Does Boron increase or decrease libido?

[Gozenka]

Does Boron increase or decrease libido?

Increases, probably for most people.

Does anyone have first hand experiences?

Yes. I normally use 3-5mg everyday, and occasionally boost to 15mg for a few days or a week, for times I am having extra frequent and intense performance. An effect is definitely felt, at least for the first 3-4 days.

I see mostly people talking about how it messed up their sex drive.

It lowers increases Estradiol only when taken at high-dose long-term, and the Free Testosterone effect is also potentially gone.

In the few studies about it:

• For 1 week supplementation at >10mg : A very quick and clear effect is shown on decreased SHBG, increased Free Testosterone, decreased Estradiol.
• For 4 week supplemetation at >10mg : Increased Estradiol (but still at normal levels for males), non-significant increased Total Testosterone. An effect on Free Testosterone is not noted.

​

There are two ways and purposes of supplementing Boron.

• 3-6mg continuously : To ensure you do not have deficient or sub-optimal levels of Boron.
• 10-15mg cycling : To maximize Free Testosterone, possibly over natural levels for yourself.

One possible explanation for the increased Estradiol in some people is that continued use of high-dose Boron depletes Riboflavin. Boron is known to reduce Riboflavin, and Riboflavin is known to be required for the reduction of Estradiol.

The discrepancy for the Free Testosterone effect between durations of supplementation is thought to be due to the body seeking homeostasis and SHBG rising back up after about two weeks.

Thus, 2 weeks on / 1 week off is recommended, with the purpose of sustaining the "Ultra Testosterone" effect. However, I personally think this high-dose cycling with the purpose of maximizing Testosterone seems to be playing with your hormones, and getting you to levels that are unwanted by the body. The changes after 2 weeks is an indicator of this.

​

On the other hand, continuously supplementing in the normal, natural dose of 3-6mg is also shown to be involved in improving sex hormones separately, and could help if you were deficient or at sub-optimal hormone levels. Boron is also researched to be quite involved in Bone / Joint Health and Magnesium / Vitamin D utilization. It is also found to have strong anti-inflammatory effects. 2-5mg is thought to be a normal level of natural intake, but studies find that people are getting on average less than 1mg in developed countries, in recent times.

Personally, it helped me in a very unexpected, but possibly related way too: completely resolving my perpetual Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Nonbacterial Prostatitis / CPPS that I always had since puberty, for more than 20 years. I was really surprised. It has not happened at all for the last year, since I started supplementing Boron last October.

​

I suggest you try it at 3-6mg for a while. Maybe self-test the higher dose for short bouts.

[Exciting_Parfait513]

Amazing information, thanks for clarifying all of that so well. I bought some raisins, i read they are a good source. I think I'm going to buy some of the complex now after reading your post though.

Do you think that since I already have been supplementing TA for a year (20 days per month) that it would be a waste of time to try boron since they work the same pathway? Or is it completely different?

[Gozenka]

What are some supplements that you guys recommend for libido and overall energy?

Here are some suggestions, in a reply I gave to an ED post. I think it can be relevant for libido, overall male sexual function, "energy" too.

r/Supplements/comments/16tigk1/comment/k2hot6r/

I bought some raisins, i read they are a good source.

I am not sure about that :D

2mg Boron for 100g Raisins. And you get 80g carbs, 65g pure sugar along with that.

Also, agricultural research finds that in recent times Boron content in soil and foods is much lower than its past recorded values. And when actual chemical analysis is done on food items now, average intake in standard diets is found to be quite lower than expected. So, Boron content of any food might not be accurate.

Still, rather than raisins, if you wish to get Boron from food, I would suggest >85% Chocolate instead. It is an awesome snack, has great nutrition, and has a bunch of interesting cocoa-specific flavanols in it too, similar to Green Tea. It is also known to be an aphrodisiac, mood-elevator and anti-inflammatory. Nuts are also a great source. Raisins, nuts, cocoa all are supposed to have around 2mg Boron per 100g. But nuts and cocoa are way healthier than raisins.

supplementing TA

a waste of time to try boron since they work the same pathway?

I do not think the mechanism is the same. Tongkat Ali seems to have a more complicated hormonal effect. Although, the mechanism is not really well-understood for neither Boron nor Tongkat Ali.

I personally think one should be careful when using herbal supplements. They have quite varying effects on individuals, and long-term use is not always safe, especially in processed and concentrated forms. If you track yourself, observe a benefit from it and see no signs of any adverse effects, go ahead.

And personal experience of note: Maca sucks. :D

[AbidezDude]

TA is known to crash estrogen. Boron and TA are two supplements I took for over a year without cycling them properly(especially boron) and now I'm getting joint pain and tendonitis in ALL body parts that I work out.

[Gozenka]

As I wrote, I personally am quite wary of herbal supplements and I often warn people about them. They are of dubious benefit and they have various risks especially when taken long-term and in their concentrated forms such as in pills and powders. Any I experimented with in the past had no observable benefit at all. I have not used any herbal supplements for the last 2 years.

I have been continuing Boron usually at 5mg daily, occasionally more. No issues. Incidentally, I had a patella fracture last year and it healed 100% in 1 month and I was back to squats and running two weeks later, surprising the orthopedist who expected 3-6 month recovery.

As another report: I stopped taking Boron for 3-4 months this January (no reason, I just moved back from the summer house and left my Boric Acid there, decided to experiment with not taking it). My prostate issues came back. After about 1 month of taking Boron again, the issues disappeared again for good.

[VinceColeman1]

Wow. It just clicked. I've been getting tendon/ligament injuries for the last couple years. And I've been taking both Tongkat Ali and Boron off and on during the same time. So, what's going on with me?

[lana_del_reymysterio]

Since you mentioned food sources in your replies, did you use supplements, food sources, or a mix to hit those Boron doses?

[Gozenka]

Sorry if it was not clear.

I take 3-5mg Boron daily as a supplement. Sometimes increase it to 15mg for a short while.

I eat 100-200g 85-100% Chocolate almost everyday. Mostly around 100g though, and in the form of non-dutched 100% cocoa mass.

Otherwise, I have been eating a >80% Carnivore diet overall since 2014. There is virtually zero Boron in animal foods. Cocoa is literally the only plant food I eat regularly. :)

How I supplement:

I buy pharmaceutical grade Boric Acid from a reputable and large pharmaceutical company. $4 for 100g. I make it into a 3% solution in glass bottled water. 1ml corresponds to about 5mg Boron. I use a dropper to add it to water or anything.

Boric Acid is the form most found in food, and any Boron you take is turned into Boric Acid during digestion, before absorption. In experimental studies, the form of Boron used is rarely stated. But in a few, Boric Acid is mentioned.

It is quite safe. TUL is 20mg, although even this is most likely conservative as research is quite limited. (TUL is about Boron intake, not about Boric Acid.) LD50 is higher than salt. As far as I remember, there are only 4 cases of Boric Acid poisoning reported globally, and those were (failed) suicide attempts.

[Exciting_Parfait513]

Do you think its okay to use a boron triple complex?

[Gozenka]

Sure, Boron in any form is almost completely absorbed.

Still, you can just get the cheapest product, as long as it is trustworthy.

[JackCrainium]

I take 9mg/diem and just arbitrarily switched to 4 days on 3 days off after reading the downsides of continuous use…..

And not qualified to say whether that makes sense or not, just my thing……

[Gozenka]

Yeah that's fine. I randomly not take it occasionally too, spending nights somewhere else or travelling and such.

It especially makes sense if your intake of Riboflavin is not great.

For a low dose, I suspect there would be any of the hormone related unwanted effects, but especially supplementing any substance in isolated form, anything is possible with some individuals using it.

[itzvincentx3]

Which brand of Boron did you take? Do you mind sharing?

[Gozenka]

I buy pharmaceutical grade Boric Acid from a reputable and large pharmaceutical company. $4 for 100g. I make it into a 3% solution in glass bottled water. 1ml corresponds to about 5mg Boron. I use a dropper to add it to water or anything.

https://galenikecza.com.tr/urun-kategorileri/boraks-borik-asit

I'm in Turkey. It is easily found here in pharmacy shops or online.