Benefits and research

Pine pollen is inherently a powerhouse.

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It is the spark that ignites the creation of a seed that will become a billion times bigger than itself.

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It is not only made up of a cocktail of plant steroids, auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, ethylene, abscisic acid.
It also has a staggering arsenal of 20 different amino acids (including all nine essential amino acids), 15 different vitamins, over 30 different micro and macro minerals, and over 100 other biologically active and important compounds, including many living enzymes and coenzymes, flavonoids, nucleic acids, saccharides, and unsaturated fatty acids.

This is what a pine tree needs to get launched into existance. So what can it do for us? The 7 main reported benefits are:

  • Immune system support
  • Energy, vitality & endurance
  • Libido
  • Supports a healthy endocrine system
  • Fights allergies
  • Better sleep quality and recovery

 

What's the big deal?

 

Most of the interest around pine pollen is that it contains plant based hormones that is recognized by the human body as its own like phyto-androgens; a nutrient that acts as a natural precursor of male hormones like testosterone. Good for both men and women (although women have more female hormones than men, they have over 10 times more testosterone than estrogen and progesterone combined!).

 Other classes of plant hormones found in significant amounts in pine pollen include:

 

  • Brassinosteroids: Beside anticancerous effects, they possess antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, and ecdysteroidal ( Recent studies [1] suggest that the anabolic effect of ecdysterone, a naturally occurring steroid hormone claims to enhance physical performance and muscle mass) properties.

  • Polysaccharides (arabinogalactan and xylogalacturonan): Polysaccharides are highly associated with increased stool volume, frequency, and fat and bile acid concentrations , which reinforce gut health. Moreover, the intestinal immune system is enhanced by polysaccharides, as indicated by the increased secretion of immunoglobulin A (sIgA) levels.

  • Auxins plays a crucial role as anti-tumour agent in human cell [2].

    • Polyphenols: Research shows polyphenols can help manage blood pressure levels and keep your blood vessels healthy and flexible, promoting good circulation. They also help reduce chronic inflammation, another risk factor for heart disease. Polyphenols can reduce and help control your blood sugar levels.
      • Abscisic Acid : Abscisic acid is naturally present in fruits and vegetables, and it plays an important role in managing glucose homeostasis in humans [4]. ABA increases insulin sensitivity and suppresses obesity-related inflammation.


      Pine pollen research

       1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31123801/

      2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/human-cell

      3. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2215017X22000479#bib001

      4. Abscisic Acid: A Novel Nutraceutical for Glycemic Control https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2017.00024/full
      5. The Potential Effects and Use of Chinese Herbal Medicine Pine Pollen (Pinus pollen): A Bibliometric Analysis of Pharmacological and Clinical Studies ( Shi-Bing Liang 2021 Jul 28.
      6. Clinical study of chrome-rich pine pollen in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, (Fang Zhaohui, see Translation 2019)
      7. Analysis of pharmacological effects and clinical application of pine pollen. (Sheng wise et al, 2018)
      8. Effects of Pine Pollen Extract in Relieving Hot Flushes in Sex Hormone-Deficienct Rats.  (Thisayakorn, 2017)
      9. Androgenic and Anabolic Effects of Pinus tabulaeformis Carr Pollen in Clarias gariepinus. (Ausussto S Jr,  2017)
      10. Plant Hormone Cytokinins for Modulating Human Aging and Age-Related Diseases. (Jiří Voller, 2017)
      11. The Plant Hormone Abscisic Acid is a Prosurvival Factor in Human and Murine Megakaryocytes. (Malara A, 2017)
      12.Immune-Enhancing Effects of Taishan Pinus massoniana Pollen Polysaccharides on DNA Vaccine Expressing Bordetella avium ompA (Fujie Zhu, 2016)
      13. Effect of pine pollen extract on experimental chronic arthritis; (Axenov-Gribanov DV, 2016)
      14. Analysis of human food safety and laxative function of pine pollen Wen Ping Jing, 2016)
      15. he protective effects of Masson pine pollen aqueous extract on CCl4-induced oxidative damage of human hepatic cells. Jin X, 2015)
      16. Characterization and Biological Activity of Taishan Pinus massoniana Pollen Polysaccharide In Vitro (Shifa Yang, 2015)
      17. Actinobacteria possessing antimicrobial and antioxidant activities isolated from the pollen of scots pine; (Gen-Xiang Mao, 2012)
      18. Antiaging Effect of Pine Pollen in Human Diploid Fibroblasts and in a Mouse Model Induced by D-Galactose (Gen-Xiang Mao, 2012)
      19. Pine pollen inhibits cell apoptosis-related protein expression in the cerebral cortex of mice with arsenic poisoning, Yanhong Luo, 2012)
      20. Mechanisms of natural brassinosteroid-induced apoptosis of prostate cancer cells. Steigerová J,  2012)
      21. Brassinosteroids inhibit in vitro angiogenesis in human endothelial cells (LucieRárová, 2012)
      22. Brassinosteroids and analogs as neuroprotectors: Synthesis and structure–activity relationships Author (JihaneIsmaili, 2012)
      23. Rapid effects of novel phytoandrogen adjuvant therapy (PAT) onmetabolic health: a gender, age and BMI matched case-control study (Ong YC, 2011)
      24. Anabolic effect of plant brassinosteroids. (Debora Esposito, 2011)
      25. Oxidative activation of indole-3-acetic acids to cytotoxic species— a potential new role for plant auxins in cancer therapy. (Lisa K.Folkes, 2011)
      26. Brassinosteroids cause cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of human breast cancer cells. (Steigerová, 2010)
      27. Anti-fatigue Effects of Flavone in Pinus Massoniana Pollen on Mice (WU Jing-jing,2010)
      28. Antioxidant and antiinflammatory activity of pine pollen extract in vitro. (Lee KH. (2009)
      29. Model Induced by D-Galactose Pine pollen polly-sacchrided on reactive oxygen species,(Lee KH1,2009)
      30. The phytohormone auxin induces G1 cell-cycle arrest of human tumor cells. (Ester K, 2009)
      31. Allergenicity and cross-reactivity of pine pollen. (Gastaminza G, et al. ,2009)
      32. Anticancer and antiproliferative activity of natural brassinosteroids (JanaMalíková, 2008)
      33. Abscisic acid is an endogenous stimulator of release from human pancreatic islets with cyclic ADP ribose as second messenger. Bruzzone S, 2008)
      34. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of pine (Pinus densiflora) pollen extract. ( Wang YM, 2007)
      35. Effects of pine pollen polysaccharide and its sulfate on the production of ROS in cardiomyocytes (Geng Yue, 2007)
      36. Effective Components and Pharmacological Function of Pine Pollen (He Xiaoyan, 2007)
      37. Chen Wei; Study on Extraction and Determination of Choline in Pine Pollen ( Li Ying ;2006)
      38. Pine pollen hits cell defense Yan Zhenli, 2006)
      39. Analysis of pine pollen by using FTIR, SEM and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. (Guang Pu, 2005)
      40. Interventional effects of pine pollen in rats with hyperplasia of prostate, (T. Cong, 2005)
      41. Analysis of pharmacological effects and clinical application of pine pollen in combination with other Chinese patent formulas in clinical trials. (In benign prostatic hyperplasia: Wang Fuchang, 2004, and in primary hypertention, Hu Guocan et al 2005)
      42. The mechanism and clinical application of pine pollen. (Zhao Lixin, 2004)
      43. Transition from a botanical to a molecular classification in tree pollen allergy: implications for diagnosis and therapy. (Mothes N, .2004)
      44. Roux KH, Teuber SS, Sathe SK. Tree nut allergens. Int Arch Allergy Immunol. (2003)
      45. Multiple pollen sensitization: a molecular approach to the diagnosis. (Mari A, 2001)
      46. Biphasic effect of nitric oxide on male hormones and cyclic GMP production by purified rat Leydig cells cultured in vitro (Sandra Valenti, 2001)
      47. Pine pollen allergy in northern Arizona. (Freeman GL. 1993)
      48. Antiviral effect of brassinosteroids against herpes virus and arenaviruses. (Wachsman MB, 2000)
      49. Vitamin D and its metabolites in the pollen of pine. Part 5: Steroid hormones in the pollen of pine species. Pharmazie. (Saden-Krehula M, Tajíć M.1987) 
      50. Test. and androgens in hormone in royal jelly.  (J. Vittek, 1986)
       51. Bio-identical phytoandrogens in the pollen of Scotch pine P. silvestris L. (Li J, Zhang Z, 1971 )