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A boron supplement of 3mg/day was given to seven women consuming a low-magnesium diet and five women consuming a diet adequate in magnesium. The supplementation:

• markedly reduced the urinary excretion of calcium and magnesium in both sets of women, but more so for the women on the low-magnesium diet

• reduced the urinary excretion of phosphorus by the women on the low-magnesium diet, but not by the women on the adequate-magnesium diet

• markedly elevated the serum concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol and testosterone, particularly for the women on the low-magnesium diet

The findings suggest that supplementation of a low-boron diet with an amount of boron commonly found in diets high in fruits and vegetables induces changes in postmenopausal women consistent with the prevention of calcium loss and bone demineralisation.

Lifeworks comment
Dr. Forrest Nielsen was a senior member of the team at Grand Forks which produced evidence that boron is an essential nutrient for higher animals. They found that inadequate boron worsens bone changes induced by low dietary levels of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Subsequently, they showed that boron enhances the effects of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been found beneficial for bone formation, turnover and strength, and for eye and brain development.

The team also found that supplementation of a low boron diet with levels of boron commonly found in diets high in fruits and vegetables (i) improved cognitive and psychomotor functions, (ii) modified calcium and magnesium metabolism and (iii) enhanced and mimicked some of the effects of oestrogen therapy.

Dr. Rex Newnham has developed an anti-arthritis, anti-rheumatoid arthritis, anti-osteoporosis, anti-fibromyalgia supplement called Osteo-trace, which contains safe levels of boron and seventeen compounds which deliver vitamins and trace minerals essential to healthy bones.
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Read also 'Arthritis in the soil'

Nielsen,FH. Nutrition 2000;16(7-8):512-14
Hunt,CD et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 1997;65(3):803-13
Nielsen,FH. Magnesium Trace Elements 1990;9(2):61-69

When researchers analysed data from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III - covering nearly 8,720 men) they found that men who consumed an average 1.8mg of boron a day had reduced their risk of developing prostate cancer by nearly a half. As the number of prostate cancer cases was small (95), the team cautioned that further research would be needed.

In a double blind trial comparing the effect of supplementing with six milligrams a day (mg/d) of boron with placebo in the treatment of arthritis, of the 10 patients on boron, five improved while only one of ten in the placebo group improved. The boron had significant benefit in severe osteoarthritis. The 6mg of boron was in two tablets containing 25mg of borax (sodium tetraborate decahydrate). The experiment was carried out over an eight week period. There were no side effects noted. [1]

Boron appeared to boost sex hormones in postmenopausal women (making it a possible natural and safer alternative to HRT) and in men of the same age. [2]