Effects of boron on plasma steroid hormones and cytokines: A role for boron in nutrition

Boron possesses widespread properties in human and animal nutrition. Given a fast bioavailability, boron supplementation could have significant biological effects on the synthesis of steroids, and further, on some inflammatory biomarkers. Despite decreasing proinflammatory cytokines by boron, to our knowledge, this is the first human study reporting on the increase in plasma free testosterone concentration following consumption of a boron supplement alone, indicating possible protective role of this microelement against diseases or pathologic conditions.