Boron deficiency, Inosine pranobex and POIS

[xeon]

Hello all!
The spring of last year when I had a sudden remission of POIS symptoms I remember I was taking two supplements:

- Boron - I have signs problems with my teeth, hyperthyroidism, my bones have become thinner etc.
"Among the possible problems boron deficiency can cause include hyperthyroidism, imbalance of sex hormones, osteoporosis, arthritis and abnormalities in the function of the nervous system." I suspect some of us may need more boron than others but I have all these symptoms! And they started appearing after I started having sex... I wonder if O depletes Boron with semen? Is semen rich in Boron?

- Inosine pranobex - an antiviral drug that is a combination of inosine and dimepranol acedoben in a ratio of 1 to 3. Inosine pranobex has no effect on viral particles itself. Instead, it acts as an immunostimulant, an analog of thymus hormones. Others say it can also act as a immunomodulator. I use the lowest dose as with high doses I get weird side effects like a “ghost” image, a shadow that overlaps with the primary image, etc. It's my theory people with POIS have thymus hormone problems.

With a 3rd supplement that would vary and I would rotate (either L-carnitine, CoQ10, or Milk Thissle or similar Liver-cleansing supps) - I don't think any of them did much, except cleanse my liver of course. The above two hide the key I think but I need others with similar experiences, n = 1 isn't enough for any medical theory.

Yesterday I took Boron and Inosine as it's again cold season and my teeth are again showing signs of de-mineralization. I Od and didn't get much of POIS symptoms except upset stomach. My testes also became larger and darker (better blood flow to them), the way they were the spring of 2022 when I took Boron + Inosine regularly! But I can never be sure if it's them or just pure luck or whatever. And which one of them works better.

Anyone care to try out one or both of them?
Or maybe you've checked your Boron levels / thymus funcion?

[xeon]

I spoke to my doctor and he says it was probably the Boron that helped me.
I have some Boron but can't try it because it has extra glycine added which somehow makes me have anxiety.
Last year I used a different brand.

[Muon]

What’s your Boron level?
I have seen 1 patient who used boron to boost his Testosterone.

[Progecitor]

I don't think we are necessarily boron deprived, but it can certainly positively regulate some of the pathways that are potentially involved in POIS, hence its addition to a POIS stack should be a good idea.

As the current article shows, boron has been proven to be an important trace mineral because it (1) is essential for the growth and maintenance of bone; (2) greatly improves wound healing; (3) beneficially impacts the body’s use of estrogen, testosterone, and vitamin D; (4) boosts magnesium absorption; (5) reduces levels of inflammatory biomarkers, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a); (6) raises levels of antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase; (7) protects against pesticide-induced oxidative stress and heavy-metal toxicity; (eight) improves the brains electrical activity, cognitive performance, and short-term memory for elders; (9) influences the formation and activity of key biomolecules, such as S-adenosyl methionine (SAM-e) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+); (10) has demonstrated preventive and therapeutic effects in a number of cancers, such as prostate, cervical, and lung cancers, and multiple and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; and (11) may help ameliorate the adverse effects of traditional chemotherapeutic agents.
The significant decrease in the men’s plasma E2 after 1 week of boron supplementation suggests a higher rate of conversion of total testosterone (T) to free testosterone (FT) in the testosterone metabolic pathway. In support, the ratios of FT/T, T/E2, and FT/E2 were all significantly increased, indicating boron had androgen amplifier effects: (1) FT/T (pg/mL/ng/mL) increased from 3.62 to 4.66; (2) T/E2 (ng/mL) rose from 91.68 to 148; and (3) FT/E2 (ng/mL) from 0.31 to 0.67.
Based on the results of animal studies, the researchers hypothesized that boron’s anti-inflammatory effects result from inhibition of the oxidative burst by scavenging cells (leukocytes) and excessive activity by neutrophils (ie, white cells that scavenge debris) and invaders outside of the circulatory system. Boron also boosts free-radical scavenging by raising levels of a triumvirate of antioxidant enzymes in blood and cells: SOD, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase.
Most recently, calcium fructoborate 110 mg 2 ×/d, which provides approximately 3 mg of boron 2 ×/d or 6 mg/d, was shown to improve knee discomfort within the first 14 days of treatment.
C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase protein produced in the liver in response to increased immune-cell production of proinflammatory cytokines (eg, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a). CRP is a known predictor of risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), heart attack, and stroke.
Not only is boron an inhibitor of 24-hydroxylase, but it also influences the formation and activity of boroesters in biomolecules containing cis-hydroxyl groups. Such boron-containing biomolecules include those that contain ribose (eg, S-adenosyl methionine [SAM-e], diadenosine phosphates, and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide [NAD+]). High-circulating homocysteine and depleted SAM-e have been implicated in many of the disorders that can be beneficially affected by intakes of boron of greater than or equal to 3 mg/d, including arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, and impaired brain function. Boron strongly binds oxidized NAD+, and, thus, might influence reactions in which NAD+ is involved, which include ATP production, calcium signaling, and the actions of the sirtuins, which are NAD-dependent deacetylases. Blocking NAD+ utilization, yet another beneficial action of boron, boosts NAD+ levels, activates sirtuins, and promotes healthy aging.
As research into the chemistry of boron-containing compounds has increased, they have been shown to be potent antiosteoporotic, anti-inflammatory, and antineoplastic agents both in vitro and in vivo.
Recently, however, papers have begun to appear that suggest estrogen’s role in the prostate is complicated by the differential actions of the estrogen receptors (ERs), ER-alpha and ER-beta. Stimulation of ERa promotes aberrant proliferation, inflammation, and premalignant pathology, whereas activation of ERB has beneficial effects regarding cellular proliferation and plays a protective role against carcinogenesis. Research in this area is just beginning, but it appears that boron-containing compounds may beneficially modulate estrogen receptors, selectively binding to ER-beta.
Inhibition of Tumor-induced Angiogenesis. Boronic acid, and a series of boron-containing phenoxyacetanilide derivatives, have also been shown to greatly inhibit hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1. HIFs are heterodimeric (alpha/beta) transcriptional factors and are major physiological stimuli for expression of angiogenesis factors.
No recommended levels have been set for boron, only an upper intake level (UL) of 20 mg/d. Human requirements for boron remain undefined. The only guideline is a tolerable UL, which for adults aged 18 years or older is approximately 20 mg/d. American diet does not do so, and boron’s beneficial effects on bone, sex steroids, and vitamin D do not appear at boron intakes of less than 3 mg/d. Americans’ daily dietary intake of boron was estimated to be approximately 1 mg/d in 1999.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4712861/

[Warrior]

Honestly, if money isn't an issue for you, I believe anyone with POIS should run comprehensive nutritional testing on the following nutrients at minimum:

—Vitamin D3
—Vitamin A
—Iodine
—Selenium
—Vitamin E
—Calcium
—Omega-3
—Boron
—Copper
—Iron
—Zinc
—Magnesium

All of these nutrients play critical roles in the immune system. POIS undoubtedly depletes the immune system. All of these nutrients need to be optimised. The only way to truly optimise intelligently would be to test their levels and supplement accordingly. Otherwise, you risk unbalancing them through unnecessary supplementation.