Boron is a mineral that can be found in our environment and our food and it is useful for strengthening the bones, building muscle mass, brain strength and higher testosterone levels. Sometimes, Boron comes in the form of Boric acid which is used exclusively by women to treat vaginal yeast infections. Boric acid is also used to prevent skin infections. Boron itself can be taken as a supplement or a medicine. It is also used by women in post-menopause to increase the level of estrogen. Boron is also known as Acide Borique, Borate de Sodium, B (chemical symbol), Atomic number 5 etc.
Sources of Boron
Boron can be found in foods such as: green leafy vegetables, grape juice, nuts, dried fruits, beans and peas. The primary Boron can be found in nature, originating from the mineral rasorite (also known as kernite). It can also be found commercially produced with a purity of 99.9%.
Benefits of Boron
Boron is a mineral known for its widespread use and health benefits both in its basic form and in the form of Boric Acid. For instance, Boron is used to strengthen the bones and it may prevent or treat arthritis in elderly people. It helps boost estrogen production in women in menopause (or post-menopause) as well as preventing symptoms such as hot flashes, excessive sweating, osteoporosis etc. It can also increase the sex drive. It helps with congestive heart failure, and regulates and lowers the bad cholesterol level in the human body. It is known for its ability to sharpen the mind and boost cognitive processes such as eye-hand coordination, motor skills, logical thinking, visual perceptions, focus etc. Boric acid is used against vaginal yeast infections such as Candida.
Symptoms of Boron Deficiency
If human body lacks Boron, this can be manifested by decreased sex drive and hormone imbalance, damages in embryo development, ovaries, sperm count, reproductive functions etc, decreased brain activity, poor motor skills and hand-eye coordination etc.
Boron is one of the minerals for which there is no a Recommended Daily Allowance due to its biological presence in humans. Of course, when a deficiency occurs, people should eat foods rich in Boron as previously mentioned. The amount consumed depends on the daily food eaten. However, there is an upper limit for Boron consumption and anything above that limit might cause harmful side effects. For adults and pregnant women (or new moms) the dose is 20 mg per day. For youth 14-18 years of age it is 17 mg per day and for children 9-13 years of age, 11 mg per day. For children 4-8 it’s 6 mg per day; for children 1- 3 years old, it’s 3 mg per day. Note that these dosages are the tolerable upper intake level.
In order to treat yeast infections, the recommended dose is 600 mg of Boric acid once or twice a day and for prevention of Candida, 600 mg twice a week.