Nothing Boring About Boron

Posted by Kate W on Wednesday, August 15th, 2012

Image source: Caringmedical.com

I have always been clumsy. It seems to run in the family. My sister managed to sprain her ankle on the first day of a two-week trip to Alaska that had been intended to be full of nature hikes. My dad, on the day before our annual family vacation to Montserrat, managed to pierce all the way through his ear with a rusty shish kebab skewer while looking for something in the garage. I once tore three ligaments in my ankle and nearly dislocated it completely just by taking out the recycling. And just last week, my Grandma tripped and fell and managed to break a rib. So it’s no wonder that I am constantly looking for supplements to improve my bone health.

I knew that vitamin D, calcium, and magnesium were all integral in building bone strength. But I was surprised to find a supplement that included those three nutrients plus boron. I had never heard of boron being used to build bone strength. But it turns out people often use this trace mineral in conjunction with other bone-strengthening agents to improve health conditions including arthritis and osteoporosis. It helps in bone building by essentially improving the metabolism of minerals that are important in bone development, including calcium, magnesium and copper.

Image source: Images-of-elements.com

Boron also helps elevate levels of serum estrogen and ionized calcium, which tend to be low in women who develop osteoporosis. Plus, it lessens the effect of vitamin D deficiencies which is great for me, as I still struggle with low vitamin D despite taking a daily supplement.

Image source: Nutritionfor.us

You really don’t need much boron to experience its benefits. It can be found naturally in many food sources, including apples, oranges, red grapes, pears, plums, currants, almonds, and hazelnuts. So you can whip yourself up some trail mix to snack on throughout the day, and you will build bone health while enjoying a tasty treat. Or, when five o’clock rolls around, you can crack open a frosty beer; boron is actually prevalent in beer, so your cocktail hour will be good for your health if you enjoy it in moderation. But as always, if you don’t know if your diet contains a sufficient amount of any vitamin or mineral, you can take a supplement like NutraCal to fill in any missing gaps.

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