Nettle Root Binds to SHBG

[andrewBwinter]

An interesting read on the androgenic benefits of nettle root.

I subscribe to a juice forum and part of post cycle therapy (PCT) is the use of nettle root for 3 months post cycle. However, I was never able to suss-out why it was beneficial. Apparently nettle doesn't lower SHBG, but rather it binds to SHBG in so doing, it prevents SHBG having room to bind to T and then allowing for more free T.

I also follow Derek at MPMD on YouTube and he has a video on SHBG and why it isn't beneficial to crush it. So the upshot is, nettle root binds to SHBG allowing for more free T.

Thoughts?

The article:

Nettle Root and Hormonal Health

If I were to pick out one single herb for men and women as they move into middle age, Nettle Root would be a top contender.

www.rawforestfoods.com

 

[andrewBwinter]

"Nettle Root works to bind to SHBG, so that testosterone does not"

 

[Vince]

"Nettle Root works to bind to SHBG, so that testosterone does not"

Have you tried nettle root?

 

[andrewBwinter]

Have you tried nettle root?

I've used nettle "aerial parts" and had better success than saw palmetto with BPH. But i see a distinction with nettle root tincture which I picked up earlier today.

 

[Vince]

I thought this part was good.

Unlike the common herb Saw Palmetto, which is usually prescribed both for prostate issues and for hormonal hair loss in men and women, Nettle Root is effective in treating both, without preventing the important conversion of testosterone to DHT. Many researchers view DHT as the active form of testosterone, and testosterone as only a prohormone to DHT. In fact, DHT is 15-30 times more potent than testosterone. Furthermore, unlike testosterone, DHT cannot be converted to the harmful estrogenic metabolite estradiol. You will see, DHT actually protects this conversion from happening.

 

[gallant]

Should a person with low SHBG avoid this? I'd like to try it for prostate health but have low SHBG and no problem with free testosterone levels.

 

[DorianGray]

Easy to do a self-directed clinical trial on this one. Some Discounted Labs lab work before, take the supplement for three months, test again. Who's in?

 

[andrewBwinter]

Should a person with low SHBG avoid this? I'd like to try it for prostate health but have low SHBG and no problem with free testosterone levels.

Can't really give advice. I interpret the article to show that nettle root will bind to SHBG allowing for more free test. In addition, it doesn't appear to raise or lower SHBG, but renders it less effective. You would have to research the parameters of free T to determine an acceptable level for yourself.

 

[andrewBwinter]

I thought this part was good.

Unlike the common herb Saw Palmetto, which is usually prescribed both for prostate issues and for hormonal hair loss in men and women, Nettle Root is effective in treating both, without preventing the important conversion of testosterone to DHT. Many researchers view DHT as the active form of testosterone, and testosterone as only a prohormone to DHT. In fact, DHT is 15-30 times more potent than testosterone. Furthermore, unlike testosterone, DHT cannot be converted to the harmful estrogenic metabolite estradiol. You will see, DHT actually protects this conversion from happening.

So SP prevents the conversion of T to DHT, which some researchers find to be a more valuable form of T. I don't think my scalp would agree with DHT being valuable. I attribute my hair loss to dating seriously. Go figure.

 

[Vince]

So SP prevents the conversion of T to DHT, which some researchers find to be a more valuable form of T. I don't think my scalp would agree with DHT being valuable. I attribute my hair loss to dating seriously. Go figure.

Unlike the common herb Saw Palmetto, which is usually prescribed both for prostate issues and for hormonal hair loss in men and women, Nettle Root is effective in treating both, without preventing the important conversion of testosterone to DHT.

It sounds like nettle root, does both. Help prevent prostate issues and prevents hair loss without affecting DHT levels.

 

[andrewBwinter]

Unlike the common herb Saw Palmetto, which is usually prescribed both for prostate issues and for hormonal hair loss in men and women, Nettle Root is effective in treating both, without preventing the important conversion of testosterone to DHT.

It sounds like nettle root, does both. Help prevent prostate issues and prevents hair loss without affecting DHT levels.

That's the confusing one because DHT has long been the demon in hair loss, for some... not all.

 

[Cataceous]

... So the upshot is, nettle root binds to SHBG allowing for more free T.

Thoughts?
...

Newer thinking is that SHBG has minimal influence on free testosterone. Instead it is the testosterone production rate or dose rate that drives free testosterone at steady state. If nettle root does effectively reduce the amount of SHBG then one might expect reduced total testosterone, but little change in free testosterone after stabilization.

An acute effect seems possible. If the relevant nettle root lignans increase quickly in the blood then a short-lived increase in free testosterone might be expected. It's unclear if this would have any real-world significance. In the best case the lignans aren't metabolized very quickly, thus avoiding a subsequent lowering of free testosterone below baseline.

The article:
...

The Internet, a place where anyone can publish authoritative sounding rubbish:

For most healthy individuals, High levels of estrogen and testosterone are damaging only after they have become bound to SHBG . Once estrogen or testosterone have become bound to SHBG, they begin the process of being converted into harmful estrogen metabolites, like estradiol. By keeping these sex hormones free, the rates of conversion to harmful metabolites are decreased.​

Peer-reviewed statements are more useful:

Lignans from root extract inhibit not only the binding of androgens to their transporter proteins SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin), but also their binding to the prostate’s membrane receptors, inhibiting their proliferative activity on prostate tissues (Schöttner et al., 1997; Chrubasik et al., 2007; Hryb et al., 1995). The root extract reduces estrogen synthesis and thus the conversion of androgens to estrogens via blocking aromatase (Gansser and Spiteller, 1995).​

 

[Vince]

Nettles Uses, Benefits & Dosage - Drugs.com Herbal Database

Learn about the potential benefits of Nettles including contraindications, adverse reactions, toxicology, pharmacology and historical usage.

www.drugs.com

 

[andrewBwinter]

Nettles Uses, Benefits & Dosage - Drugs.com Herbal Database

Learn about the potential benefits of Nettles including contraindications, adverse reactions, toxicology, pharmacology and historical usage.

www.drugs.com

This looked interesting:
"used in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), diabetes, and arthritis."

OA _ "Limited clinical trials using nettle leaves to reduce pain associated with osteoarthritis have been conducted.27, 28 The methodological quality of these small studies is limited29, 30; however, further clinical trials may be warranted based on self-reported measures.31"

Good read @Vince