By Dr. Susan E. Brown, PhD
What do you think of when someone says “bone-building minerals?” If you’re like most people, calcium jumps to mind immediately. Maybe you also think of magnesium and even zinc.
But most people aren’t aware of three important trace minerals that are essential for bone health — manganese, copper and boron. While only needed in small amounts, they make a huge difference for our bones.
Here’s what the research says:
Bone-building benefits of manganese, copper and boron
1. Manganese is needed for functioning of several enzymes central to bone formation.
- Women with osteoporosis have 75% lower manganese than those without osteoporosis, according to studies. (Interestingly, women have more manganese in hip bone than men.)
- One study, which looked at 25 different variables, found that only manganese was significantly different between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic women.
- Multi-nutrient studies have incorporated manganese supplementation and showed an increase in bone mineral density.
2. Copper helps form collagen for bone and connective tissue, and low copper levels are associated with osteoporosis development.
- One early study found copper levels in elderly patients with hip fractures were significantly lower than those of matched controls.
- Another study of perimenopausal women who consumed 1 mg of copper daily reported a decrease in bone loss of the spine after supplementation with 3 mg copper.
3. Boron is essential for bone growth, and it also supports other bone-building nutrients.
- Boron supplementation markedly reduces excretion of calcium and magnesium.
- Boron increases Vitamin D utilization.
- Boron also helps to reduce inflammation and protect against oxidative damage from heavy metals and other toxins.
How much of these trace nutrients do you need?
If people don’t know about the importance of these trace nutrients, it probably comes as no surprise that most of us aren’t getting enough!
- The current daily allowance for manganese is 2.3 mg/d for adult males and 1.8 mg/d for females.
- Copper, which can be toxic in higher amounts, is set at 900 micrograms — just under 1 mg — for adults. Nearly three-fourths of US adults failed to consume even this tiny amount.
- While there is no RDA for boron, researchers suggest a minimum intake of 3 mg a day and a maximum of 20 mg/day. Unfortunately most of us consume only ½ to 1 mg of boron daily.
When choosing your bone health supplements, the research is clear that you should look for trace nutrients on the label.
