had more problems with memory, alertness, attention and eye-hand coordination.

Good Sources: fruits, vegetables, avocado, wine, nuts, beans, and some tap water. You can get 0.5 mg from just:

• 1 apple,

• 1 banana,

• 1 cup apple juice,

• 1 cup grape juice,

• ¼ cup nuts,

• ¼ cup avocado,

• 6 Tbsp peanut butter,

• half a box of raisins, or

• 1-3 liters of tap water.

How much?

• 1 mg/day is the average U.S. intake

• Safe to have up to 20 mg/day

• 3 mg a day in pill form.

Boron is very safe, but post-menopausal women, especially ones on estrogen, should not take boron pills because it might increase their risk of breast and uterine cancer. Boron from food, however, is still safe for them.

-Sara Lee Thomas, RD, rev. May 2008

Minor editorial revisions by J. Thomas, 2016