Boron: A Missing Link to Bone and Joint Health?

When it comes to bone and joint health, you may typically think of calcium, vitamin D, and perhaps even magnesium. But there’s one important mineral you most likely didn’t think of - boron.

Yes, that same boron you might recall from your high school chemistry days.

So, how can this underestimated mineral support our skeletal systems?

The Science Behind Boron

In the past, boron was only thought to be of value to plants. Turns out, it’s not just the garden greens that thrive with its presence. We can benefit from it too.

Boron is a trace mineral that’s currently deemed non-essential.

But non-essential doesn’t necessarily mean non-beneficial.

Research in the past few decades revealed boron’s potential to modulate hormone levels, bolster immune response, and even support the brain and cognition. ⁽¹⁾

That being said, boron’s main arena is the skeletal system.

4 Ways Boron Supports Bone and Joint Health

1: Joint Health Maintenance

Scientists first stumbled upon the boron-joint health link in the 1980s. That’s when data correlating soil’s boron concentration with the incidence of arthritis started emerging.

Arthritis is an inflammatory joint condition which affects movement and mobility.

In countries where soil lacked boron and people consumed less than 1 mg of this mineral daily, arthritis rates went anywhere from 20 to 70%.

On the flip side, in countries where people were getting between 3 to 10 mg of boron daily, arthritis rates were as low as 0 to 10%. ⁽²⁾

What’s more, low boron levels in arthritis patients were later linked to higher levels of joint degradation.

While this research doesn't confirm a direct cause-and-effect link, it sheds light on an interesting correlation.

And given the findings, it may be worthwhile to examine our boron intake. It could be just what our joints need to help them stay in top shape.

2: Reduced Joint Inflammation

Inflammation is a common cause of joint pain.

Normally, it’s the body's response to injury or infection. Aimed at healing and protection.

However, in conditions like arthritis, the inflammation becomes chronic. This then leads to increased pain and tissue damage in the joints. ⁽³⁾

Boron supports the down-regulation of inflammatory pathways, which can make it particularly useful for soothing sore joints. ⁽⁴⁾

In mild and moderate osteoarthritis, 8 weeks of boron supplementation replaced other painkillers for 67% of patients. ⁽⁵⁾

And in severe cases, 75% reduced or stopped using painkillers daily.

Additionally, patients’ mobility and flexibility significantly improved throughout the course of the study.

Rendering boron as a promising aid for supporting joint wellbeing.

3: Calcium Metabolism

Boron plays an important role in calcium’s metabolism in the body.

As commonly known, calcium is a mineral that’s essential for healthy bones. It provides strength and structure to the skeletal system.

Research on postmenopausal women suggests that boron can boost calcium absorption. And also support its retention. ⁽⁶⁾

This ultimately means that the body has a greater pool of available calcium. Which can then be used for building and maintaining strong bones.

4: Bone Density Support

Boron can influence the levels of hormones that participate in bone metabolism.

These include osteocalcin, vitamin D (yikes! Yep, vitamin D is a hormone) and steroid hormones like testosterone or estrogen.

In post-menopausal women who drank boron-rich water, the levels of osteocalcin—a protein that promotes bone mineralization—were noticeably higher compared to those who didn't. ⁽⁷⁾

In both men and women, boron supplementation also appears to increase the levels of free testosterone and/or 17-β estradiol - a type of estrogen. ⁽⁸⁾

These sex hormones work synergistically to maintain strong bones - with testosterone supporting bone formation and 17-β estradiol preventing bone breakdown.

Similarly, vitamin D, thanks to its relationship with calcium, is essential for bone strength and density.

And there’s research to show that boron supplementation can increase its levels up to 20% in those falling short. ⁽⁹⁾

But does any of this translate to any tangible bone benefits?

The science highlighting the direct effect of boron on the bones is still in the early stages.

What’s been shown so far, is that healthy women over 40 taking boron on top of the typical bone-supporting nutrients, experienced the biggest increase in bone density. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Compared to non-boron groups supplementing with nutrients like vitamin D3, K2, calcium, magnesium and strontium.

And while promising, we need future studies focusing solely on boron to better understand its effects without other nutrients in the mix.

How Much Boron Do You Need?

There is no firm recommendation on how much boron we need. The World Health Organization suggests that adults can safely consume between 1 to 13 milligrams of boron per day. ⁽¹¹⁾

However, most adults typically consume between 1 to 3 milligrams of boron daily. ⁽¹²⁾

This is also the ‘tried and tested’ intake shown to be beneficial for joint & bone health.

Food Sources Of Boron

The boron concentration in foods can vary. It heavily depends on the boron content of the soil where the plants are grown or where the animals graze ⁽¹³⁾

That said, some foods generally contain higher levels of boron. These include:

Fruits: apples, pears, grapes & raisins, avocados, bananas, pears, peaches

Vegetables: potatoes, celery

Nuts and seeds: almonds, peanuts, brazil nuts, cashew nuts

Legumes: beans, lentils, chickpeas

Dairy: Milk, cheese, yoghurt

Drinks: Coffee, wine, prune juice ^{(14, 15)}

In areas where the groundwater is rich in boron, drinking water can also add to your daily intake.

Conclusion

Boron is far from boring.

A statement that didn’t quite click that time we had to memorize the periodic table.

The truth is, the potential health effects of boron make it rather fascinating… at least for those prioritizing their bone and joint health.

This is particularly relevant for those in their 40s and upwards, for whom maintaining strong bones and flexible joints becomes increasingly important.

One to three milligrams of boron per day seems to be an optimal research-backed dose.

While you may not know the specific boron concentrations in the soil where your food is grown, you can still opt for foods that are typically known to be rich sources.

And for additional nutritional support, with no guesswork, you can consider a high-quality supplement featuring boron.

Such as NutriGenesis Multi which provides 1mg of food-indentical boron in every serving.