Author
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Hunt, Curtiss |
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Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 3/5/2002 Publication Date: 1/15/2005 Citation: Hunt, C. 2005. Boron. In: P.M. Coates, M.R. Blackman, G. Cragg, M. Levine, J. Moss, J. White, editors. Encyclopedia of Dietary Supplements. New York: Marcel Dekker/Taylor and Francis Group. p. 55-63. Interpretive Summary: Knowledge of boron chemical speciation is important in understanding bioavailability, excretion, and retention of boron derived from supplemental dietary sources. Undissociated boric acid is the predominant species of boron in most natural freshwater systems. Five antibiotics, one with apparent potent anti-human immunodeficiency virus properties, contain boron as a structural component. Plant, animal, and human biocompounds with adjacent hydroxyl groups bind boron; biocompounds without those moieties typically do not. Of those animal or human biocompounds examined, S- adenosylmethionine has the highest known affinity for boron. Boron speciation in dietary supplements varies widely. Several commercially available forms of supplemental dietary boron (e.g., boron ascorbate, boron proteinate) are not well characterized in the scientific literature. Gastrointestinal absorption of inorganic boron and subsequent urinary excretion is near 100%. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for boron for adults is 20 mg/d. For adults, the amount of boron commonly provided in a single dietary boron supplement is 0.15 mg but may be as high as 40 mg. Infants, toddlers, adolescent females (F) and males (M), adult F and M, and senior F and M are estimated to consume (mg/d) the following amounts of boron respectively: 0.55, 0.54, 0.59, 0.85, 0.70, 0.91, 0.73, and 0.86. The minimum lethal dose of boron for humans has not been established although single doses of 18 to 20 grams in adults have been fatal. Depending upon boron blood levels, treatment for boron toxicity ranges from observation to gastric lavage to dialysis. The information in this review is useful to the general public interested in obtaining readily available dietary boron supplements. Technical Abstract: Knowledge of boron chemical speciation is important in understanding bioavailability, excretion, and retention of boron derived from supplemental dietary sources. Undissociated boric acid is the predominant species of boron in most natural freshwater systems. Five antibiotics, one with apparent potent anti-human immunodeficiency virus properties, contain boron as a structural component. Plant, animal, and human biocompounds with adjacent hydroxyl groups bind boron; biocompounds without those moieties typically do not. Of those animal or human biocompounds examined, S- adenosylmethionine has the highest known affinity for boron. Boron speciation in dietary supplements varies widely. Several commercially available forms of supplemental dietary boron (e.g., boron ascorbate, boron proteinate) are not well characterized in the scientific literature. Gastrointestinal absorption of inorganic boron and subsequent urinary excretion is near 100%. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level for boron for adults is 20 mg/d. For adults, the amount of boron commonly provided in a single dietary boron supplement is 0.15 mg but may be as high as 40 mg. Infants, toddlers, adolescent females (F) and males (M), adult F and M, and senior F and M are estimated to consume (mg/d) the following amounts of boron respectively: 0.55, 0.54, 0.59, 0.85, 0.70, 0.91, 0.73, and 0.86. The minimum lethal dose of boron for humans has not been established although single doses of 18 to 20 grams in adults have been fatal. Depending upon boron blood levels, treatment for boron toxicity ranges from observation to gastric lavage to dialysis. The information in this review is useful to the general public interested in obtaining readily available dietary boron supplements. |
