Boron is a trace mineral that is involved in maintaining bone health, balancing the ratio between calcium and magnesium, and impacts our vitamin D status, sex hormones like estrogen and testosterone, has the potential to reduce arthritis symptoms, and can even impact insulin, fertility in men, our parathyroid and so much more. I would definitely say boron is an under-appreciated mineral. The lab I use even has boron as an optional add on, but we always add it on Master Your Minerals course students’ tests because we know how important it is.
Boron is found in food and the environment. It has an atomic weight of 10.81 and symbol B. Boron is a tough element, very hard, second only to diamond. Another fun fact about boron is that it is an essential nutrient for all green plants and is present in all plants. That’s why some of the best sources of boron are fruits and vegetables.
Many minerals can have a profound impact on hormone health. Boron not only impacts estrogen and testosterone, but also something called steroid hormone binding globulin or SHBG. SHBG is a protein that binds to sex hormones and carries them through the blood. SHBG binds to:
SHBG has a greater affinity for male sex hormones (androgens) than female sex hormones. Meaning it will bind to androgens first and then move onto estrogens. Research has shown that supplementing boron can lead to lower SHBG levels and higher levels of hormones like estrogen and testosterone.
“Six hours of supplementation showed a significant decrease on sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), high sensitive CRP (hsCRP) and TNF-α level. After one week (in samples taken at 8.00 A.M, only), the mean plasma free testosterone increased and the mean plasma estradiol decreased significantly. Dihydrotestosterone, cortisol and vitamin D was elevated. Also, concentrations of all three inflammatory biomarkers decreased after supplementation. Of note, despite decreased proinflammatory cytokines, based on recent clinical data, this must be the first human study report to show an increase level of free testosterone after boron consumption.”
Because boron lowers SHBG that means that there is less of the protein to bind to sex hormones like testosterone. There are also many studies on peri and post menopausal women that show boron increases levels of estrogen. Boron supplements also significantly increased testosterone in postmenopausal women. This effect was most dramatic when the women’s diets were low in magnesium. Boron has also been shown to be important for fertility and preventing birth defects. When it comes to male fertility, animal studies have shown us that adding boron in helped improve sperm count and motility.
We have four small, pea sized parathyroid glands that sit behind the thyroid gland in our neck. The parathyroid glands control the amount of calcium in the blood and within the bones. The main function is to maintain our body’s calcium levels within a very narrow range. This is important because it makes sure that our nervous system and muscular systems are working properly. Where does boron come in? Boron deficiency has been shown to cause our parathyroid glands to become overactive and release too much parathyroid hormone, which releases calcium from the bones and teeth and leads to high blood levels. This can lead to arthritis, osteoporosis, and tooth decay. It has been suggested that boron is to the parathyroids what iodine is to the thyroid gland.
Boron & Magnesium
Low magnesium also causes our parathyroid glands to make too much PTH. Boron enhances magnesium absorption.
Boron has the ability to improve bone density and prevent bone loss and diseases like osteoporosis by helping get calcium into the bones. It can also help protect bones because of its role in regulating estrogen function, especially in postmenopausal women. Studies show it can help the body produce and use vitamin D better, which is a crucial nutrient for healthy bone formation since it can help us absorb calcium better. I also just want to note that calcium is not the only mineral that is important for our bone health. Magnesium and phosphorus are also found in our bones. And remember, adequate magnesium is essential for healthy parathyroid gland function. Low magnesium can cause hyperparathyroidism, which will lead to calcium leaving the bones and teeth.
In one study, it was found that boron supplements can increase bone formation and inhibit bone resorption, producing therapeutic protection against osteoporosis in animal studies. When rats were fed a boron-deprived diet, they experienced spongy bones, bone loss in the femurs and lumbar vertebrae, and increased osteoporotic conditions. On the other hand, rats given high-boron supplements showed improvements in bone mass, bone thickness, bone volume and higher levels of estradiol (a hormone tied to bone health).
How exactly does boron help us use vitamin D?
Boron increases the half life of vitamin D, which means it increases the amount of time that vitamin D stays in your body in a useful form. Low boron intake can reduce calcium and vitamin D levels.
Boron has been shown to reduce inflammation and preserve pancreatic beta cells. It appears that it can help with the metabolism of carbohydrates and the production of insulin from the pancreas that better controls stable blood sugar levels.
You might be surprised to hear that boron has powerful anti-fungal properties. Boron is an active ingredient in tablets used to treat yeast infections in women in the form of boric acid. According to results from a double-blind comparison study looking at the effects of boron (powder in a gelatin capsule) compared to another type of commercial yeast infection cream (made from nystatin), boron was better able to treat yeast infections topically. Ninety-two percent of women had relief after seven to 10 days of treatment compared to 64 percent using the standard cream. This is pretty cool! Not only is boron a natural anti-fungal, but it’s also a lot cheaper than your typical yeast infection treatment.
I did a great episode on boron on the are your menstrual? podcast which you can find here if you want to go even deeper into this topic.
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