Author
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NIELSEN, FORREST - 5450-10-00 |
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Submitted to: International Society For Trace Elements Research In Humans
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/1996 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: Since 1981 circumstantial evidence has been accumulating that suggests boron is an essential nutrient for higher animals including humans; that is, a dietary deprivation consistently results in changed biological functions that are preventable or reversible by intakes of physiological amounts of boron. Among the effects of boron supplementation after 63 days of boron depletion were the following: 1) an effect on macromineral and electrolyte metabolism evidenced by increased serum 25- hydroxycholecalciferol and decreased serum calcitonin (with low dietary magnesium and copper); 2) an effect on energy substrate metabolism suggested by decreased serum glucose (with low dietary magnesium and copper) and increased serum triglycerides (with adequate dietary magnesium and copper); 3) an effect on nitrogen metabolism indicated by decreased blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine and urinary urea excretion; 4) an effect on oxidative metabolism indicated by increased erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and serum ceruloplasmin; and 5) an effect on erythropoiesis and hematopoiesis suggested by (all with adequate dietary magnesium and copper) increased blood hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin content, but decreased hematocrit, platelet number and red blood cell number. Boron supplementation after depletion also enhanced the elevation in serum 17-beta-estradiol and plasma copper caused by estrogen ingestion, altered electroencephalograms such that they suggested improved behavioral activation and mental alertness, and improved psychomotor skills and the cognitive processes of attention and memory. The findings from human studies indicate boron is of nutritional importance. |
