Boron

Requirements:

• RDA:
  
  Not yet considered essential
• Daily Optimal Intake:
  
  2 - 6 mg.

Supplement Forms:

• May be in combination with calcium and magnesium
• Sodium tetraborate decahydrate

Food Sources:

• Green leafy vegetables, e.g., cabbage, beet green, broccoli
• Legumes
• Non-citrus fruits, e.g., apples, peaches, cherries, grapes, pears
• Nuts

Signs and Symptoms of Deficiency:

• Due to limited data, boron deficiency is unknown

Causes of Deficiency:

• Due to limited data, causes of boron deficiency are unknown

Adverse Reactions and Toxicity:

• No reported toxicity

Drug/Nutrient Interaction:

• Due to limited data, boron drug/nutrient interaction is unknown

Biochemical Functions:

• May be required for hydroxylation reactions in production of some steroid hormones
• Prevention of bone loss and demineralization

Clinical Indications:

• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis

Copyright 1998 - 2008 by L. Vicky Crouse, ND and James S. Reiley, ND. All rights reserved (ISSN 1527-0661).