Boron Kidney Disease
Written by Ben Bunting: BA, PGCert. (Sport & Exercise Nutrition) // British Army Physical Training Instructor // S&C Coach.
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Boron is a trace element that can help prevent or treat kidney disease. It's also associated with healthy bone formation and may help reduce the risk of osteoarthritis.
Research has shown that boron can improve wound healing and boost the growth of bacteria-eating white blood cells called phagocytes. These white blood cells help fight infection and attack disease.
They can also protect DNA from damage caused by heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. This is important to know, since heavy metals can cause cancer and other serious health problems.
Although more research is needed, a daily dose of between 1 and 13 mg of boron is safe for most people.
How does Boron affect kidney disease?
Boron is a trace mineral that's been shown to have a wide range of health benefits. It helps boost bone growth, improve immune function, prevent inflammation, and fight cancer. It also boosts the levels of a powerful antioxidant in your body that may help prevent damage to cells and tissues.
It can boost your immune system by boosting the level of white blood cells in your body. This boosts the effectiveness of your immune system by reducing the number of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens that cause infections.
In addition, it helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. It also promotes healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels by helping to lower your triglycerides and blood sugar levels.
The good news is that it's easy to get enough boron from your diet. Many fruits, vegetables, and legumes are high in boron. Some meats and dairy products are rich in boron as well.
Some people don't consume enough boron in their diet and end up with low boron levels in their body. This condition is called boron deficiency.
Kidney Transplant
A 2022 study looked at the effects of boron on those who had received a kidney transplant and the mortality rates.
Based on the evidence form the study, the researchers suggest that higher boron intake is associated with a decreased risk of mortality.
The results showed that those who had higher urinary boron excretion was strongly associated with a lower risk of death regardless of their gender, age or history of cardiovascular disease.
Chronic Boron Exposure
Research in to the effects of acute boron acid exposure (by intravenous administration) may lead to renal insufficiency. However, the results are not exactly clear-cut and further research is required.
Animal Model
The effects of varying doses of boron on kidney development was monitored in the animal model. The results showed that boron administration up to 160mg had a positive effect whereas higher doses had the reverse effect.
Further Online Literature
There's very little further research available regarding boron and kidney health. There are a few other websites offering (what looks like unqualified) advice suggesting that it should not be used, but these websites do not appear to be reputable sources.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Boron
Boron boosts a triumvirate of antioxidant enzymes in your blood and cells: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase. It does this by preventing a buildup of free radicals in the body.
These antioxidants may be particularly important when you have a cold or other illness, as they can help fight the germs that cause these illnesses. And they may also protect you from the oxidative stress that contributes to chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.
Boron and Kidney Stones
Your kidneys are shaped like fists and filter more than 120 to 150 quarts of blood per day to remove waste from your body, balance fluids and maintain healthy levels of salts and other minerals. The kidneys then create urine and send it through the tube-shaped ureters to your bladder, an organ between your hip bones that stores the liquid.
Kidneys can become damaged and clogged with calcium, oxalate or other substances, causing kidney stones to form. When they do, the stones can block the tubes and cause severe pain and other symptoms.
In addition, the stone can damage your ureters and bladder. If this happens, you may need to have surgery to drain the stone.
There are many risk factors for kidney stones, including eating a diet high in animal protein and oxalate. Taking in too much sodium can also increase your chances of developing a stone.
One of the best things you can do for your kidneys is to drink plenty of water. Not only will this help to keep your urinalysis normal, it will also dilute the oxalate, calcium and other substances that cause stones.
If you’re at a higher risk for kidney stones, your doctor may prescribe medications that will help you drink more water. They can also reduce your pain and improve the flow of urine.
Another way to prevent kidney stones is to avoid eating foods that are high in oxalate, calcium and sodium. These can cause the stones to grow and become bigger.
In addition to drinking lots of water, your doctor can recommend a specific diet for reducing the risk of developing kidney stones. It should include foods that are low in oxalate, high in calcium and contain no sodium.
Your doctor may recommend a special test to determine your risk of getting kidney stones, called a metabolic profile. This test checks your urine for high levels of uric acid, calcium, oxalate and citrate.
A urologist can also test your urine to see if you have any other problems that could make you more susceptible to developing a kidney stone. This can include a urinary tract infection, or a family history of kidney stones.
Boron has been found to help flush kidney stones out of the body when it is paired with antioxidants.
It is believed that boron increases blood flow to the kidneys, which makes them more efficient at flushing out stones.
In a study, 10 mg of boron daily significantly increased the rate at which people with kidney stones excreted their stone(s) (usually within a couple of days). Those who took the boron supplement also felt less pain when they passed their stones.
Kidney Infections
The kidneys are 2 bean-shaped organs near the middle of your back that clean your blood. Healthy kidneys can remove waste from your body and help control your blood pressure. If you have a kidney infection, your doctor may recommend treatment.
Kidney infections can cause serious problems if you don't get treatment. They can lead to complications such as septicemia (blood poisoning) or damage to your kidney tissue. They can also make you feel very sick.
Most kidney infections start in your bladder as a UTI, or urinary tract infection. These infections occur when bacteria that normally live in your bowel move up into your bladder and then into your kidneys.
Your urethra flushes the bacteria out as you urinate. You also have special tubes called ureters that connect your bladder to your kidneys. These ureters close when you stop urinating to prevent bacteria from moving up the urethra and into your kidneys.
Men and women usually have similar symptoms when they have a kidney infection. Symptoms of a kidney infection include pain in your side or lower back, chills and fever, bloody urine, nausea and vomiting, and a feeling that you aren't urinating well.
A person with a kidney infection is typically treated with antibiotics, but some people have to take other medicines to treat their condition.
Your doctor will decide what treatment is best for you based on your age, gender, medical conditions and other risk factors.
The type of antibiotic you're given depends on your infection and the bacteria that are causing it. Some types of antibiotics are more effective at treating certain types of kidney infections than others.
In some cases, a person will have imaging tests to see what is causing their kidney infection. These tests can include a CT scan, an MRI or an ultrasound.
Your doctor may also test your urine for a particular bacteria. If a urine sample is found to have bacteria, it will be cultured in the laboratory so that the type of bacteria can be determined.
Some people with a kidney infection may also have blood cultures to find out what is causing the infection. These tests can give doctors important information about what is causing the infection.
A boron-rich diet is essential for the maintenance of healthy cellular levels of this trace element in the body. Despite this, many people consume less than the recommended intake of 1 mg per day.
Foods containing boron, particularly vegetables and nuts, have been associated with a reduced risk of gastrointestinal and urinary tract cancers in some studies (Rainey et al., 1999; EPA, 2008).
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a condition that occurs when the force of your blood pushing through your blood vessels is too high. Normally, your blood pressure should be in the 120/80 to 130/80 range.
People with high blood pressure are at higher risk for heart disease, kidney disease and other health problems.
Treatment for high blood pressure usually includes diet and lifestyle changes. It can also include medications, including angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, tamoxifen, and diuretics.
Hormonal factors may also play a role in your risk of high blood pressure, particularly before middle age and around menopause.
Birth control pills -- especially those containing estrogen -- and pregnancy can boost blood pressure, as can some medications used to treat other health conditions.
You can prevent or treat high blood pressure by eating a healthy, heart-healthy diet and exercising regularly. You should also try to get enough calcium, magnesium and potassium.
The best foods to eat for good blood pressure control are fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds.
Limiting or eliminating sodium (salt) is important, as well as drinking plenty of water.
Other ways to help lower your blood pressure is by reducing your stress levels, exercising, and not smoking. Getting plenty of sleep is also essential.
Some people with high blood pressure are at increased risk of developing other health problems, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.
These health conditions can cause changes in your memory and understanding of your environment.
These health problems can lead to kidney disease and eye problems, such as retinal detachment and cataracts. Your doctor can tell you if you are at increased risk for these conditions and how to prevent them.
If your doctor thinks that you have hypertension, he or she will want to measure your blood pressure several times in the day and over a period of weeks to make sure your readings are in the normal range.
The results of these tests will help your doctor decide how to treat the problem.
It is important to emphasize that a boron-rich diet does not necessarily lead to higher plasma concentrations of boron in human subjects, as evidence suggests that the bioavailability of circulating boron after dietary intake is significantly lower than formerly thought (half-life = 21 h).
In this context, a diet rich in dietary boron could thus be expected to have a protective effect on cardio-metabolic risk factors.
The association of boron with dietary intakes, lifestyle and cardio-metabolic risk factors was investigated in 899 study participants of the European Health Survey (EHS).
First, a food indices/pattern approach was applied to the FFQ data using ln-transformed plasma boron concentrations as response variable and corresponding food group categories as predictor variables.
We found that higher plasma boron concentrations were associated with a healthier dietary pattern as measured by the diet indices/pattern, a lower BMI, and a more favorable cardio-metabolic risk profile.
These associations appeared to be robust and showed significant seasonal variations.
In addition, individuals in a high tertile of plasma boron concentrations were less likely to be current smokers and more physically active than individuals in the lowest tertile of plasma boron concentrations
Heart Disease
Your heart and kidneys are two of the most important organs in your body. Both are essential for delivering oxygen and nutrients to your blood cells, as well as removing waste products from the body.
Both organs can also become weakened and damaged by conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, infections, smoking and certain medicines.
These conditions can lead to a number of health problems, including heart disease and kidney disease.
One type of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD), which occurs when the arteries that carry oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle have narrowed due to cholesterol deposits or a buildup of plaque. This can lead to a heart attack or chest pain (angina).
Another form of heart disease is called structural heart disease, which means it involves abnormalities of the heart’s valves, walls or muscles.
These defects can be present at birth (congenital), or they may develop after birth, often through infection or wear and tear.
When one of these defects is diagnosed, it’s often treated with medication and lifestyle changes to make your heart work better. This includes getting regular exercise and avoiding smoking, which can raise your blood pressure and increase the risk of developing CAD or other heart conditions.
A heart condition such as CAD or cardiomyopathy can also damage the nerves that control your kidneys. This can affect the way your kidneys work and may result in problems such as kidney stones or low potassium levels.
The same type of problem can cause both heart and kidney problems at the same time, which is called a cardiorenal syndrome.
This can be particularly common with lupus and other diseases that affect multiple organs in the body.
Both heart and kidney diseases can be prevented or treated with healthy lifestyle choices, such as eating right, exercising regularly and not smoking.
These lifestyle habits can help reduce your risk of developing heart or kidney disease and may even extend your life.
Boron can be helpful for preventing heart disease, as it lowers LDL cholesterol and promotes blood clotting.
Conclusion
Boron has many different physiological benefits. These range from wound healing, white blood cell production and positive effects on cardiovascular health.
There's evidence that boron is an effective treatment for kidney stones and has a beneficial impact on those who had a kidney transplant.
However, there is less evidence available regarding boron's use for kidney disease patients.
However, it is probable that chronic boron exposure would have a negative effect on kidney function, and thus extremely high doses should be avoided.
