Growing Evidence for Human Health Benefits of Boron

Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine October 2011 vol. 16 no. 3 169-180
Forrest H. Nielsen, PhD1⇓
Susan L. Meacham, PhD2
1USDA, ARS, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND, USA
2University of Nevada Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA
Forrest H. Nielsen, PhD, USDA, ARS, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, 2420 2 Ave N, Stop 9034, Grand Forks, ND, 58202-9034, USA Email: forrest.nielsen at ars.usda.gov

Growing evidence from a variety of experimental models shows that boron is a bioactive and beneficial (perhaps essential) element for humans. Reported beneficial actions of boron include arthritis alleviation or risk reduction, bone growth and maintenance, central nervous system function, cancer risk reduction, hormone facilitation, and immune response, inflammation, and oxidative stress modulation. The diverse effects of boron indicate that it influences the formation and/or activity of an entity that is involved in many biochemical processes. Formation of boroesters with the ribose moiety of compounds involved in numerous reactions, such as S-adenosylmethionine and oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) might be the reason for boron bioactivity.

Both animal and human data suggest that boron intakes should be >1.0 mg/d. Many people consume less than this amount. Thus, a low boron intake should be considered a health concern, which can be prevented by diets rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and pulses.

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