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Boron and arthritis
Dr Rex Newnham's research has found persuasive evidence worldwide
linking low intake of boron with increased levels of arthritis.
In parts of Australia, for instance, where the drinking water
contains high boron levels (seven parts per million), there is
no arthritis in either humans or animals. Other examples are:
- In Israel, with high soil boron levels, arthritis
runs at 1% compared to 20% in the US, with both low water and
low soil boron levels
- The Zhosa tribe in South Africa drinks high-boron
water. Only 3% of its people suffer from arthritis until they
move into cities, where their arthritis levels quickly rise
to those pertaining in that area
The opposite is also true. In parts of the world where boron
intake (from both food and water) is under one milligram a day,
arthritis levels generally run between 20% and 70%.
View
boron-based Osteo-trace supplement
Ed.- According to Dr. Alexander G. Schauss, boron’s apparent
ability to relieve arthritis may stem from its role in the formation
of specific steroid hormones. Boron can complex with hydroxyl
groups and form corticosteroids, which are known to alleviate
symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis.
Statistics
Country and -------
Daily intake - Incidence -------- Remarks ----
--- Source ---------- (mg boron) -- Arthritis %
------------------------
Jamaica 1974 ----------- <1 ---------- 70 ----------------
All food crops
soil analysis ----------------------------------------------------
deficient
Mauritius ----------------- <1 ---------- 50
---------------- Most food crops
sugar cane analysis------------------------------------------
deficient
Fijian Indians ------------- 1 ---------- 40 -----------------
Eat mostly rice
Native Fijians ------------ 3-5 -------- 10 -----------------
Eat mostly root
----------------------------------------------------------------------
vegetables
USA, UK, Australia, ---- 1-2 --------- 20 -------------------
Most elderly
South Africa --------------------------------------------------------
arthritic
food analyses
Xhosa tribe/Transkei --- 2-5 --------- 3 ----------------
Eat native grown
(Meyers 1977) -----------------------------------------------
maize without
----------------------------------------------------------------------
fertiliser
Xhosa in big cities ------ 1-2 --------- 20 -------------- Eat
commercial
---------------------------------------------------------------------
maize grown
---------------------------------------------------------------------
with fertiliser
Carnarvon, Australia --- 6-10 -------- 1 -----------------
Soil and water (survey 1981) ---------------------------------------------------
high boron
------------------------------------------------------------------------
content
Israel (Volcanic Inst. -----10+ -------- 0.7 -----------------
Water high
and 1981) ------------------------------------------------------
boron content
Most groundwater supplies in the US and Europe have
low boron levels, leaving plenty of scope for safe boron supplementation.
Some bottled waters are a rich source, yielding up to 4.5mg a
litre. Pears, grapes, nuts, cabbage, parsley and dandelion are
also good sources, but only if they have been grown in boron-rich
soils.
View
boron-based Osteo-trace supplement
Conventional medical research findings
- Low boron intake (less than 2mg/day) has been
linked to a 20% increased risk of developing arthritis
- The maximum safe daily intake of boron is
13 milligrams
- Adequate levels of boron may be important
for brain function, and appear to raise oestrogen and testosterone
levels, possibly increasing fertility
- A daily intake of 1.8 milligrams of boron
appeared to have reduced men’s risk of developing prostate
cancer by a half
- There is evidence of lower boron concentrations
in femur heads, bones, and synovial fluid from people with arthritis
- The bones of patients using boron supplements
are much harder to cut than those of patients not using supplements
- In areas of the world where boron intakes
usually are 1.0 mg or less/day the estimated incidence of arthritis
ranges from 20% to 70%. In areas of the world where boron intakes
are usually 3-10mg/day the estimated incidence of arthritis
ranges from 0% to 10% [1]
Dr Newnham's book
Beating arthritis and beating osteoporosis
Dr Rex Newnham worked on the links between boron and arthritis,
rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and fibromyalgia for over 40
years. Beating Arthritis and Beating Osteoporosis described
his findings and gave his advice on boron supplementation. He
found that boron supplementation can also help animals.
In his review of Beating Arthritis and Beating Osteoporosis
Dr J.R. Mansfield (past president of the British Society for Allergy,
Environmental and Nutritional Medicine) stated that boron supplementation
doubled his success rate when treating osteo-arthritis. He also
stated that Rex deserved enormous credit for his single-handed
discovery “which should ... result in millions of people
being spared the agonies of this highly unpleasant condition”.
