boron and dr. weil

[Guest guest]

For some reason, when i email the links from Dr. Weil's page to the

rheumatic site and then click on them at the rheumatic web site, it takes me

to a different article. Not sure what you're getting in the digest or

private emails, so here is the article and in the future I'll just do it

this way.

Mark

Should I Bother With Boron?

" My nutritionist is steering me clear of supplements and foods (apples,

apricots, peppers, etc.) containing boron. She says it leaches B2 from the

system. Is she exaggerating? "

-- Kale

(Published 05/25/1999)

The mineral boron is a trace element found in many foods and may soon be

making a big leap from obscurity to inclusion on the list of nutrients with

an RDA. In 1996, a report from the World Health Organization Expert

Committee on Trace Elements in Human Nutrition concluded that boron is

" probably essential " to human nutrition and the same year participants in a

workshop sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture agreed that a

provisional RDA should be established for boron.

That hasn't happened yet, perhaps because until recently relatively little

was known about boron consumption or the primary sources of boron in

American diets. However, a recently published study in the Journal of the

American Dietetic Asociation revealed that those sources include coffee,

milk, orange juice, apples, potatoes, peaches, bananas, peanut butter, wine,

raisins, peanuts and other nuts. The researchers explained that while there

is relatively little boron in coffee and milk, Americans drink so much of

both beverages that they end up getting 12 percent of daily boron intake

that way.

Research on boron has been relatively scant, but the few studies that do

exist suggest that it promotes absorption of calcium and may therefore help

to prevent osteoporosis. However, reports that boron supplements can relieve

menopausal hot flashes were not supported by a study at the Agriculture

Department's Human Nutrition Research Center in Grand Forks, N.D. Results

revealed that a 2.5-milligram boron supplement worsened hot flashes or had

no effect much more often than it brought relief. Still another study --

this one in healthy young men -- suggested that boron might protect against

atherosclerosis.

I'd be curious to know where your nutritionist is getting her information as

I found nothing in scientific literature indicating that boron leaches B2.

On the contrary, the few studies that have been done indicate that many

people, particularly women, may need more boron in their diets, not less.

______________

Mark

---

Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

Version: 6.0.362 / Virus Database: 199 - Release Date: 05/07/2002