You may not have heard of boron, but this essential element is increasingly being recognized for its many health benefits, including bone health.
Although the exact method by which boron promotes bone health is uncertain, it stabilizes and lengthens the half-lives of estrogen and vitamin D.

In the US, over 50% of the population gets less than 1 mg of boron daily.
For post-menopausal women, supplementing with 3 mg of boron daily has been shown to increase the kidneys’ ability to retain calcium and magnesium.
Pigs fed a diet enriched with boron also showed increased bone strength.

A study of postmenopausal women found that those who consumed more dietary boron had better cardiovascular health. These findings suggest that increasing your intake of boron may be beneficial for your health.

Dietary Sources of Boron

Boron is found in many fruits and vegetables, including prunes, apples, pears, grapes, peaches, carrots, celery, and cabbage. You can also find it in nuts and legumes such as almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, lentils, and beans. If you are looking for a supplemental source of boron, consider taking a multivitamin that contains this essential element.

Prunes are one of the richest sources of boron with approximately 3-4 mg of boron for every three-ounce serving of prunes.

A study of post-menopausal women found that those who ate prunes every day had better calcium absorption and retention than those who did not eat prunes.

This is likely due to the high levels of polyphenols and phenolic acids in prunes, which have been shown to reduce inflammation and improve bone metabolism.

Health Benefits of Boron

As mentioned earlier, boron has several potential health benefits. In addition to its role in bone health, boron has also been linked to cardiovascular health. Boron appears to help reduce inflammation and improve cholesterol levels.
Some studies have even suggested that boron may improve cognitive function and protect against dementia.
However, more research is needed in this area to confirm these findings.

Conclusion

If deficient in boron, you may be at risk for several health problems.
Fortunately, increasing your intake of this essential element is easy to do by adding foods rich in boron to your diet or taking a multivitamin containing this nutrient.
Doing so could help improve your bone health and protect against conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia.

If you are not currently getting enough boron in your diet, you can also talk to your doctor about taking a supplement. Increasing your intake of boron can help improve your bone health and reduce your risk of osteoporosis.

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