Pine Pollen - 9 Reasons To Take Nature's Testosterone Booster
In short, pine pollen is a potent source of natural androgens, including testosterone androgen mimics, it is a great nutritional source, especially of amino acids, vitamins and minerals, and it is an excellent general tonic for the human body, useful in preventing or alleviating a number of conditions common to aging” – Stephen Harrod Buhner
We all want to feel more energy, sleep better, have a healthy libido plus that drive to live life to the fullest. A lot of that is connected to the amount of testosterone you have. Hard to believe that the yellow dust we see each spring time coating our cars and streets is actually one of nature’s premier superfoods and contains natural testosterone plus other androgens. I recently read the book Pine Pollen: Ancient Medicine for a Modern World by Stephen Harrod Buhner. Here are the 9 biggest takeaways I learned from him. Be sure to check out his book for more detail.
- Testosterone Booster – Pine pollen contains androgens like testosterone and by using it as a tincture you can boost your testosterone levels within minutes. For this reason testosterone has gained a lot of attention especially from men in middle age. As testosterone levels start to dip using pine pollen as a therapy is a great way to maintain healthy energy levels and well being.
- Prostate Regulator – Pine pollen contains a sterol or plant steroid called Gibberlins which regulates the size of the prostate meaning that if it is too large it will shrink it and if it is too small it will increase its size.
- Raises SOD (superoxide dismutase) levels in heart, liver and brain - Superoxide dismutase is an enzyme that helps protect the body from free radicals by breaking down oxygen molecules in cells which might prevent damage to tissues.
- Potent Anti-inflammatory - Gibberlins are also responsible for pine pollen's anti-inflammatory properties as well as anti-tumour without affecting healthy cells.
- Stimulates Antiviral Activity – Due to two plant sterols – brassinolide and castasterone – pine pollen is strong anitviral against such viruses as Herpes 1, measels , area viruses plus others. “They have been found to be 10 to 18 times stonger than ribavirun – the main pharmaceutical antiviral”
- Helps rid the body of foreign chemicals – Pine pollen contains the plant sterol brassinosteroid brassinolide. “This has been found to enhance the function of liver microsomes which are crucial to the safe disposal of xenobiotics (foreign chemicals that end up in the body” – SB
- Improves fertility, erectile dysfunction and sperm count – Pine pollen contains the amino acid Arginine which a precursor for nitric oxide which helps increase blood flow to the penis. Arginine also boost growth hormone, improves fertility and is spermigenic.
- Stimulates the Immune System – Pine pollen contains polysaccharides which are sugars that are like food for the immune system. and are also found in superherbs like Chaga mushroom
- Anti-aging – Pine pollen contains DHEA. “DHEA has been shown to be associated with high levels of energy and well being, low obesity, enhanced libido and erectile ability, reduced depression, enhanced cognition, reduced death from coronary heart disease, improved insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance” - SB
With all these amazing health benefits it surprises me pine pollen isnt as popular as Goji berries. As our environment and then our bodies become increasingly estrogen dominant pine pollen will be an powerful ally in living a hormonally balanced life. Some other interesting facts about pine pollen are:
- You can collect pine pollen on your own quite easily and then make your own tincture. The season for collecting pollen from the catkins is usually March till May. The species used in the US and Canada is generally Pinus sylvestris and Pinu nigra
- Cracking the cell wall is not necessary except …..Stephen found that when eating the pine pollen in large amounts that it wasn’t necessary to have the cell walls cracked. Also with tinctures it wasn’t necessary. If you are eating it though in small amounts as in a supplement form or pill form then it would be beneficial to have cell wall cracked pine pollen because one study showed it resulted a 20% higher absorption rate in mice. If you collect your own pine pollen and tincture it dont worry about cracking the cell wall.
- Ideal times to take it would be upon rising, again at noon and then just before bed
- It has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years as natural health tonic and adaptogen. It was first mentioned by Shen Nong in The Pandects of Materia Medica over 2000 years ago.
- Pine pollen as a testosterone booster is great for men over 30 but probably not necessary for men under 30. It is still beneficial though as a nutritive.
- I’ve personally found pine pollen to be an exceptional superfood and have noticed an increase in energy. You have to try it for yourself though to really know the effects.
After trying many Pine Pollen tinctures & powders the one that I keep coming back to is the Surthrival Pure Potency. When I first wrote this post there was barely anyone selling Pine Pollen other than Surthrival and Harmonic Arts. Now you see so many people who have hopped on the bandwagon but Surthrival has been there for years and their product keeps getting better for a number of reasons.
1. They use the highest quality & best tasting ingredients - spring water, Tahitian vanilla , maple syrup, organe plus combine it with nettle root as an aromatase inhibitor.
2. The package it in a Miron Glass bottle for shelf life
3. Fast, easy and friendly service.
But....the only downside is they are out a lot of the time. If you want to check out their product click here to visit Surthrival