Boron

Boron, a chemical element represented by the chemical symbol B, is a metalloid found in food and the environment. Its exact role in the human body is unclear. As a micronutrient, boron may play a role in bone development and regeneration, wound healing, the production and metabolism of steroid sex hormones and vitamin D, and the absorption and use of calcium and magnesium. In addition, boron may have anti-inflammatory effects that might help alleviate arthritis or improve brain function.

Nutritional supplement
Some believe that boron supplements are best taken orally in recommended daily intake of 3 or 6mg with dinner five hours before bed. The supplement requires that insulin be activated for the greatest effectiveness. Boron works on the principle of ‘less is more.’

A supplementation régime could go as follows: you might start by taking 9mg for a couple of days and then find on subsequent days that the boron no longer has the same effectiveness. You would then LOWER your intake to say, 6mg. per dinner meal five hours before bed.

After a week or more at a lower intake, the body will begin to excrete excess boron.(you can tell by a change in odour) Lower to 3mg. per dinner meal five hours before bed. Once Boron is no longer effective at a low dose, then your supplementation would be complete.

A supplementation regime with boron can be repeated many times over, but not greatly increase the intake, as greatly increasing the intake will not have the intended effect.

Boron as a supplement is cheaply available off the shelf, and should not be supplemented along with other vitamins/minerals because the time is important to observe, and other supplements may be best taken at other times.

Other supplements may also interfere with the common benefit of taking boron, which would be better sleep.

A side effect of boron supplementation is better UV Ray absorption, meaning not burning as quickly in the sun.

A side effect of taking too much boron is an irritated gall bladder.

Boron may help those with chronic fatigue by improving sleep.

Side Effects
Any mineral that may be lacking that the body may require will help with restful sleep.

For example, supplementing with Magnesium will improve restfulness, that is, until there’s a metabolic change. With Magnesium, a sign of metabolic change would be the onset of loose stools. Loose stools will oblige the user to interrupt supplementation. Filling out the requirement for Magnesium is relatively straight forward, either through supplementation or using Epsom salts.

Another good example would be Iron supplementation. Lacking somewhat in Iron then supplementing will contribute to restful sleep. But then once the requirement is filled out, Iron supplements will contribute to serious constipation. This is a metabolic change which should be heeded, to discontinue supplementation. Iron overload carries health risks, and would be similar in effect to very mild heavy metal intake.

Boron and Iron compete for a relatively similar place in the metabolism. But Boron is very different in its metabolic function. The body can also substitute Boron with Iron, thus leading to Iron overload. Boron does not have a simple metabolic change where the user might discern a metabolic change, except that it simply becomes less effective. This should be heeded.

The impulse once Boron becomes less effective would be to double and triple intake in order to reproduce the same initial surprising effects. Overloading with Boron carries very serious health risks and should be avoided. While an irritated gall bladder may seem a minor inconvenience, major health problems that come with damaging the liver or worse can easily be avoided by allowing Boron to work as an effective supplement.

Once a course of Boron has been tried, allow for a few weeks time to try again. Boron may be best taken as a single occasion supplement for that one night a week restful sleep is really desired.

Learn more

 * The Physiological Effects of Dietary Boron
 * Nothing boring about boron