(Article medically reviewed by Dr. Zac Hyde M.D)
The fact that pine trees grow so tall and proud may be one of Mother Nature’s subtle hints of the unique nutrition of pine pollen.
You see, most people don’t know that this pollen has been used as a treatment for erectile dysfunction and other issues for thousands of years.
Indeed, even modern scientists have so far only scratched the surface as to this supplement’s many potential benefits.
What we do know is that pine pollen, like dark berries, turmeric, and ginger, is a legitimate superfood, with some stunning health effects.
In this article, we’ll explore the nutritional profile of this herbal supplement, while outlining some of its many benefits (sexual and otherwise).
The Nutritional Makeup of Pine Pollen
Pine pollen is packed with over 200 different bioactive nutrients.
In fact, it’s so dense in nutritive elements, it’s been referred to as “Nature’s Multivitamin” by health experts from around the world.
Of course, we’re not going to list all 200-plus elements in this pine pollen nutrition article.
Instead, I think it’s best to group the nutrients together and report what health benefits each of those groups provides.
Hormones in Pine Pollen
Pine pollen contains a variety of plant hormones that can be of great use to human males.
The most potent are testosterone, DHEA, Androstenedione and androsterone.
What’s important to remember about these hormones is that they are produced for and by plants.
So, while they might be beneficial to our human endocrine systems, our bodies don’t actually perceive them in the exact same way.
Think of it like putting an artificial sweetener like stevia into your coffee every morning.
Your body doesn’t process it the same way it would sugar, but your taste buds do.
That’s sort of what’s happening with the phyto-testosterone.
It supports your T levels without signaling to your testicles that extra testosterone is coming in from an outside source.
This ensures your testes keep right on pumping out the hormone, resulting in significant sexual health benefits.
In other words, pine pollen supports the action of testosterone in the human body, without causing suppression OR testicular atrophy.
That is a huge plus. Especially when compared to testosterone gels, patches or injections, which do suppress and do cause testicular atrophy
Another hormonal benefit comes from pine pollen’s phyto androgens, which can help regulate estrogen levels.
In older men, estrogen levels can start to creep up higher and higher due to age, chemical exposure and other factors.
When this happens, it can lower our testosterone, decrease androgen receptor sensitivity and cause us to gain weight in our belly and breasts.
However, pine pollen can slash that estrogen back down where it belongs.
This will allow testosterone to once again take the hormonal driver’s seat.
Amino Acids in Pine Pollen
Pine pollen boasts a whopping 17 different amino acids, but is particularly rich in Arginine, Aspartic acid, Glutamic acid, and Proline.
Many of these amino acids cannot be produced by our bodies, which means that the only way to avoid deficiency is to eat them.
Now, since it’s likely been a while since high school chemistry, I’ll remind you that amino acids are known as the “building blocks” of proteins.
For men, they help provide us with energy, assist in the creating and growth of muscles, and support the healing and repair of damaged cells.
They also support blood flow, which is essential to maintaining healthy, strong erections.
Indeed, several studies have reported that L-arginine can be a significant aid in the treatment of ED.
For instance, in the attached clinical trial, men suffering from various erectile issues were treated with L-arginine and Pycnogenol (pine bark extract).
By the three-month mark, nearly every man in the 40-person study was eventually able to achieve a normal erection.
Vitamins in Pine Pollen
Pine pollen is extremely high in Vitamin C (1686 mg), and also boasts significant amounts of Vitamins B1, B3, and E.
Of course, vitamins are what ensure that our body’s various systems all work as they should.
From muscles and teeth to our immune system and brain, they are essential to nearly every facet of our health.
Among the most commonly-cited vitamins for the treatment of erectile issues are B3 (also known as Niacin) and Vitamin C.
Both help contribute to nitric oxide release, which is critical to maintaining a healthy blood flow to the penis.
Niacin is also instrumental in lowering lipids and cholesterol in our bloodstream.
In men suffering from ED, this can have a notable effect on erection quality.
One study published in the International Society for Sexual Medicine provided niacin supplements to 160 males suffering from cholesterol-related ED.
After 12 weeks, most saw a marked improvement in the quality of their erections.
Though more research is planned, this study alone has moved Vitamin B3 to the top of many doctors’ treatment lists.
Minerals in Pine Pollen
There are trace elements and a wide range of minerals in pine pollen, though the ones to take note of are potassium, calcium, and zinc.
Potassium is well known for helping to smooth out overall blood flow, which can ensure your member gets a nice supply of oxygen-rich blood.
Calcium, too, has been shown to help with both circulation and the maintenance of healthy blood vessels.
On the other hand, Zinc is well-known by most men who take an interest in their sexual health.
Specifically, zinc deficiency has been shown to literally savage the testosterone levels of otherwise healthy men.
Perhaps the most famous study of this phenomenon was performed in 1996.
Men of various ages were fed a zinc-deficient diet for several months. Afterward, their testosterone levels were found to be reduced by nearly 75 percent!
Pine Pollen Nutrition – Antioxidants
It’s easy to dismiss the term “antioxidant” as little more than a buzzword to help companies sell products.
However, these substances are essential in protecting our bodies’ cells against free radicals.
Those are the unhealthy molecules present in many of the things we eat, smoke, and touch, and they can do incredible damage to our vital organs and tissues.
Fortunately, pine pollen, especially in high doses, is extremely rich in a wide variety of antioxidants.
Prime examples include polyphenols, phytosterols, oleic acid, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and flavonoids.
All of these are well known to have anti-aging effects, and for blocking the action of free radicals.
In fact, when ingested in high enough quantities, these antioxidants can undo loads of damage caused by everything from plastics and tobacco to pesticides and preservatives.
Among the many roles that antioxidants play in our bodily health is increasing the amount of vascular nitric oxide in our bloodstream.
As mentioned earlier, nitric oxide is very important to our circulatory system. However, it is also responsible for actually triggering our erection response.
The more we have in our system, the better our body will respond to sexual stimuli.
Sourcing Pine Pollen
There are dozens of different species of pine trees all over the world.
While they all provide pine pollen, it is the pollen of the Masson’s pine, Chinese red pine and Scots pine that are most often used in herbal supplements.
Unlike pine bark, pine pollen, for lack of a better word, is plant sperm used by the tree for reproduction.
It comes from the small male pine cones that sit on the outside of the tree’s branches.
When released, the pollen filters through air, hoping to come in contact with a female cone – the dry, multi-faceted seeds we so commonly see on the ground.
Pollen season varies depending on the tree and its environment, but it’s usually sometime in the spring.
If the male cones releases pollen when tapped, it’s usually a sign that they’re ready to be harvested.
Once removed, the pollen can simply be shaken out and sifted through fine mesh.
The result is a fine yellow powder with a strong, nutty flavor.
While it might seem innocuous enough, that powder has some magical properties, as we’ve just discussed.
Click here to see the raw cell wall broken pine pollen I’ve been using myself since 2014.
Pine Pollen Nutrition – Conclusion
Pine pollen is a superfood, sure, but there’s no overlooking its specific benefits to male sexual health.
And as men all over the world look for ways to improve performance, stave off the effects of aging, and treat issues like erectile dysfunction, pine pollen supplements are providing some very impressive results.
Whether you’re just looking to put a bit more spring back into your sexual step, or to treat an active erectile issue, pint pollen is a safe, all-natural solution.
