You may not hear a lot about it, but boron is one of the most effective weapons available for the prevention of osteoporosis. It stops the excretion of calcium in the urine and raises the level of estrogen in postmenopausal women. The increase in estrogen levels can be remarkable, rivaling those of estrogen replacement therapy. A dosage of 3 milligrams a day is sufficient for women and 6 milligrams should be sufficient for men.

And now there's even more good news about boron. A recent report extols the virtues of it for men in the prevention of prostate cancer. In one study, researchers found significantly decreased levels of cancer in the boron-rich group, as compared to that of the group on a boron-poor diet. It's important to note, though, that the study was based on food surveys, interviews, and the like, which makes the entire project suspect.

In addition, there is the question of high estrogen levels brought on by boron. Does this occur in men as it does in women? I haven't come across the answer to this yet. It should be investigated.

For women, boron supplementation is a good thing. For men, I'm not so sure. But if you already have prostate cancer or osteoporosis, then I would suggest taking it.

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