What it does in the body
- Bone health and calcium/magnesium metabolism
- Steroid hormone modulation (estrogen, testosterone)
- Brain function and cognitive performance
- Inflammatory response modulation
- Vitamin D metabolism enhancement
How much you need (Daily Value)
| Group | Recommended | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Adult male | No RDA; estimated beneficial intake 1-3 mg/day | WHO/IOM estimated |
| Adult female | No RDA; estimated beneficial intake 1-3 mg/day | WHO/IOM estimated |
| Pregnancy | No RDA; 1-3 mg estimated | Estimated |
| Children | No RDA established | IOM |
| Older adults | No RDA; 3-6 mg may support bone health | Research-based estimate |
Richest food sources
| Food | Amount | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Prunes (dried plums) | 1.88 mg per 100g | global |
| Raisins | 4.51 mg per 100g | global |
| Avocado | 2.06 mg per 100g | Americas |
| Peanut butter | 1.92 mg per 100g | Americas/Africa |
| Red wine | 0.86 mg per 100ml | global |
| Almonds | 2.82 mg per 100g | Middle East/California |
| Chickpeas (cooked) | 0.71 mg per 100g | Middle East/South Asia |
| Peaches | 0.52 mg per 100g | global |
If you don't get enough
Mild: Subtle impairment in attention and psychomotor function
Moderate: Decreased bone density markers, increased urinary calcium loss, impaired brain electrical activity (EEG changes)
Severe: Not well characterized; experimental depletion studies show impaired mineral metabolism and brain function
Time to onset: Experimental depletion studies: effects observed within 49 days.
Too much
Upper limit: 20 mg/day (adults)
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dermatitis, lethargy. Reproductive toxicity observed in animal studies at very high doses. Boric acid poisoning: vomiting, blue-green diarrhea, erythroderma, seizures.
How well you absorb it
Nearly 100% absorbed as boric acid from GI tract
Helped by: Not applicable — nearly complete absorption
Hindered by: Not significantly inhibited by dietary factors
Cooking & storage
Boron is heat-stable and not significantly affected by cooking. Dried fruits have concentrated boron content compared to fresh fruit due to water removal.
Nutrisize Health totals every nutrient from what you actually eat, against targets set for your age and sex, and flags what's short — across 4,995 foods, on your device.
