Does Pine Pollen Work For Raising Testosterone?
The Low-Down on Pine Pollen:
Pine pollen is a term used to refer to supplements derived from the pollen of pine trees. Pine trees, in general, refer to the genera of pinus, and the pollen that is commonly used as a dietary supplement is the Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) due to some studies having detected a testosterone content in this pollen.
In regards to the above, the testosterone content of Scots pine pollen appears to be too low to cause appreciable effects in the human body due to testosterone ingestion despite it being a higher concentration than the testosterone found in Royal Jelly. No studies have been conducted in humans on any parameter related to testosterone such as aphrodisiac, muscle growth, or general male vitality.
Pine pollen appears to have a traditional usage in Chinese medicine as well, although the species used have been those available in the region and these are not the Scots pine. These studies are preliminary but suggest a possible anti-inflammatory effect that could benefit arthritis, but due to a lack of compositional studies on the pine pollen (ie. what is actually in the pollen that could be mediating the anti-inflammatory effects), it is not known if these properties extend to Scots Pine.
Overall, this supplement is heavily underresearched and at this moment in time, it cannot be recommended for any particular usage in humans until more studies are conducted.
Does Pine Pollen Do... Anything?
There’s currently a lack of research to back up these claims or to support pine pollen’s supposed effects on testosterone levels. Scientists have yet to explore the potential benefits of pine pollen in EITHER clinical trials OR animal-based research (basically: we have no human studies).
Some preliminary studies (petri dish / not human or animal studied) have shown that substances extracted from Chinese red pine may offer certain health benefits (such as anti-tumor effects and protection against oxidative stress), while extracts of Scots pine may possess cancer-fighting properties. However, none of these studies tested the effects of pine pollen in particular.
In a report published in Frontiers in Pharmacology in 2016, researchers found some evidence that an herbal formula containing Song Hua Fen (a pine pollen product used in traditional Chinese medicine) may aid in the prevention of a liver problem called hepatic fibrosis. This variety of pine pollen was sourced from a different species of pine than what’s typically found in the pine pollen products available in the U.S.
Our Overall Impression:
Skip Pine Pollen; there isn't enough compelling research that it's effective - outside of its anti-inflammatory effects. There are so many better (research-proven) testosterone-boosting and anti-inflammatory compounds like those we discuss in the links below:
- https://www.fitfatherproject.com/natural-testosterone-supplements-that-work-guide/
- https://www.fitfatherproject.com/boost-testosterone-practical/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PykRbzb6GUU
- https://youtu.be/1U5W1pQjqmA
We hope you found this helpful!
-The Fit Father Project Training Staff