What do you think about Boron as an anabolic substance? Is it effective or is it a banned substance?” the athletic coach asked.
“There was no interest in Boron until 1981, when Dr Curtis Hunt and Dr Forrest Nielsen from USA found its importance in chicks. Boron appears to provide hydroxyl groups, which are essential for the formation of hormones in their active form especially cholecalciferol. In 1990, they found boron aids the metabolism of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the bone. They also found that boron is capable of increasing the muscle growth,” dad answered.
“The importance of boron in optimal quantities is essential for the normal production of testosterone, the male hormone that is absolutely vital for the growth of muscle tissue. It is surprising that only 3mg per day of sodium borate increased the levels of 17-beta estradiol, which is the most active form of estrogen, the female hormone. The estrogen produced with boron supplementation is as good as the estrogen replacement therapy in post-menopausal women. It is given only as a supplement and comes under the category of food. It cannot be banned,” mom added.
“Does the athlete’s diet get altered to add
supplements of boron regularly or is it already present in our diet?” the coach asked.
“It is present in our diet, but for the athletic population it may not be adequate. It would be ideal to have more than 2mg of boron citrate or boron aspartate for the non athletic population. Hence, the requirement of the athlete is expected to be 3-6mg per day and it would vary with the age and sport played,” dad said.
“I can understand the age factor, but how does sports alter the need for
boron supplementation?,” the coach was curious.
“Since boron is considered to enhance the normal secretion of testosterone and increases the availability of the active form of testosterone, it is only useful for the growth of the fast twitch fibres that are involved with speed, power, agility, etc, and not with slow twitch fibre activity of cardiorespiratory endurance,” mom answered.
“So if boron is anabolic, it has to be useful for the type II fast twitch fibres only. You said 6mg is the maximum dosage. If we take more would it do any good or harm?” the coach wanted to know.
“The toxic potential of boron is pretty low. If you give more than 50mg per day then it may interfere with the other metabolism,” dad said.
“What does other metabolism involve?” the coach asked.
“It involves the metabolism of phosphorus and riboflavin. Hence it may cause adverse affects when given in large doses,” mom answered.
“Boron is useful in the prevention of osteoporosis. It is a metalloid found in small quantities on the Earth and in the solar system. It was discovered by Sir Humphry Davy, but has been in use for thousands of years. It has been discovered that Tibetans have been using it with a Sanskrit name, tincal. Marco Polo brought it to Italy in the 13th Century,” dad added.
“What are the foods in which it is available?” the coach asked.
“Soybeans, almonds, peanuts, prunes, raisins and dates are rich in boron. Boron is anti-osteoporotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-coagulant,
hipolipaemic, and anti-neoplastic,” dad supplied.
“Boron is used for treating osteoporosis. It reduces any form of inflammation. It is used in heart patients to avoid coagulation of blood. It is supposed to reduce the cholesterol levels in the blood. It is also known to reduce the incidence of prostate and lung cancer,” mom elaborated.
“Boron influences the activity of many metabolic enzymes and metabolism of steroid hormones. It is hence involved with the function of the body in many ways and may also be involved in the maintenance of the muscle integrity. It perhaps enhances the multiplication of muscle cells through its work on the testosterone production. But it’s not a banned substance and has a lot more to contribute than just a mere muscle building property,” dad concluded.
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