Boron: The Mineral That Supports Your Testosterone Levels

If you're the kind of person who paid no attention in chemistry class and completely avoided the elements in the periodic table, chances are you might have never heard of boron or its significance as a mineral for human health. But in reality, boron is nothing to be ignored when it comes to increasing testosterone levels. There are actually scientific studies that prove this claim.

Even though boron is not vital for human survival, it can still deliver some remarkable benefits for the human body, especially in the case of testosterone. In addition, boron is rare and is hardly ever comes through daily food sources.

Benefits of Boron Supplementation

The study aptly titled 'Nothing Boring About Boron' published by Integrated Medicine starts by saying that the "trace mineral boron has diverse and vitally important roles in metabolism that makes it necessary for the plant, animal, and human health, and possibly for the evolution of life on Earth." According to the study, boron has the following benefits-

• It  is essential for the growth and maintenance of bone
• It can greatly improve wound healing
• It beneficially impacts the body’s use of estrogen, testosterone, and vitamin D
• It boosts magnesium absorption
• It reduces levels of inflammatory biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)
• It raises levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase
• It protects against pesticide-induced oxidative stress and heavy-metal toxicity
• It improves the brain's electrical activity, cognitive performance, and short-term memory for elders
• It influences the formation and activity of crucial biomolecules, such as S-adenosyl methionine (SAM-e) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)
• It has demonstrated preventive and therapeutic effects in a number of cancers, such as prostate, cervical, and lung cancers, and multiple and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• It may help improve the adverse effects of traditional chemotherapeutic agents

Boron and Testosterone

• The aforementioned study also shows boron's ability to regulate sex hormones such as testosterone. The study states that boron has androgen amplifier effects by controlling sex-hormone binding globule (SHBG). It is well known that approximately 98% of testosterone molecules are bound to proteins in the blood, principally to SHBG, and are not bioavailable because bound hormones cannot exit capillaries. The elevation of unbound free testosterone seen with boron supplementation may have significant beneficial ramifications, particularly in aging men in whom, typically, levels of SHBG increase and levels of free testosterone decrease.
• Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology published a clinical study in which the researchers gave eight of their male subjects about 10 mg of boron supplement, every morning for 7 consecutive days. The scientists analyzed their subjects' blood results from day 1 to day 7 after the completion of the week. The researchers found out that there was a significant decrease in SHBG after the boron supplementation and the mean plasma free testosterone increased while the mean plasma estradiol had decreased.

Natural Sources of Boron

Boron is really hard to come by through natural foods. For about 100 grams, there could be about a single digit milligram of boron in any food. The following are some foodstuffs that have significant boron content.

• Raisins- It is the highest natural food source of boron ever known. It has over 4 mg of boron for every 100 g. You might need more than a cup of raisins to impact your testosterone levels though.
• Apricots (dried) - It contains about 2.11 mg boron per 100 g. It also provides vitamins A, C and E. Dried apricots also boast possessing plenty of antioxidants.
• Avocado - About 2 mg of boron can be expected from 100 g of avocados. They are known to supply a range of health benefits. This includes inhibiting the growth of certain cancers, protecting against cataracts, lowering cholesterol and preventing heart disease and strokes. Avocadoes are also rich in magnesium.
• Prunes - Prunes contain boron of 1.88 mg per 100 g. It is also loaded with plenty of antioxidants.
• Brazil Nuts - About 1.7 mg of boron can be expected from 100 g of Brazil nuts. They are also high in calories and higher in nutrients. Brazil nuts provide magnesium, vitamins, and antioxidants.

DIFFERENT COMPOUNDS/AMINO ACID CHELATES OF BORON

Boron is available through different compounds. As mentioned before, as it comes very little through natural foods, we have to rely upon supplements that provide boron compounds or with amino acids. Fortunately, supplements of these compounds are readily available in the market.

Calcium Fructopyranose Borate (CFB)

The human body could also intake boron through the compound calcium fructopyranose borate or calcium fructoborate (CFB) or organic boron. Calcium fructopyranose borate is a compound of boron, fructose, and calcium and it is naturally found in plants, and particular kinds of fruits and vegetables. Calcium Fructoborate offers a lot to our health including boosting testosterone levels, improving blood lipids, reducing inflammation and oxidation, and many more.

You can try Fruite X-B by FutureCeuticals which is entirely composed of calcium fructoborate in the form of capsules. It isn't considered much of a testosterone booster but a supplement for joint pain relief.

Boron Citrate

Boron citrate is the most bioavailable form of boron and the most easily absorbed by the body. It is an amino acid chelate of boron with citrate which is a compound of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Boron citrate is part of the contents of some testosterone-boosting supplements out there in the market. One of which is MuscleTech Test HD which contains 100 mg of boron citrate in each serving with 5% boron.

Borax

Borax, also known as sodium borate or sodium tetraborate, is an important boron compound and a mineral. Commercially, borax is a component of many detergents, cosmetics, and enamel glazes. It is a matter of debate whether borax should be consumed or not.

There are claims that borax is beneficial in treating arthritis and other disorders. But this study published in the Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology came to a conclusion that borax had effects on immune cell proliferation (lymphocyte proliferation) and induced sister chromatid exchange in human chromosomes. Toxicity of borax may lead to cellular toxicity and genetic defect in human. Taking borax orally is too much of a risk to be relied upon for the supply of boron.

Boron Glycinate

Boron can also be taken as boron glycinate. Pure Encapsulations provide Boron (Glycinate) with 2 mg of boron with each serving.

Other Boron Supplements

Apart from the compounds mentioned above, supplements that provide boron from other compounds are also available in the market.

• Boron by NOW - This product delivers boron through the 3 mg of Calcium Borogluconate per capsule.
• ​Boron Complex by Nature's Way - One capsule of this supplement provides 3 mg of boron as boron amino acid complex.
• Triple Boron Complex by Swanson - It provides 3 mg of boron per capsule.

The recommended dose of boron

For general well-being and bone maintenance, doses of 3mg – 6mg per day are recommended. None of the studies conducted to date had boron’s beneficial effects appear at intakes of less than 3 mg per day.

Doses over 20 mg per day must be avoided as it can be potentially toxic. There is also some concern that doses over 20 mg per day might harm a man's reproductive abilities.

Side-effects of Boron supplementation

• Do not take boron supplements if you have kidney problems. The kidneys have to work hard to flush out boron.
• Too much consumption of boron can lead to goiter risk.
• Boron supplements in high doses can turn poisonous.

Conclusion

Backed up by scientific studies including human clinical trials, there is no doubt over the benefits of boron. It is proven to be a testosterone-booster. However, as it is rare to come by, you might have to depend on the supplements available in the market.

Keep in mind about the suggested dosage. Boron can become highly toxic if taken beyond the recommended level.