Nothing Boring About Boron

[LouisaMay]

Hi Ladies,

I just wanted to share this in case it can help anyone else. Having read the following article recently:

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

I added 3mg boron to my supplement regime. Within literally 3 days my left hip (sit bone area) which had been sore/achey/stiff for over a year, which I put down to Letrozole) is TONS better. It is such a relief, I feel so much better. Best wishes to everyone out there. x

[hopenowandtomorrow]

Interesting research article! The benefits look great. I’m glad you’re having good results! I read that it increases estrogen levels. For all of us with Estrogen Receptor Positive (ER+) MBC, it may not be a good idea to take it since estrogen feeds our cancer. Plus we are on estrogen blocking medication.

I am not a healthcare practitioner so someone else with more knowledge can chime in here.

All the best!

🙏❤️🙏

[LouisaMay in reply to hopenowandtomorrow]

Well I'm no scientist either but as far as I can gather, boron is good for ER+ MBC. The estradiol is a beneficial or neutral form of estrogen. The 'bad' one is estrone I believe? My understanding is that boron is beneficial for hormone balance as well as bone health and the extra-cellular matrix. Open to other thoughts though of course. x

[TammyCross]

Thanks, Sandra. I am always skeptical and look to your post to set me straight. In this case, I started out dubious because of the estrogenergic effect of Boron , but then became hopeful -- no bone pain in hips? reduce inflammation? (I had an auto-immune disease before mbc). I wanted to hope that, because they mentioned that it was beneficial for breast cancer, and most breast cancer is ER+, somehow it wouldn't be harmful. Of course, you are right. I haven't checked other pubs on Boron, as I should. So just more avocados and peanut butter.

[LouisaMay]

Aargh! I will speak to my team...what a shame, the relief from hip pain is phenomenal!

[TammyCross in reply to LouisaMay]

Please do. I was thinking of talking to mine -- no "team" really -- but my oncologist is not someone who can explain things, or even look things up. (Saw her last week about my latest PET/CT and she said she didn't remember what SUV stood for, but that they don't think below 3 indicates cancer. I said mine were 4. She said, "As I said, 3 or 4..." If I were a breast oncologist, supposedly a hot shot at a top hospital, I think I would look up SUV before I talked to a patient.) Also, an oncology pharmacologist? Do people have those on their "team?"

I hope they say it is okay, and then we can get rid of the hip pain and other benefits. I am sure you will let us know. I will then ask my oncologist, or the nurse practitioner who works with her and does listen to me and look things up.

[LouisaMay in reply to TammyCross]

Yes, 'team' would be a bit strong in my case too! An oncologist I've never met (telephone consults only since COVID) and a breast care nurse (never met here either). I'm not due to speak to my onc till Jan but I'll see if I can get to speak to him earlier. I'll report back if I get any information. My hip pain hasn't entirely gone but is about 90% improved which makes a big difference to my quality of life.

[TammyCross in reply to LouisaMay]

Wow, you can't see them? And you won't talk for a couple of months? That doesn't sound right. I can always write mine by email if I have a question like yours. Perhaps I should. Usually a nurse practitioner answers or calls me.

[LouisaMay in reply to TammyCross]

I should say I moved house and changed hospital so I've never met the current oncologist. I will phone or email in the next couple of days and report back...

[LouisaMay]

Wow, yes it must be great to have such a good relationship with your oncologist. That is a very useful list, thank you Sandra. x

[Sebina]

Thanks Sandra for sharing 💕

[LouisaMay]

Well, I have spoken to my breast care nurse who spoke to my oncologist. His response was quite simple: he doesn't know anything about boron so it would be better not to take it. Unfortunately he seems to either too busy or not interested enough to look into it for me.

So I'm going to continue taking it for a short while. It is making life so much more bearable. My own research tells me it is a great bone strengthener, can assist in apoptosis of cancer calls and is protective of the extra-cellular matrix. All this is clearly good. Regarding estradiol, it appears to extend the half life of circulating estradiol. However, being on an aromatase inhibitor, I should have very little/no circulating estradiol. Quality of life is very important to me. Please do not read this as advice for anyone else, it's just my choice.