Boron is a cheap, well-absorbed trace mineral with no official daily requirement. Firmest evidence is local: boric acid placed in gum pockets or the vagina. Swallowed doses show weaker signals for knee discomfort, period pain and inflammation; most joint trials were company-funded. Testosterone and bone claims rest on thin ground. Harm at supplement doses is rare and mild. (Full Review)
| Marker | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Estimated glomerular filtration rate | ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m² | Boron's only clearance route |
| Plasma boron | No established target; track change from personal baseline | Confirms absorption and flags excess exposure |
| 25-hydroxyvitamin D | 40–60 ng/mL | Tests the proposed vitamin D-sparing mechanism |
| Red blood cell magnesium | 5.0–6.5 mg/dL | Boron's effects were largest on a low-magnesium background |
| Serum calcium | 9.2–9.8 mg/dL | Detects any shift in calcium handling |
| Intact parathyroid hormone | 15–35 pg/mL | Rising values signal calcium conservation stress |
| High-sensitivity C-reactive protein | < 1.0 mg/L | The inflammation marker boron moved most in trial data |
| Sex hormone-binding globulin with total testosterone | Binding globulin 20–40 nmol/L; total testosterone 600–900 ng/dL in men | The mechanism behind the free-testosterone claim |
| Estradiol | Men 20–30 pg/mL; postmenopausal women, track change from personal baseline | The one biomarker boron is documented to raise |
Cadence: Baseline before starting; hormonal panel rechecked at 8 weeks where that was the reason for starting, inflammation markers at 12 weeks where joint symptoms were, and kidney function annually. Beyond the first year, a single annual panel alongside routine bloodwork.