Boron supplementation has excellent safety and, as we shall see, there is significant evidence it alleviates both major types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis is defined as painful inflammation and stiffness of the joints, and is very common:
Age-adjusted prevalence of arthritis was 24.7% (OA [osteoarthritis ] = 9.7%; RA [rheumatoid arthritis ] = 4.2%; other arthritis = 2.8%; “don’t know” type = 8.0%).
Osteoarthritis:
[Osteoarthritis] occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones wears down over time. Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine.
Rheumatoid arthritis:
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes joint inflammation and pain. It happens when the immune system doesn’t work properly and attacks the lining of the joints (called the synovium). The disease commonly affects the hands, knees or ankles, and usually the same joint on both sides of the body
The evidence:
The first study of boron to treat arthritis was a small double-blind trial by Travers et al in 1990 for osteoarthritis. They treated 10 patients with 6 mg per day of boron and 10 patients with placebo for 8 weeks. Boron was in the form of sodium tetraborate, also known as Borax.
Of those starting the trial, 50% using boron improved as compared with 10% on placebo; or if we consider those who completed the trial, 71% improved while using boron. There were no side-eflects and these were sought. The indication is that boron (as sodium tetraborate decahydrate) are safe and beneficial in the treatment of osteoarthritis ...
Subsequently Newnham investigated the epidemiology of boron consumption and arthritis incidence:
Table 1. Epidemiological evidence associating boron intake to arthritis incidence
|
Country
|
Estimated intake of B
|
Approx arthritis incidence
|
|
[ mg/day]
|
[% arthritis]
|
Jamaica
|
<1
|
70
|
Mauritius
|
<1
|
50
|
Fiji (Indians)
|
1
|
40
|
Fiji (Natives)
|
3-5
|
10
|
United States
|
1-2
|
20
|
United Kingdom
|
1-2
|
20
|
Australia
|
1-2
|
20
|
Transkei (rural Xhosa)
|
2-5
|
3
|
Transkei (urban Xhosa)
|
1-2
|
20
|
Australia (Carnarvon)
|
6-10
|
1
|
Israel
|
>=10
|
.7
|
New Zealand (Ngawha)
|
>10
|
None
|
Note the marked reduction in arthritis when boron consumption exceeded 2 mg per day.
The next study of boron in arthritis was of calcium fructoborate (CFB) to improve knee discomfort. CFB is a boron containing molecule found in fruits and vegetables. Dosage was 110 mg of CFB twice daily. CFB is 2.8% boron by weight, so each dose was equivalent to about 3 mg of boron, or 6 mg boron daily. Sixty patients were evenly divided between treatment and placebo arms of the study. Treatment lasted for two weeks:
[L]evels of knee discomfort were evaluated by Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) scores at the beginning of the study and also at 7 and 14 days after treatment ... significant reductions of mean within-subject change in WOMAC and MPQ scores were observed for the CFB group compared to the placebo group at both 7 and 14 days after treatment. Estimated treatment differences for the MPQ score were -5.8 (P=0.0009) and -8.9 (P<0.0001) at Day 7 and 14, respectively. Estimated differences for the WOMAC score were -5.3 (P=0.06) and -13.73 (P<0.0001) at Day 7 and 14, respectively. Negative values indicate greater reductions in reported discomfort. On both Day 7 and Day 14, the trend was toward greater improvement in the CFB group. The placebo group did not exhibit any change in the WOMAC and MPQ scores.
Note that P values of <0.0001 after two weeks of treatment indicate highly statistically significant results.
The final study of boron in arthritis compared both sodium tetraborate and calcium fructoborate against placebo in rheumatoid arthritis patients who were also taking etanercept (Enbrel). Dosage of each of the boron containing compounds provided 6 mg of boron daily. Treatment lasted for 60 days.
At the end of the study, there was a significant decrease in TJC [tender joint count] of NTB [sodium tetraborate] and CFB [calcium fructoborate] groups (37.14% and 33.96%) compared to placebo (12.3%). Meanwhile, there was a significant decrease in swollen joint counts (SJC) of CFB (40.54%) and NTB (30.23%) groups compared to baseline and placebo group (10.64%). Both CFB and NTB groups showed significant decrease in visual analog scale (VAS) (33.33% and 23.18%) compared to baseline and placebo group (10.45%). Moreover, both CFB and NTB groups showed significant decrease (35.38% and 23.8%, respectively; P < 0.05) in EGA [Evaluator’s Global disease Activity] compared to baseline and the placebo group; however, they are not significantly differ when compared with each other.
In other words, each of the forms of boron supplementation was significantly better than placebo, but neither one was significantly better than the other.
These were all of the studies of the effect of boron supplementation upon arthritis symptoms that I was able to find. Each of them showed a clear improvement in arthritis symptoms as result of boron supplementation at 6 mg/day.
Digestion and absorption
Boron is present in foods and beverages as inorganic borates as well as mono- or di-sugar-borate esters, such as calcium fructoborate [14,15]. Most ingested boron is hydrolyzed to boric acid within the gastrointestinal tract [6]. The body absorbs about 85%–90% of ingested boron [2,4].
Boron content of foods
Data was taken from this study. Full paper behind paywall. The study surveyed a variety of foods grown in six different locations in Turkey. The concentration in parts per million, ppm, is the same as milligrams per kilogram. For the boron content in mg of a 100 gram serving, about four ounces, divide the concentration number by 10. Foods listed in decreasing order of concentration. Note there is substantial variability:
Foods |
Boron concentration, ppm |
|
Average |
max |
min |
Thyme |
10.4 |
17.9 |
6.1 |
Mint |
7.0 |
12.6 |
3.7 |
Red cabbage |
6.5 |
7.6 |
5.4 |
Broad-bean (fava bean) |
6.3 |
11.1 |
3.0 |
Quince |
5.4 |
13.6 |
1.8 |
Pomegranate |
5.3 |
7.7 |
2.9 |
Parsley |
4.4 |
4.9 |
3.8 |
Rocket (arugula) |
4.3 |
5.9 |
2.4 |
Orange |
4.1 |
7.1 |
2.0 |
Mallow |
3.6 |
5.4 |
1.1 |
Cherry |
3.6 |
6.2 |
1.2 |
Lemon |
3.5 |
6.4 |
1.9 |
Banana |
3.4 |
5.1 |
2.5 |
Grapefruit |
3.4 |
5.2 |
1.6 |
Green almond |
3.2 |
3.8 |
2.5 |
Spinach |
3.2 |
3.8 |
2.6 |
Mandarin |
3.0 |
5.0 |
2.0 |
Strawberry |
2.9 |
7.1 |
1.6 |
Cress |
2.8 |
3.7 |
1.9 |
Peach |
2.8 |
3.8 |
1.2 |
Eggplant |
2.7 |
6.3 |
1.1 |
Cabbage |
2.5 |
3.5 |
1.4 |
Apricot |
2.5 |
4.2 |
1.1 |
Chard |
2.4 |
3.8 |
1.4 |
Pear |
2.4 |
4.2 |
1.4 |
Garlic |
2.4 |
3.8 |
1.5 |
Potato |
2.3 |
3.1 |
1.0 |
Green pepper |
2.3 |
5.5 |
1.1 |
Watermelon |
2.2 |
5.1 |
0.6 |
Wheat |
2.2 |
2.9 |
1.4 |
Green peas |
2.2 |
2.7 |
1.6 |
Apple |
2.1 |
4.7 |
0.9 |
Red pepper |
2.1 |
5.7 |
0.8 |
Radish |
2.1 |
3.1 |
1.4 |
Bell pepper |
2.0 |
5.3 |
0.9 |
Cauliflower |
2.0 |
2.7 |
1.2 |
Orange juice |
1.8 |
3.5 |
0.9 |
Lettuce |
1.8 |
2.4 |
0.8 |
Onions, fresh |
1.8 |
2.8 |
0.9 |
Melon |
1.7 |
2.2 |
0.6 |
Onions |
1.7 |
2.2 |
1.2 |
Tomatoes |
1.6 |
2.7 |
1.0 |
Mandarin juice |
1.6 |
2.6 |
0.8 |
Grapefruit juice |
1.6 |
2.5 |
0.8 |
Beans |
1.5 |
2.5 |
1.1 |
Loquat |
1.5 |
2.8 |
0.4 |
Carrot |
1.4 |
1.8 |
1.0 |
Leek |
1.4 |
1.9 |
1.0 |
Rice |
1.3 |
2.0 |
0.5 |
Zucchini |
1.3 |
1.5 |
1.1 |
Lemon juice |
1.2 |
2.7 |
0.3 |
Cucumber |
1.2 |
2.0 |
0.4 |
Plum |
1.2 |
1.6 |
0.4 |
White radish |
1.0 |
1.6 |
0.4 |
Pumpkin |
0.8 |
1.5 |
0.4 |
Boron content of food, per US Surveys
This data was prepared from two surveys, without consideration of variability depending upon location grown.
Food |
Milligrams (mg) |
per serving |
Prune juice, 1 cup |
1.43 |
Avocado, raw, cubed, ½ cup |
1.07 |
Raisins, 1.5 ounces |
0.95 |
Peaches, 1 medium |
0.8 |
Grape juice, 1 cup |
0.76 |
Apples, 1 medium |
0.66 |
Pears, 1 medium |
0.5 |
Peanuts, roasted, salted, 1 ounce |
0.48 |
Beans, refried, ½ cup |
0.48 |
Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons |
0.46 |
Apple juice, 1 cup |
0.45 |
Chili con carne, with beans, 1 cup |
0.41 |
Grapes, ½ cup |
0.37 |
Oranges, 1 medium |
0.37 |
Lima beans, dry, cooked, ½ cup |
0.35 |
Applesauce, ½ cup |
0.34 |
Fruit cocktail, canned, in heavy syrup, ½ cup |
0.26 |
Broccoli, boiled, chopped, ½ cup |
0.2 |
Orange juice, 1 cup |
0.18 |
Spinach, boiled, ½ cup |
0.16 |
Banana, medium |
0.16 |
Spaghetti sauce, ½ cup |
0.16 |
Cantaloupe, cubed, ½ cup |
0.14 |
Carrots, raw, 1 medium |
0.14 |
Peas, green, cooked, ½ cup |
0.1 |
Potato chips, 1 ounce, about 22 chips |
0.09 |
French fries, from frozen, deep fried, 10 fries |
0.08 |
Coffee, 1 cup |
0.07 |
Lettuce, chopped, loosely packed, 1 cup |
0.06 |
Tomatoes, raw, chopped, ½ cup |
0.06 |
Tuna, canned, water packed, 3 ounces |
0.05 |
Milk, whole, 1 cup |
0.04 |
Corn, cooked, ½ cup |
0.04 |
Rice, white, cooked, ½ cup |
0.03 |
Chicken breast, broiled, ½ breast |
0.03 |
Tea, brewed, 1 cup |
0.02 |
Onions, raw, chopped, 1 tablespoon |
0.02 |
Ice cream, ½ cup |
0.02 |
Bread, white, 1 slice
|
0.01
|
Supplementation
Based on the foregoing food data it is very unlikely to get 6 mg of boron, daily, from food. So supplementation will be needed for anyone who wants that amount of boron. The studies cited above have validated two forms of boron supplementation - calcium fructoborate and sodium tetraborate.
I was only able to find one supplier of calcium fructoborate, at Amazon here. As far as I can tell sodium tetraborate is only supplied as Borax and labeled as a laundry booster. I do not recommend this route because the vendor is not responsible for suitability for consumption. For completeness, here is the writing of a person who is taking this. Note that he takes a very high dose.
Boron supplements are commonly provided as various combinations of the glycinate, citrate, and aspartate salts. I was not able to any information on the absorption or solubility of these forms. Here is a list of such boron supplements.
Safety
Table 2: Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for boron
Age |
Male |
Female |
Pregnancy |
Lactation |
Birth to 6 months |
None established* |
None established* |
|
|
7–12 months |
None established* |
None established* |
|
|
1–3 years |
3 mg |
3 mg |
|
|
4–8 years |
6 mg |
6 mg |
|
|
9–13 years |
11 mg |
11 mg |
|
|
14–18 years |
17 mg |
17 mg |
17 mg |
17 mg |
19+ years |
20 mg |
20 mg |
20 mg |
20 mg
|
* Breast milk, formula, and food should be the only sources of boron for infants.
Toxicity:
The minimal lethal dose of ingested boron (as boric acid) was reported to be 2–3 g in infants, 5–6 g in children, and 15–20 g in adults. However, a review of 784 human poisonings with boric acid (10–88 g) reported no fatalities, with 88% of cases being asymptomatic. Liver, kidney, central nervous system, and gastrointestinal effects and skin lesions have been found in lethal cases following ingestion of boron, but death has been attributed to respiratory failure. Surveys of Turkish and Chinese populations with elevated levels of borate salts in drinking water (9–25 mg boron/L) found no associations for chronic-duration exposure with reproductive effects.
…
No epidemiology studies have identified an association between boron exposure and development of cancer. However, some investigators have suggested that boron exposure in drinking water may be associated with lower incidences of some types of cancer in humans. Intermediate-duration oral exposure of boric acid to mice that had been implanted with prostate tumor cells resulted in significantly reduced tumor growth and reduced tumor serum antigen levels. Chronic-duration oral studies in rats, mice, and dogs involving dietary exposure to boric acid or borax have not found significant increases in neoplastic lesions. In vitro genotoxicity assays have given predominantly negative results.
Borax safety:
Borax, sodium tetraborate decahydrate, according to one study, is not acutely toxic. Its LD50 (median lethal dose) score is tested at 2.66 g/kg in rats, meaning that a significant dose of the chemical is needed to cause severe symptoms or death. The lethal dose is not necessarily the same for humans. On pesticide information websites it is listed as a non-lethal compound and of no hazardous concerns.
Borax has been in use as an insecticide in the United States with various restrictions since 1946. All restrictions were removed in February 1986 due to the low toxicity of borax, as reported in two EPA documents relating to boric acid and borax.[48][49]
EPA has determined that, because they are of low toxicity and occur naturally, boric acid and its sodium salts should be exempted from the requirement of a tolerance (maximum residue limit) for all raw agricultural commodities.[48]
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