Boron and Prostate Health: A Comprehensive Review of Emerging Evidence - Integrative and Functional Medicine

Edited by Yoon Hang Kim, MD, MPH

Dr. Yoon Hang "John" Kim, a recipient of the 2024 Functional Medicine for All scholarship from the Institute for Functional Medicine, brings over 20 years of experience in integrative and functional medicine to his telemedicine practice. After serving as chief wellness officer at a community hospital in Carthage, IL, where he provided care to rural and underserved populations, Dr. Kim now offers virtual integrative and functional medicine services, making personalized, evidence-based care accessible to patients regardless of location.

His approach combines functional medicine lab testing with complementary therapies, including meditation, yoga, tai chi, and lifestyle interventions using food and physical activity as medicine, addressing the root causes of disease. Dr. Kim earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin, completed a master’s in public health at San Diego State University, and trained with Dr. Andrew Weil during his residential fellowship at the University of Arizona.

Certified by the American Board of Preventive Medicine, the American Board of Medical Acupuncture, and the American Board of Integrative and Holistic Medicine, he has contributed as a faculty member, consultant, and founder of the Integrative Health Studies Certificate program at the University of West Georgia. Dr. Kim specializes in autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, integrative oncology, and gastrointestinal disorders, treating complex conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, long COVID, and toxic mold illness. He has authored two books and over 20 articles while helping establish integrative medicine practices across various institutions.

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Boron and Prostate Cancer: An Introduction - Boron Prostate Health Integrative Functional Medicine

Boron is a trace mineral found in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. While not officially classified as essential for humans, some researchers consider it vital due to its roles in cellular function and metabolism. Boron has been studied for hormone regulation, bone health, and inflammation modulation. Recent research has explored its potential impact on prostate health, particularly prostate cancer risk. Epidemiological, in vitro, and animal studies suggest possible protective effects, although human evidence remains mixed. Many epidemiological studies account for confounding factors such as alcohol consumption, body mass index, and dietary caloric intake.

Boron-containing compounds are increasingly investigated as preventive and therapeutic agents in cancer research. This review summarizes the current evidence from epidemiology, preclinical studies, clinical observations, and expert opinion.

Epidemiological Evidence of Prostate Cancer Risk

Studies Supporting Protective Effects

Several observational studies have examined dietary boron and prostate cancer risk. Data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) showed that higher dietary boron intake was associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer in a dose-dependent manner. Men in the highest quartile of boron intake had an adjusted odds ratio of 0.46 (95% CI: 0.21–0.98) compared to the lowest quartile (Cui et al., 2004). Risk was 52% lower in men consuming >1.8 mg/day of boron compared to ≤0.9 mg/day. No correlation was observed when intake was <1.17 mg/day (Pizzorno, 2015).

An ecological study in Texas reported that higher groundwater boron levels correlated with lower prostate cancer incidence and mortality (R = 0.6 for both), while selenium showed no correlation (R = 0.1–0.2) (Barranco et al., 2007).

Conflicting Evidence

However, the VITamins And Lifestyle (VITAL) cohort study of 35,244 men found no association between dietary or total boron intake and prostate cancer risk (hazard ratio 1.17; 95% CI: 0.85–1.61) (Gonzalez et al., 2007). Foods high in boron were not associated with decreased risk.

These discrepancies may result from differences in study design, sample size, dietary assessment, and population characteristics. Variations in controlling for confounders like alcohol intake, BMI, and total caloric intake may also contribute.

Preclinical Evidence

In Vitro Studies

Boric acid, the main plasma form of boron, inhibits proliferation of prostate cancer cell lines (DU-145, LNCaP) in a dose-dependent manner, while requiring higher concentrations to affect non-tumor cells (Barranco & Eckhert, 2004).

Recent studies (2025) on boron derivatives such as sodium pentaborate pentahydrate (SPP) and sodium perborate tetrahydrate (SPT) show selective cytotoxicity toward prostate cancer cells, targeting mitochondrial function and RNA metabolism, with effects varying by androgen status (Demirdogen et al., 2025).

Proposed mechanisms include:

• Inhibition of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) activity via boronic acid

• Reduction in intracellular calcium signaling

• Induction of stress granule formation

• Modulation of inflammatory pathways

• Downregulation of IGF-1 signaling

• Impairment of lipid metabolism through mitochondrial regulators (ACSL3, PYCR1, PYCR2)

• Induction of apoptosis in prostate cancer cells

Animal Studies

Dietary boron supplementation in mice reduced LNCaP tumor growth by 25–38% and decreased serum PSA by 86–89% (Gallardo-Williams et al., 2004). Hollow boron nitride spheres suppressed tumor growth and enhanced paclitaxel efficacy in mouse models (Li et al., 2017). Hexagonal boron nitride nanoparticles promoted apoptosis and reduced metastatic potential (Emanet et al., 2019).

Mechanisms of Boron’s Effects

Boron affects prostate cancer cells via multiple pathways:

• Proliferation inhibition: Reduces tumor cell growth in both androgen-sensitive and independent cell lines.

• Apoptosis induction: Triggers programmed cell death selectively in malignant cells.

• Migration reduction: Disrupts cellular architecture, limiting metastatic spread.

• Hormonal modulation: Influences testosterone metabolism, potentially complementing androgen deprivation therapy.

• Bone health support: May prevent metastatic growth in bone tissue.

Research relies on rigorous in vitro, animal, and dietary studies to clarify boron’s role in prostate cancer risk and progression.

Clinical Trial Evidence

No registered human clinical trials have specifically evaluated boron for prostate cancer prevention or treatment (NIH ODS, 2024).

Related human studies include:

• Inflammation: 10 mg/day boron supplementation for 1 week reduced TNF-α by 20%, hs-CRP by ~50%, and IL-6 (Naghii et al., 2011).

• Prostate size: Men consuming ~6 mg/day had smaller prostates than those consuming 0.64–0.88 mg/day, with no significant PSA differences (NIH ODS, 2024).

• Hormones: Boron supplementation increased free testosterone in men and supported bone health in postmenopausal women (Naghii et al., 2011).

• Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT): Preclinical prostate studies show promise; PSMA-targeted boron agents are under development (Takahara et al., 2015; Wilson et al., 2019).

Expert Opinion and Clinical Perspectives

Lara Pizzorno (2015) recommends considering 3 mg/day boron supplementation for individuals with low fruit and vegetable intake or at risk of osteopenia, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, or hormone-sensitive cancers. Some integrative practitioners report PSA reduction and prostate size improvement with higher doses (3–20 mg/day), though systematic documentation is lacking.

Patient Experience

No formal patient-reported outcome studies exist. Anecdotal reports suggest subjective improvements in urinary symptoms and PSA levels, but these are not systematically documented.

Dietary Boron Intake: Sources and Recommendations

Boron is obtained primarily from plant-based foods. Typical intake ranges from 1–3 mg/day; the tolerable upper intake is 20 mg/day.

Key sources:

• Fruits: Apples, pears, grapes, avocados, prunes, raisins

• Vegetables: Broccoli, carrots, leafy greens

• Nuts/Legumes: Almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, lentils

• Other: Wine, coffee, milk

Supplementation may be considered for intakes <3 mg/day, especially in individuals with low fruit and vegetable consumption (Pizzorno, 2015).

Summary of Evidence

Evidence Type	Availability	Quality	Key Findings
Epidemiological	Mixed	Moderate	Conflicting results
In Vitro	Strong	Good	Dose-dependent inhibition of cancer cells
Animal	Strong	Good	25–38% tumor reduction, 86–89% PSA reduction
Human RCTs	None	N/A	Evidence gap
Expert Opinion	Cautiously Favorable	Low-Moderate	Supports 3 mg/day for at-risk individuals
Patient Experience	Anecdotal	Very Low	No systematic data

Conclusions - Boron Prostate Health Integrative Functional Medicine

Preclinical studies suggest boron may inhibit prostate cancer growth and reduce tumor progression. Epidemiological data indicate higher boron exposure may correlate with lower prostate cancer risk.

The major limitation is the absence of human clinical trials specifically targeting prostate cancer, highlighting a critical evidence gap. Boron appears safe up to 20 mg/day, but supplementation for prostate health should be approached cautiously.

Boron Prostate Health Integrative Functional Medicine - At this time, I would recommend taking Boron up to 3 mg/day.

Clinical considerations:

• 3 mg/day appears safe with potential anti-inflammatory benefits

• Upper limit of 20 mg/day is low-risk

• Dietary intake from fruits and vegetables is preferred

• Human clinical trials are needed to establish efficacy

At Direct Integrative Care, Dr. Kim is dedicated to guiding you on your path to wellness through a deeply personalized and supportive approach. We focus on integrative medicine, looking beyond symptoms to uncover the root causes of chronic conditions and develop a treatment plan tailored specifically to your unique health journey. By combining compassionate care with innovative therapies, our goal is to empower you with the knowledge and tools needed to achieve lasting health. We invite you to explore our website to learn more about how our patient-centered practice can help you find balance and vitality. 

Yoon Hang Kim MD

Integrative & Functional Medicine Physician

Virtual Practice Serving IA, IL, MO, FL, GA, and TX

www.directintegrativecare.com

References

• Barranco, W. T., & Eckhert, C. D. (2004). Boric acid inhibits human prostate cancer cell proliferation. Cancer Letters, 216(1), 21–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.canlet.2004.06.001

• Barranco, W. T., Hudak, P. F., & Eckhert, C. D. (2007). Evaluation of ecological and in vitro effects of boron on prostate cancer risk (United States). Cancer Causes & Control, 18(1), 71–77. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-006-0077-8

• Cui, Y., et al. (2004). Dietary boron intake and prostate cancer risk. Oncology Reports, 11(4), 887–892. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.11.4.887

• Demirdogen, R. E., et al. (2025). Proteomic insights into the anti-cancer mechanisms of boron-based compounds in prostate cancer. Journal of Proteomics. [Epub ahead of print]

• Emanet, M., et al. (2019). Hexagonal Boron Nitride Nanoparticles for Prostate Cancer Treatment. ACS Applied Nano Materials, 2(12), 7493–7504.

• Gallardo-Williams, M. T., et al. (2004). Boron supplementation inhibits the growth and local expression of IGF-1 in human prostate adenocarcinoma (LNCaP) tumors in nude mice. Toxicologic Pathology, 32(1), 73–78. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926230490260899

• Gonzalez, A., et al. (2007). Boron intake and prostate cancer risk. Cancer Causes & Control, 18(10), 1131–1140. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-007-9052-2

• Li, X., et al. (2017). Hollow boron nitride nanospheres as boron reservoir for prostate cancer treatment. Nature Communications, 8, 13936. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13936

• Naghii, M. R., et al. (2011). Comparative effects of daily and weekly boron supplementation on plasma steroid hormones and proinflammatory cytokines. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology, 25(1), 54–58.

• Pizzorno, L. (2015). Nothing boring about boron. Integrative Medicine: A Clinician's Journal, 14(4), 35–48.

• Scorei, R. I., & Popa, R. (2013). Sugar-borate esters—potential chemical agents in prostate cancer chemoprevention. Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry, 13(6), 901–909.

• Takahara, K., et al. (2015). The anti-proliferative effect of boron neutron capture therapy in a prostate cancer xenograft model. PLoS ONE, 10(9), e0136981. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0136981

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. (2024). Boron: Fact sheet for health professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Boron-HealthProfessional/

• Wilson, J. J., et al. (2019). Synthesis and initial biological evaluation of boron-containing PSMA ligands for treatment of prostate cancer using BNCT. Molecular Pharmaceutics, 16(9), 3831–3841. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.9b00464