Equipping People To Make Sense Of What They Are Told
Boron is a soft, brown element found in small amounts in the human body. It is considered
that boron appears to affect the way the body metabolises various other minerals
such as:
Calcium.
Magnesium.
Copper.
Phosphorous.
Vitamin D
It appears to prevent calcium and magnesium from being lost in the urine.
Boron is not considered an essential element, there are no specific recommended daily
allowances for it.
It is considered that exposure to high levels of boron can cause:
Nausea.
Vomiting.
Abdominal pain and other disorders.
Food sources - Fruit - Vegetables - Nuts - Legumes.
Best with manganese, calcium and Vitamin B2. (Vitamin B6 is required with Vitamin
B2).
Kelly GS. Boron: a review of its nutritional interactions and therapeutic uses. Altern
Med Rev 1997;2:48-56.
Nielsen FH. Facts and fallacies about boron. Nutr Today, May/June 1992; pp. 6-12.
Chromium is an essential trace mineral. It is bluish-white in appearance and is found
naturally only in combination with other elements.
Involved in:
It is involved in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates.
It stimulates fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis.
It is an activator of several enzymes.
Assisting Glucose Tolerance Factor) when this hormone-affiliated agent enters the
bloodstream due to an increase of insulin in the bloodstream.
Enhances insulin, which results in blood sugars passing quicker into the cells.
Energy.
Two single, unrelated cases of toxicity have been reported. A case of kidney failure
appeared after taking 600 micrograms per day for six weeks. A case of anaemia, liver
dysfunction, and other problems appeared after approximately five months of taking
between 1,200 24,000 micrograms of chromium picolinate per day.
Best with with high vitamin C foodstuffs, or a vitamin C supplement.
Kaats GR, Blum K, Pullin D, Keither SC, Wood R. A randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled
study of the effects of chromium picolinate supplementation on body composition:
a replication and extension of a previous study. Curr Ther Res 1998;59:379 88.
Wasser WG, Feldman NS. Chronic renal failure after ingestion of over-the-counter
chromium picolinate. Ann Intern Med 1997;126:410 [letter].
Cobalt works with vitamin B12 in the form of cobalamin. Cobalt increases the body's
ability to absorb and utilise vitamin B12.
Previous research has shown that cobalt may be effective in treating conditions such
as anaemia and certain infectious diseases, and that it helps maintain and repair
the myelin sheaths that surround nerve cells.
Cobalt also plays a role in the regulation and stimulation of certain enzymes, and
is sometimes used by the body as a substitute for zinc.
Because cobalt it is chemically bonded to vitamin B12 in the body, people who are
deficient in vitamin B12 are ultimately deficient in cobalt.
Note
High amounts of cobalt may produce adverse side-effects. It should not be used by
women who are pregnant or nursing. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed
health care provider before taking cobalt or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.
