Boron improves magnesium absorption and may help vitamin D non-responders – Aug 2015

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Nothing Boring About Boron

Integr Med (Encinitas). 2015 Aug; 14(4): 35–48. PMCID: PMC4712861
Lara Pizzorno, MDiv, MA, LMT laraup at salugenecists.com
 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki

The trace mineral boron is a micronutrient with diverse and vitally important roles in metabolism that render it necessary for plant, animal, and human health, and as recent research suggests, possibly for the evolution of life on Earth. As the current article shows, boron has been proven to be an important trace mineral because it

• (1) is essential for the growth and maintenance of bone;
• (2) greatly improves wound healing;
• (3) beneficially impacts the body’s use of estrogen, testosterone, and vitamin D;
• (4) boosts magnesium absorption;
• (5) reduces levels of inflammatory biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a);
• (6) raises levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase;
• (7) protects against pesticide-induced oxidative stress and heavy-metal toxicity;
• (8) improves the brains electrical activity, cognitive performance, and short-term memory for elders;
• (9) influences the formation and activity of key biomolecules, such as S-adenosyl methionine (SAM-e) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+);
• (10) 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; and
• (11) may help ameliorate the adverse effects of traditional chemotherapeutic agents.

In none of the numerous studies conducted to date, however, do boron’s beneficial effects appear at intakes < 3 mg/d. No estimated average requirements (EARs) or dietary reference intakes (DRIs) have been set for boron—only an upper intake level (UL) of 20 mg/d for individuals aged = 18 y.
The absence of studies showing harm in conjunction with the substantial number of articles showing benefits support the consideration of boron supplementation of 3 mg/d for any individual who is

• consuming a diet lacking in fruits and vegetables or
• who is at risk for or has
  • osteopenia;
  • osteoporosis;
  • osteoarthritis (OA); or
  • breast,
  • prostate, or
  • lung cancer.

"Unfortunately, the traditional numbers are thought to be inaccurate, with an estimation of their being up to 3 to 4 times higher than the values found using chemical analysis in above table

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From the webpage of the company she works for

SaluGenecists creates innovative, smart tools that assist individuals, practitioners, employers, and insurance companies to fundamentally change healthcare and break the vicious cycle of declining health and spiraling healthcare costs. Our tools provide personalized guidance to help target and reverse each individual's specific underlying causes of ill health and effectively promote wellness.

The Salugenecists team is composed of dedicated healthcare leaders who are passionate about delivering evidence-based health guidance to help increase the daily function and quality of life of people throughout the world. Led by Dr. Joseph E. Pizzorno, ND, a pioneer of integrative medicine in the United States, Salugenecists features a myriad of professionals - physicians, nutritionists, pharmacists, technology experts, researchers, educators, writers, and marketing specialists - whose unique skills and backgrounds enable us to offer our clients tools and services to position themselves at the cutting edge of healthcare promotion.

Dr. Joseph E. Pizzorno, Jr., ND, Founder and President
Dr. Joseph E. Pizzorno, Jr., ND, appointed by President Clinton in December 2000 to the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy, and by President Bush's administration to the Medicare Coverage Advisory Committee in February 2003, is one of the world's leading authorities on science-based natural medicine. A physician, educator, researcher and expert spokesperson, Dr. Pizzorno is founding president of Bastyr University. In 1996, he was appointed to the Seattle/King County Board of Health and the founding board of directors of the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia. In 2002, he became the founding editor of Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal. He has been licensed as a naturopathic physician in Washington State since 1975. Dr. Pizzorno has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors. In May, 2003, the American Holistic Medical Association recognized him as a "Pioneer in Holistic Medicine." In May 2004, the Institute for Functional Medicine honored him with the Linus Pauling Award.
(Note: He is cofounder of Bastyr University, the first accredited multidisciplinary university of natural medicine in the US)

Lara Pizzorno, MA(Div), MA(Lit), LMT, Senior Medical Editor
Lara Pizzorno has an M.A. (Divinity) from Yale University, an M.A. (Literature) from the University of Washington, and also holds an LMT (Licensed massage therapist). A member of the American Medical Writers Association with 25+ years experience writing and editing articles, books and website content for physicians and the public, Lara is a highly polished medical writer and editor. Among other works, she is a contributing author to Total Wellness (1996), the Textbook of Natural Medicine (1999), co-author of Natural Medicine Instructions for Patients (2002), and The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods (Scribner's 2004).

• She wrote Your Bones: How You Can Prevent Osteoporosis and Have Strong Bones for Life-Naturally Amazon March 2013
  • See in VitaminDWiki Prevent Osteoporosis and Have Strong Bones - book 2013
  • Incudes information on calcium, strontium, vitamin K2, and zinc, but did not mention Boron
• She also wrote Iodine: the Next Vitamin D? Part I 2012?

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364 citations of this study as of June 2024

Google Scholar

• Boron in cancer therapeutics: An overview - Nov 2023 PDF behind paywall https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2023.108548
• Organoboronic acids/esters as effective drug and prodrug candidates in cancer treatments: challenge and hope June 2023 https://doi.org/10.1080/14756366.2023.2220084 FREE PDF
  • "Five boronic acid drugs have been approved by the FDA and Health Canada, two of which are used to treat cancer, specifically multiple myeloma. "
• Boron enhances adaptive responses and biological performance via hormetic mechanisms - May 2023 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2023.110432
• Boron-Containing Compounds for Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Human Metabolic Disorders - June 2022 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-022-03346-9 Can be viewed in DeepDyve
• 
• The Physiological Role of Boron on Health - March 2018 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-018-1284-3  PDF from Sci-Hub
• Nutritional intake and bone health - Sept 2021 https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(21)00119-4
• Pivotal role of boron supplementation on bone health: A narrative review - Dec 2020 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtemb.2020.126577 FREE PDF
• Plasma boron concentrations in the general population: a cross-sectional analysis of cardio-metabolic and dietary correlates - Nov 2021 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-021-02730-w FREE PDF
• Nutrition and osteoporosis prevention for the orthopaedic surgeon - A wholefoods approach - 2017. https://doi.org/10.1302/2058-5241.2.160079 FREE PDF

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“Nothing Boring about Boron” – a review March 2016 Dr. Alan Russell (boronorphanagents)

Very few papers have thrilled me as much as this article, “Nothing boring about Boron” which was published in 2015. For the last 4 years I have been using Boron myself in a practice focused on pain mainly due to Arthritis, scarring, collagen thickening etc. The subject has been totally and positively ignored by the medical societies and lay publications, for reasons that I can only assume are due to the fact that it is not patentable or profitable. I hate to even think of the idea of the Borax Conspiracy by Dr. Last however over the last few years I have tried to stimulate enthusiasm, support, double-blind studies etc. with a total blockade.

In passing it is important to note that Boron is not alone, the N.I.H. carried out a large study of 77,000 people and found that Glucosamine increases longevity, reduces cancer, and many other maladies. Did this hit the headlines? No! for the same reasons- no patent and no profit.

I became attracted to the literature on the use of Boron after reading the work of Dr. Rex Newnham based on the work from 1965 in Australia. A well-known story of how he observed this as a plant, he evaluated it positively, informed the government who informed Big Pharma, and 2 days later it was declared a poison! He was extruded from Australia. Since the work of Newnham, a number of small double-blind studies have proven the effectiveness of Boron in a range of illnesses from atopic eczema, arthritis, memory improvement, and a possible reduction in certain cancers.

There have been no reports of side-effects if taken within the recommended dose and this is a normal part of dietary intake, being found in a vast array of foods and water supplies.

I have tried many angles to get support or interest in this subject, ranging from Arthritis societies that showed no interest or it was below their radar screen, to companies who have to answer to shareholders and would not fund studies. What is disheartening is the fact that paramedical papers, lay journals have totally ignored this. I can see it from their point of view that if one or even more of the positive actions described in “Nothing boring about Boron” was true, it could cause significant financial hardship to drug companies. I have also tried to play the angle to Ministers of Health of the potential savings, the cost of a large double-blind study most likely equals less than a hundred joint replacements.

The paper deserves close reading as it puts together the majority of actions of Boron that have been described, particularly the effect it has on inflammatory biomarkers. These changes in inflammatory biomarkers firstly mean that this a specific mineral acting as an anti-inflammatory, it explains it’s positive effect working with the body rather than many modern drugs which seem to work in a non-physiological way.

The spectrum of action of Boron which is an essential micronutrient may open even further indications as this may be a universal non-toxic natural agent that acts as an active agent in many “wear and tear” disorders, chronic inflammatory disorders for which at present the treatments are not without significant side effects and in some cases expensive. Boron is very inexpensive.

One is always fearful of side effects in agents that have not been tested by large studies however as mentioned in the paper, Boron is found naturally in fruit and water. In actual fact areas with high Boron have positive actions on health.

This is a must read paper and perhaps I hope it will act as the chink in the blockade to overcome the conspiracy of silence.

Other by Dr. Russell
Boron could kill your practice on Linkedin
Vitamin D and Boron on VitaminDWiki

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Notes from PDF

• 39% increase in vitamin D levels when going from low Boron diet to boron replete diet
  • 3 mg of Boron/day for 49 days
• Speculation that Boron helps vitamin D non-responders is on page 38
• "Boron significantly improves magnesium absorption and deposition in bone" pg 38
• Osteo Arthritis incidence (page 39)
  • 0% - 10% if Boron intake 3-10 mg
  • 20% to 70% if Boron intake < 1 mg
• To benefit from Boron need > 3 mg/day
• Boron Increases Half-life . . . of Vitamin D"
  perhaps by suppressing the activity of 24-hydroxylase

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Observation and action by Henry Lahore @ VitaminDWiki

For the past 5 years I have wondered about the benefits of Boron
I have been taking 3 mg Boron daily (along with Silicon and Magnesium) to have healthy teeth and bones.
This article indicates that Boron has synergistic benefits with both vitamin D and Magnesium
    Provided that more than 3 milligrams of Boron are taken daily
    Hmmm! Most companies and govts now recommend only 3 mg of Boron, but more is needed
      Many still recommend just 400 IU of vitamin D but 10X more is typically neded

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See also VitaminDWiki

• Vitamin D and Boron category listing has 36 items along with related searches
• Importance of Boron in the diet – June 2012
• Healthy bones need: Calcium, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Silicon, Vitamin K, and Boron – 2012
• Boron increases vitamin D in the blood
• Vitamin D is a team player – needs Ca, Mg, K2 - Pizzorno Sept 2022 same author
• Bariatric Surgery: Bad to the Bone, Part 1 -Pizzorno - 2016 PDF

See also web

• RDA of Boron Jan 2015, text and video by Pizzorno

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VitaminDWiki – Vitamin D and Boron contains:

There are 30 Boron studies on this page and 36 additional Boron pages in VitaminDWiki

Boron by itself improves health in many ways if take at least 3 mg daily
Boron increases vitamin D in the blood in 10 of 11 people in a small pilot study
Boron improves magnesium absorption and may help vitamin D non-responders – Aug 2015
Boron also increases the Vitamin D which gets to the tissues
Vitamin D Cofactors in a nutshell
Overview Magnesium and vitamin D
Nothing Boring about Boron

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20 recently changed items in (Vitamin D and Boron category

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