Are There Health Benefits to Boron?
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Photo by Pixabay
By: Mark Sisson
Everyone knows about the “big minerals.” These are the minerals that show up on nutrition labels or are added to refined grains and sweet cereal. They’re the ones you can buy in drug stores and pharmacies as supplements. But while magnesium, potassium, calcium, selenium, zinc, and iron are all very important for your health, they’re not the only minerals you need to obtain. There are many other minerals that are arguably just as important for health, even though we only need them in trace amounts.
One of the most important trace minerals you need to consider consuming is boron.
What Is Boron Used For?
Boron for Arthritis
While boron won’t be listed on any government recommendations or added to breakfast cereal, it does have benefits for joints. Honestly, it’s probably essential for joints. It’s not “essential” in that your average doctor or health official will know about it but it is essential for proper joint health and function. Taking boron has a supplement if you have any kind of arthritic disorder is a no-brainer. Boron accumulates in cartilage, bone, joints, and synovial fluid (the “lubricating fluid” that sits in the joints); people with arthritis have lower levels of boron in their joints.
A 1994 study found that countries with boron intakes under 1mg/day have elevated rates of arthritis—between 20-70%—while countries with boron intakes between 3 and 10 mg/day have 0-10% arthritis rates.
And in a human trial, 50% of osteoarthritis patients who received 6 mg/day saw improvement in symptoms, compared to just 10% of the placebo group patients.
Boron for Bone Health
Boron is good for bones, too. It accumulates in bone, determines how we metabolize and incorporate calcium, and helps regulate bone metabolism. Case reports have shown that the bones of patients taking boron are sturdier and harder to cut than bones from people who don’t take boron supplements.
Animal studies show that boron supplementation can alleviate some of the skeletal deformities triggered by vitamin D deficiency. If this holds true in humans, having adequate boron could mean you require less vitamin D for bone health.
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