Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reverse Relationship Between Blood Boron Level and Body Mass Index in Humans: Does It Matter for Obesity?

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The exact role of boron in humans is not known although its supplementation causes several important metabolic and inflammatory changes. The objective of this study is to evaluate the possibility of an association between blood boron level and obesity in normal, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese subjects. A total number of 80 subjects, categorized into four groups based on their body mass index as normal, overweight, obese, and morbidly obese, were enrolled in this study. Age, sex, body mass index, and blood boron levels were recorded for each subject. Although the distribution of female and male subjects and blood boron levels were similar between groups, the mean age of normal subjects was significantly lower than the others (p = 0.002). There was a significant relationship between age and quantitative values of body mass index for each subject (β = 0.24; p = 0.003). In addition, between blood boron levels and quantitative values of body mass index for each subject, a significant reverse relationship was detected (β = −0.16; p = 0.043). Although age seemed to be an important variable for blood boron level and body mass index, blood boron levels were shown to be lower in obese subjects in comparison to non-obese subjects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tascilar ME, Ozgen IT, Abaci A, Serdar M, Aykut O (2011) Trace elements in obese Turkish children. Biol Trace Elem Res 143:188–95

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Duydu Y, Başaran N, Bolt HM (2012) Exposure assessment of boron in Bandırma boric acid production plant. J Trace Elem Med Biol 26:161–4

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Turkez H, Geyikoglu F, Tatar A, Keles MS, Kaplan I (2012) The effects of some boron compounds against heavy metal toxicity in human blood. Exp Toxicol Pathol 64:93–101

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Devirian TA, Volpe SL (2003) The physiological effects of dietary boron. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 43:219–31

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Aysan E, Sahin F, Telci D, Yalvac ME, Emre SH, Karaca C et al (2011) Body weight reducing effect of oral boric acid intake. Int J Med Sci 8:653–8

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kucukkurt I, Akbel E, Karabag F, Ince S (2013) The effects of dietary boron compounds in supplemented diet on hormonal activity and some biochemical parameters in rats. Toxicol Ind Health. doi:10.1177/0748233712469648

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Armstrong TA, Spears JW, Lloyd KE (2001) Inflammatory response, growth, and thyroid hormone concentrations are affected by long-term boron supplementation in gilts. J Anim Sci 79:1549–56

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Nielsen FH, Hunt CD, Mullen LM, Hunt JR (1987) Effect of dietary boron on mineral, estrogen, and testosterone metabolism in postmenopausal women. FASEB J 1:394–7

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Wallace JM, Hannon-Fletcher MP, Robson PJ, Gilmore WS, Hubbard SA, Strain JJ (2002) Boron supplementation and activated factor VII in healthy men. Eur J Clin Nutr 56:1102–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hunt CD, Herbel JL, Nielsen FH (1997) Metabolic responses of postmenopausal women to supplemental dietary boron and aluminum during usual and low magnesium intake: boron, calcium, and magnesium absorption and retention and blood mineral concentrations. Am J Clin Nutr 65:803–13

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Meacham SL, Taper LJ, Volpe SL (1995) Effect of boron supplementation on blood and urinary calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and urinary boron in athletic and sedentary women. Am J Clin Nutr 61:341–5

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Green NR, Ferrando AA (1994) Plasma boron and the effects of boron supplementation in males. Environ Health Perspect 102(Suppl 7):73–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Naghii MR, Mofid M, Asgari AR, Hedayati M, Daneshpour MS (2011) Comparative effects of daily and weekly boron supplementation on plasma steroid hormones and proinflammatory cytokines. J Trace Elem Med Biol 25:54–8

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Duydu Y, Başaran N, Üstündağ A, Aydin S, Ündeğer Ü, Ataman OY et al (2011) Reproductive toxicity parameters and biological monitoring in occupationally and environmentally boron-exposed persons in Bandirma, Turkey. Arch Toxicol 85:589–600

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Keenan KP, Wallig MA, Haschek WM (2013) Nature via nurture: effect of diet on health, obesity, and safety assessment. Toxicol Pathol. doi:10.1177/0192623312469857

    Google Scholar 

  16. Hunt CD (1994) The biochemical effects of physiologic amounts of dietary boron in animal nutrition models. Environ Health Perspect 102(Suppl 7):35–43

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Weir RJ Jr, Fisher RS (1972) Toxicologic studies on borax and boric acid. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 23:351–64

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Lee IP, Sherins RJ, Dixon RL (1978) Evidence for induction of germinal aplasia in male rats by environmental exposure to boron. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 45:577–90

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Panel on Micronutrients, Subcommittees on Upper Reference Levels of Nutrients and of İnterpretation and Use of Dietary Reference İntakes, Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference İntakes, Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine (2001) Dietary reference intakes for vitamin A, vitamin K, arsenic, boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, silicone, vanadium, and zinc. National Academy Press, Washington, pp 502–553

    Google Scholar 

  20. Başaran N, Duydu Y, Bolt HM (2012) Reproductive toxicity in boron exposed workers in Bandirma, Turkey. J Trace Elem Med Biol 26:165–7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Vatan Str, Fatih, 34093, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mustafa Hasbahceci, Gokhan Cipe, Huseyin Kadioglu, Erhan Aysan & Mahmut Muslumanoglu

Authors
  1. Mustafa Hasbahceci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gokhan Cipe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Huseyin Kadioglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Erhan Aysan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mahmut Muslumanoglu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mustafa Hasbahceci.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hasbahceci, M., Cipe, G., Kadioglu, H. et al. Reverse Relationship Between Blood Boron Level and Body Mass Index in Humans: Does It Matter for Obesity?. Biol Trace Elem Res 153, 141–144 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9680-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9680-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation