- What is boron? Boron is a mineral that we consume in very small amounts primarily from plant-based foods in our diets, which is why vegans and vegetarians consume more of it than other people (see What It Is).
- What does boron do? Boron has not been established as being essential to our health. Some preliminary studies have suggested that supplementing with boron can improve bone health and osteoarthritis, but these benefits are not well established. Boron has also been marketed as a testosterone-booster, but a placebo-controlled study found no benefit (see What It Does).
- How much boron should I take? Again, there is no convincing evidence that you have to supplement with boron. However, if you are going to take boron, amounts used in clinical trials are typically 1,000 mcg to 6,000 mcg (1 mg to 6 mg) daily.
- What did CL find? Among the products ConsumerLab.com selected for testing, one contained more than double its claimed amount of boron, while the others met their claims for boron. Boron per serving ranged from 2,000 mcg to 5,000 mcg among boron-only products and from just 198.5 mcg to 1,000 mcg in boron-containing formulas (see What CL Found).
- Which boron is best? Among the products that passed testing and were "Approved" for their quality, CL selected two Top Picks for boron that are low in price (just 2 cents per serving, providing a significant amount of boron). CL also selected Top Picks for combination formulas that include boron along with ingredients typically marketed for bone health such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and/or vitamin K.
- How to get more boron? Many plant-based foods, such as raisins and almonds, are good sources of boron. As a supplement, boron comes in many forms, but there is insufficient information to determine if one form is better than another with regard to absorption or side-effects. For a description of the various forms see What to Consider When Buying.
- What are the side effects of boron? Even at moderate levels of intake, boron may increase estrogen levels. There is some concern that it can also lower blood levels of phosphorus. Very high intakes may cause side effects and potentially affect reproduction and development. For more details see Concerns and Cautions.
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Boron Supplements Review (Including Calcium, Magnesium, and Vitamins D & K)
Find the Best Boron Supplement. Tests and Reviews of Popular Boron Supplements & CL's Top Picks
Reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.
Boron supplements compared in this review
GNC Calcimate Complete
Good State Natural Ionic Boron
Jarrow Formulas Bone-Up
Natural Vitality Natural Calm Plus Calcium - Raspberry-Lemon Flavor
PipingRock.com Boron Complex
Pure Encapsulations Boron (Glycinate)
Puritan's Pride Boron 3 mg
Solgar Calcium Magnesium Plus Boron
Swanson Triple Boron Complex
The Vitamin Shoppe Boron
Vitalite Now! Calcium & Magnesium Plus
Make sure the boron supplement you take passed our quality review and is right for you!
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Summary
You must be a member to get the full test results along with ConsumerLab.com recommendations and quality ratings. You will get results for 11 boron and boron-combination supplements selected by ConsumerLab.com and four others that passed testing in its voluntary Quality Certification Program.
In this comprehensive review, you'll discover:
- Which boron supplements failed our tests and which ones passed
- CL's Top Picks among boron-only and boron combination supplements (those containing calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and/or vitamin K) based on form, quality and dose
- The different forms of boron sold in supplements, including boron citrate, boron glycinate, boron aspartate, calcium fructoborate, borax and boric acid
- Which foods are a good source of boron
- What boron is and if you need to take a boron supplement
- The evidence for and against using boron supplements for bone health, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and joint pain and more
- Safety and side-effects of boron supplements
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