[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/boron-for-bone-health\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/boron-for-bone-health\/","headline":"Boron: a little goes a long way toward healthy bones","name":"Boron: a little goes a long way toward healthy bones","description":"Print PDF eBook Facebook Twitter Gmail LinkedIn Pinterest When you read about nutrients for bone health, the \u201cusual suspects\u201d are calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and maybe one or two other heavy hitters. But as I\u2019ve often said, there are 20 key nutrients for bone health, and just because some of them are needed only in […]","datePublished":"2019-09-01","dateModified":"2026-04-22","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/author\/brownbetterbonesgmail-com\/#Person","name":"Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/author\/brownbetterbonesgmail-com\/","identifier":72,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e08d87bd45250c6616e1752933a6576aba077f335d97ee337a0cde5e435cbd3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8e08d87bd45250c6616e1752933a6576aba077f335d97ee337a0cde5e435cbd3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Center for Better Bones","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Better-Bones-AMP.png","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Better-Bones-AMP.png","width":150,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/are-you-getting-enough-boron-for-bone-health.png","url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/are-you-getting-enough-boron-for-bone-health.png","height":512,"width":1024},"url":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/boron-for-bone-health\/","about":["Bone Nutrition"],"wordCount":909,"articleBody":" Print PDF eBook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFacebook\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTwitter\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGmail\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLinkedIn\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPinterest\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhen you read about nutrients for bone health, the \u201cusual suspects\u201d are calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and maybe one or two other heavy hitters. But as I\u2019ve often said, there are 20 key nutrients for bone health, and just because some of them are needed only in tiny amounts doesn\u2019t make them any less important.\u00a0Take boron, one of those often overlooked micronutrients that are so important for optimal bone health.Table of ContentsToggle     4 Minutes ReadA “booster” for key bone nutrientsThe do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of dietary boronA “booster” for key bone nutrientsIf you\u2019ve never heard of boron\u2019s bone health benefits, you\u2019re not alone \u2014 yet science has known for decades that boron has a major impact on how we use some of those key bone macronutrients. It acts as a \u201cbooster\u201d for several of the most important bone-builders.Calcium and magnesium, for example, are powerfully affected by the presence or absence of boron. With too little boron, calcium excretion increases and magnesium uptake decreases \u2014 very bad for bones. Ensure adequate levels of boron, though, and these problems rapidly reverse.In one trial, supplementing with 3 mg\/day of boron\u00a0reduced calcium loss by 44% in women with adequate magnesium — in less than one month! In women with low magnesium, calcium loss was reduced by half as much \u2014 but it would\u2019ve been interesting to see how that changed over a longer time frame than the 28 days of the study.So, what about that other critical bone-building nutrient, vitamin D? If you guessed that boron also helps maintain vitamin D levels, you guessed right! Boron helps the body make more effective use of vitamin D by acting as a stabilizer for this otherwise ephemeral nutrient. The same dose used in the studies on calcium and magnesium produced a 39% increase in vitamin D within about 2 months in boron deficient individuals.I could go on \u2014 at length! \u2014 about all the benefits boron offers for not only bones, but also hormone balance, brain health, and anti-inflammatory activity. But you get the idea: Boron is something we need. And if you\u2019re also thinking it\u2019s something the average American diet doesn\u2019t offer enough of, well, you\u2019re right on that score, too. The all too common low consumption of fruits and veggies results in low boron intakes of around 1mg per day in the U.S. \u00a0Notwithstanding, many studies on human health show the benefits of boron are seen with a dose greater or equal to 3 mg\/day.The do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of dietary boronLike so many other key nutrients, the key to getting enough boron in your diet is to eat a variety of fresh, whole fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Avocados, apricots, cashews, almonds, dates, peanuts, prunes, raisins, lentils, and hazelnuts are some examples of boron-rich foods and are among the best sources of dietary boron out there.For those of us who struggle with conditions that limit their access to boron-rich foods \u2014 a nut allergy, for instance \u2014 supplementing with 3 mg\/day of boron has been shown to be both safe and effective.If there\u2019s one \u201cdefinitely don\u2019t,\u201d it\u2019s this: Don\u2019t turn to boric acid or borax for dietary supplementation. I\u2019ve seen some sketchy health advice online, and it\u2019s important for people to know: Not all boron is created equal.In foods, boron is found as borates (various combinations of boron with oxygen), which are generally inert and harmless, but some online outlets have advocated using the forms found in pesticides and cleaning products \u2014 boric acid (H3BO3) and sodium borate salts such as sodium tetraborate (borax). Both boric acid and borax are caustic chemicals. Exposure can irritate the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes of the nose and mouth \u2014 but consuming them can harm or kill you. Both are illegal to use as an additive in foods for this reason, and there are reports in the medical literature of serious poisonings caused by consuming as little as 21 grams of boric acid (the less toxic of the two).Online claims about the \u201chealth benefits of borax\u201d are based on a poor understanding of ongoing research into whether these boron-containing molecules could be used to kill cancer cells or pathogenic microbes \u2014 but this does not mean these substances are safe to eat. So boost your bones with an extra helping of guacamole or peanut butter \u2014 and leave the borax in the laundry room![av_toggle_container initial=’0′ mode=’accordion’ sort=” styling=” colors=” font_color=” background_color=” border_color=” av_uid=’av-1186mnkjl’ custom_class=”][av_toggle title=’References’ tags=” av_uid=’av-g19or3k1′]Nielsen FH, Hunt CD, Mullen LM, Hunt JR. Effect of dietary boron on mineral, estrogen, and testosterone metabolism in postmenopausal women. FASEB J. 1987;1(5):394-397.Pizzorno L. Nothing Boring About Boron. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2015 Aug;14(4):35-48.Price CT,* Langford JR, Liporace FA. essential nutrients for bone health and a review of their availability in the average North American Diet. Open Orthop J. 2012; 6: 143\u2013149.Rainey CJ , et al., . Daily boron intake from the American diet.J Am Diet Assoc. 1999 Mar;99(3):335-40.Zofkova I, Davis M, Blahos J. Trace elements have beneficial, as well as detrimental effects on bone homeostasis. Physiol Res. 2017 Jul 18;66(3):391-402. Epub 2017 Feb 28.[\/av_toggle][\/av_toggle_container]  Compare all the options in our comprehensive resource on which supplements actually help bone density."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Bone Nutrition","item":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Boron: a little goes a long way toward healthy bones","item":"https:\/\/betterbones.com\/bone-nutrition\/boron-for-bone-health\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]