Boron

Boric Acid · Sodium Borate · Boron Citrate · Calcium Fructoborate

Snapshot

Indications	Contraindications
Bone health¹ Osteoarthritis symptoms² Cognitive performance³ Blood lipid profile^4–7 Body weight⁸	Infants under 12 months² Hormone-sensitive conditions⁹ Hormone replacement therapy⁹ Gallbladder disease⁹

Boron is a trace element in plant foods and supplements that is not classified as essential for humans². It appears to participate in calcium metabolism and steroid hormone function². Supplementation is used for bone health, osteoarthritis symptoms², and cognitive performance. A narrative review proposed it for people whose diets lack fruits and vegetables¹⁰.

A narrative review linked boron to bone support through calcium, vitamin D, and sex steroid metabolism; an athlete trial found no direct change in bone density². Osteoarthritis data come from small, short trials that the National Institutes of Health fact sheet says need controlled confirmation². In a 2026 randomized trial of healthy adults, a blend of calcium fructoborate, turmeric, and pomegranate improved perceived sleep quality after muscle-damaging exercise; boron alone was not tested¹¹. Products listing boron use sodium borate, boron citrate, calcium fructoborate, and other forms with no data on relative bioavailability; see Form comparison².

Tolerable upper intake levels rest on reproductive and developmental effects in animals². Some United States product labels ask people with hormone-sensitive conditions or on hormone replacement to consult a physician⁹.

Last updated October 16, 2026. Read how we make monographs.

In the full monograph

69 sources, 47 studies

When to useThe situations practitioners use it for, each with the reason and the study behind it.
SafetyWho should avoid it, who needs extra care, and the side effects reported in studies.
InteractionsThe medicines and supplements it interacts with, the effect of each, and what labeling says to watch.
Protocol notesThe doses used in studies, how and when they were taken, and how the forms on the market compare.
How it worksWhat it is and how it works in the body, in plain terms.
Published studiesThe studies behind each use, popular claims checked against them, and trials still under way.
Word of mouthWhat patients and practitioners report online, kept separate from the clinical evidence.
Clinical perspectiveA closing read of where the evidence is solid, where it is thin, and what has not been studied.

Snapshot

In the full monograph

Sources