Boron for Hair: What the Research Actually Shows
Boron shows up on a lot of "minerals for hair" lists. The honest picture is narrower than those lists suggest: boron is a trace mineral with real effects on how the body handles hormones, but no study has tested whether taking it changes hair growth, thickness or shedding in people.
This guide covers what the research does show, where to get boron from food, and how much is considered safe.
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Key Takeaways
- There are no human studies on boron and hair growth. Claims that boron "reduces hair loss" or "promotes regrowth" aren't backed by direct evidence.
- A small human study showed boron changes steroid hormone levels, including a rise in DHT in men.
- Most adults in the US get about 1 mg of boron a day from food, mainly from fruit, nuts, legumes, coffee and milk.
- No daily requirement has been set for boron. The tolerable upper limit for adults is 20 mg a day.
What Is Boron?
Boron is a trace mineral found in soil, water and plant foods. Plants need it to grow, and in people it appears to play a part in bone health and in the metabolism of other minerals and hormones.
Does Boron Help Hair Growth?
There is no direct evidence that it does. We searched the published research and found no human trial that gave people boron and measured hair growth, hair density or hair shedding.
The idea that boron helps hair comes from indirect links: it affects hormones and mineral metabolism. Those links are worth understanding, but they are not proof of a hair benefit, and one of them may point the other way.
What About Topical Boron?
We found no studies of boron applied to the scalp for hair growth. Boric acid, the form often found in products, is not something to experiment with at home, and we don't recommend home-made boron or boric acid scalp treatments.
Should You Take Boron For Your Hair?
Based on current evidence, there's no reason to take a boron supplement specifically for hair. Food gives most people a steady supply, and the hair benefits often claimed for boron haven't been tested.
If you're losing hair, it's more useful to look at the causes with good evidence behind them, such as genetics and hormones, iron or other nutrient shortfalls, stress, and thyroid problems. Seeing a doctor or dermatologist can help you find out which applies to you.
What The Research Shows
Boron And Hormones
In a small study of eight healthy men, taking 10 mg of boron a day for a week raised free testosterone and lowered estradiol. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) also went up, and markers of inflammation went down (Naghii et al., 2011). Nobody has studied whether boron's effect on DHT affects hair. The hormone findings in other small studies aren't consistent, and these studies were short.
How Much Boron Do You Need?
Unlike iron or zinc, boron has no official dietary requirement. No estimated average requirement or recommended intake has been set, only an upper limit of 20 mg a day for adults, which is roughly 20 times what most people get from food (Pizzorno, 2015).
Food Sources
A large analysis of the American diet found that the typical adult gets about 1 mg of boron a day: a median of 1.02 mg for men and 0.83 mg for women. Coffee and milk contribute the most by volume because people drink a lot of them. The richest common sources are peanut butter, peanuts and other nuts, raisins and wine (Rainey et al., 1999).
Talk to your doctor before taking boron supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have kidney disease, have a hormone-sensitive condition, or are being treated for hair loss.
See also: Nickel and Hair: Allergy, Diet & Hair Analysis · Magnesium for Hair: What the Research Shows
Frequently Asked Questions
Does boron cause hair loss?
There's no evidence that boron at normal dietary levels causes hair loss. One small study found that 10 mg a day raised DHT in men. Whether that affects hair hasn't been studied.
Is boron good for hair growth?
It hasn't been tested. No human study has measured the effect of boron on hair growth.
What foods are high in boron?
Peanut butter, peanuts and other nuts, raisins and wine are among the richest common sources. Coffee and milk contribute the most to the typical American diet because people drink a lot of them.
References
- Naghii MR, Mofid M, Asgari AR, et al. Comparative effects of daily and weekly boron supplementation on plasma steroid hormones and proinflammatory cytokines. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2011. PubMed
- Pizzorno L. Nothing Boring About Boron. Integr Med (Encinitas). 2015. PubMed
- Rainey CJ, Nyquist LA, Christensen RE, et al. Daily boron intake from the American diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999. PubMed
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