Category: SHBG

SHBG Test: Don’t Underestimate Its Value For Your Health

There’s a lot of talk about testing your total and free testosterone levels, but not much about the regular use of an SHBG test. After all, why would you want to measure a blood protein to get an idea of your hormone levels?

Actually, research is gaining ground as to its tremendous impact on your hormone health. Some doctors even recommend carrying out this test regularly to keep an eye on one’s risk for certain diseases and disorders.

So, read on to find out what makes SHBG a crucial marker for your health.

What’s SHBG?

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) is a carrier protein that defines the amount of unbound (free) sex hormones in your bloodstream. In men, these include testosterone, estrogen, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

SHBG regulates your hormone levels by binding with them and thus negating their bioavailability. With SHBG bound to them, these hormones cannot enter a cell and activate the appropriate receptors and molecular pathways.

The liver is the primary source of SHBG, producing this protein in accordance with the level of certain other hormones in your bloodstream.

For example, SHBG decreases whenever there’s an increase in your insulin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), prolactin, growth hormone, and transcortin. On the other hand, it increases when there’s an abundance of thyroxine and estrogen.

What Makes SHBG Levels Important?

Keeps Your Hormones Balanced

Due to a process known as aromatization, having too much free testosterone in your blood can actually cause your estrogen levels to increase. In turn, this would lead to a nasty hormonal imbalance and cause a lot of negative effects on your body.

This is why when your thyroid detects there’s too much free testosterone and estrogen in your blood, it prompts the liver to produce sex hormone binding globulins by releasing thyroid hormone.

However, when there’s too much SHBG in your blood, your body might not have enough bioavailable sex hormones to use up.

It doesn’t matter if your total testosterone is normal or even optimal if your SHBG levels are too high. This would still result in low testosterone as there’s little to no free testosterone available.

This is why checking yourself with an SHBG test is so important. Knowing your level of this crucial protein can give you a better picture of your hormonal health.

With just the right sex hormone-binding globulin levels, your body’s hormonal balance can be at its optimal state. On the other hand, when too high or too low SHBG can prevent your body from using bioavailable sex hormones for its needs.

An Indicator of Cardiovascular Health

Your SHBG levels are associated with various markers of cardiovascular health. In particular, this makes SHBG a good measure for estimating the body’s risk for cardiovascular disease.

Low levels of the carrier protein coincide with calcification of blood vessels, a common feature of advanced atherosclerosis or arterial plaque. This condition is the primary cause of cardiovascular disease wordlwide.

For men, SHBG levels are even a sign of increased risk of death due to cardiovascular events such as stroke or heart attack.

Protects Your Body From Cancer

A variety of cancers, particularly of the breast and prostate, are stimulated by both estrogen and testosterone. Luckily, SHBG’s nullifying effect on hormones counteracts the effect of these hormones on the proliferation of cancer.

For example, it blocks the estrogen-related mechanisms exploited by breast cancer cells. Eventually, this leads to stopping cancer cell proliferation and promoting the death of cancer cells.

As for prostate cancer, SHBG determines the severity and invasiveness of tumor growth in the prostate gland. For this reason, an SHBG test is often required to determine if patients should be treated with a more aggressive surgical procedure.

Keeps Your Bones Healthy

It’s widely accepted that declining estrogen contributes to bone mineral loss. However, recent research suggests that estrogen does not have anything to do with this decline in bone density.

Likewise, some studies seem to point out that SHBG has an inverse relationship with bone mineral density. Elevated SHBG has been seen to coincide with the increased incidence of vertebrae and peripheral bone fractures borne from osteoporosis.

Provides Insights on Women’s Health

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is becoming one of the most common and alarming female health issues—and it’s also connected to SHBG. Low SHBG (along with insulin resistance and elevated testosterone production) is usually seen in women suffering from PCOS.

Attempting to increase SHBG and undergoing anti-androgen therapy may have positive effects. But, this metabolic syndrome-like dilemma sometimes requires ovarian drilling, which is a rather invasive process that reduces follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion.

A Marker for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when a person has a blockage in their upper air pathways. Due to this blockage, breathing becomes intermittent which makes it difficult for them to have a good night’s sleep.

One’s SHBG levels are an indicator of sleep apnea due to its disruptive effects on the endocrine system. Lower SHBG correlates with more severe cases of sleep apnea.

Given the difficulty of detecting sleep apnea, it’s good to know that measuring your SHBG levels could reveal whether you’re experiencing it or not.

Can Be an Indicator to Prevent Diabetes

Lower SHBG levels in both men and women indicate increased chances of developing type-2 diabetes. Through an SHBG test, you can determine if you have an increased risk for diabetes, meaning you’d have the chance to follow intervention strategies to prevent its development.

How SHBG Is Tested

SHBG can be checked through a blood or saliva test. There’s a variety of options available, and some of them even allow you to check your SHBG at the comfort of your home.

Keep in mind when testing that there are certain drugs and substances that can lower or increase your SHBG levels, making the results inaccurate. These include anticonvulsants, metformin, caffeine, exogenous insulin, tamoxifen, progestin, glucocorticoids, oral estradiol, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and H2 antagonists.

So, before testing for SHBG, it’s best to consult your doctor on how to do so without these drugs affecting your results.

Get Started

Truth be told, there are many other health concerns linked to SHBG. Cushing’s disease, liver disease, disrupted thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) secretion, obesity (including the accumulation of intra-abdominal fat)—SHBG plays a major role in all of these conditions.

As you see, this protein is a fundamental factor to keep track of if you value your health. Taking a test will give you the information you need to make the best decisions for achieving optimal testosterone balance.

There are kits that allow you to conveniently check your hormone and SHBG levels at home—you can easily get your blood or saliva samples and send them to the specified lab for testing. However, these test kits are often limited and lack the precision that a laboratory SHBG test can provide.

April 23, 2018
Calcium Fructopyranose Borate: An Unexpected T-Booster?
Due to current farming practices, we are getting fewer and fewer nutrients from our vegetables. One of them is boron and, if you want to get the best boron supplement out there, you might want to take a look at calcium fructopyranose borate.

As you’ll find out in this article, boron is crucial for our body’s upkeep, optimal health, and for our fitness goals as well. Therefore, it’s important to look into supplementing with the mineral and in this article, we will explain everything you need to know about it.

Some Calcium Fructopyranose Borate Basics

Calcium fructopyranose borate is a form of boron that our bodies can use for its needs. It’s a chemical compound naturally occurring in plants, including certain fruit and vegetables.

Calcium fructopyranose borate is also known as calcium fructoborate, CFB, or organic boron. Regarding its use as a supplement, it’s relatively new and is usually taken before a workout to, primarily, boost testosterone.

But, as experts have discovered, the mineral isn’t just for boosting male hormone levels. Boron offers so much more for our health, especially when taken in this form.

Calcium Fructoborate is a good supplement for men looking to increase their testosterone for purposes of building a better physique and/or improving their overall health.

By using pregnenolone cream or pregnenolone supplements, the levels of the compound in the body increases, and this brings about various benefits such as fatigue relief, and delay of the aging process.

Benefits of Calcium Fructoborate

Raise Testosterone Levels

As we’ve mentioned, calcium fructoborate is often used to increase testosterone levels.

But, just to be clear, it doesn’t directly cause any increase in one’s testosterone. What it does is it lowers sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels.

With lower SHBG, the body gets to have more free (thus bioavailable) testosterone in the bloodstream. As you should know by now, free testosterone binds to androgen receptors, which in turn leads to masculinizing effects.

Prevent Bone Demineralization

Research has shown that individuals with adequate intake of boron experience less bone mineral loss.

A clinical study monitored the urine of test subjects for the presence of bone minerals. It was discovered that increased boron supplementation coincides with decreased levels of bone minerals in their urine.

Bone demineralization mostly happens due to aging, nutrient deficiencies, or diseases like osteomalacia. This could eventually lead to tooth decay, osteoporosis, and higher risk for bone fractures.

Relieve Joint Discomfort

Calcium fructopyranose borate has also been found to relieve joint pain associated with osteoarthritis.

Human test subjects reported an improvement from knee discomfort with just two weeks of CFB supplementation. Furthermore, initial research using rats shows that symptoms from rheumatoid arthritis are managed better through supplementation with calcium fructoborate.

Improve Vitamin D Absorption

It’s not only through testosterone that calcium fructoborate can help you improve your physique. It also helps your body process vitamin D, which promotes muscle growth and increases muscle strength.

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin (despite actually being closer to a hormone), has been shown to reduce the risk for multiple sclerosis and improve resistance to viral infections.

Furthermore, research had found out that there’s a link between vitamin D deficiency and a higher likelihood of anxiety and depression.

Improved Blood Markers

Aside from boosting your levels of free testosterone, keeping your bones healthy, and improving your vitamin-D absorption, calcium fructoborate has also been found to improve blood markers, particularly those that determine cardiovascular health.

According to the study, supplementation of calcium fructoborate resulted in a significant reduction of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), glucose, and triglycerides – all of which, at high levels, contribute to the development of various illnesses besides cardiovascular disease.

Furthermore, this supplement also increases the levels of high-density lipoprotein in the bloodstream. This type of lipoprotein (also known as “good” cholesterol) keeps your blood vessels healthy and prevents atherosclerosis that could further trigger strokes or heart attacks.

Anti-Inflammatory Benefits

Inflammation can manifest due to a variety of reasons including chronic diseases like lupus, vasculitis, and rheumatoid arthritis; inflammatory bowel disease; and some types of cancers. Well, calcium fructoborate might just be able to help prevent or minimize inflammation.

Naturally, scientists are looking at this supplement as a viable preventive and therapeutic measure for cancer and other inflammatory diseases. Initial research suggests favorable effects on certain cancer cells and individuals suffering from angina.

Discussing the Side Effects

Research regarding the use of calcium fructoborate is relatively new and short-term. Most of the studies that saw the benefits of supplementation with this nutrient compound featured a follow-up period of up to six months, which isn’t a lot in terms of scientific evidence.

Therefore, caution is suggested when using these supplements long-term. Furthermore, just as with any other supplement or performance enhancer, care and self-awareness must be properly exercised so be sure to keep these in mind:
- Taking more than 20 mg of daily supplementation (not necessarily at once) could harm male reproductive capability.
- Take boron supplements at the effective dose as it can be toxic in high doses. Signs of poisoning include convulsions, weakness, headaches, diarrhea, vomiting, skin rashes and redness, and irritability.
- Boron intake may alleviate thyroid disease, although too much has been associated with increased goiter risk.
- Don’t take the supplement if you have problems with kidney function.
- If you’re already getting lots of calcium from other sources, you might end up developing constipation.
- Excessive calcium intake may also cause hypercalcemia. This could trigger such symptoms as rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and nerve-related problems.
- Calcium may limit the effectiveness of certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (sometimes referred to as over-the-counter painkillers) including ibuprofen.
A Simple Recommendation

Calcium fructopyranose borate naturally occurs in almonds, raisins, walnuts, lentils, dates, red kidney beans, and peanuts. But you can also easily get this mineral through supplementation. One supplement that we can’t recommend enough is Nitraflex from GAT Sport.

Aside from having CFB, GAT Nitraflex also has other ingredients like L-arginine, alpha-ketoglutarate, L-citrulline malate, and caffeine to give you the nitric oxide and energy focus you need from a pre-workout supplement. Yes, even for high-intensity training.

GAT Clinically Tested Nitraflex

Note that this arginine supplementation solution for workouts can be easily mixed in cold water, reducing the preparation hassle. Serving per container isn’t a problem either, given that it comes in sachets and single-serving bottles.

Regardless of which supplement you’ll eventually pick though, don’t forget to follow the intake guidelines (scoop per dose or serving) on the label and to check for any contraindications. That way, you’ll be perfectly safe as you reap the benefits offered by calcium fructopyranose borate.

Product Image credits: Amazon.com
January 11, 2018
How to Lower SHBG: What to Take, What to Avoid, and the Full 12-Week Protocol
Do you crave to achieve your goals in the most optimal way, or are you just beginning to get into a training program and you want to start off with the right knowledge? Then one of the things you need to learn is how to lower SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin) in your body.

Building your body size and strength is affected by many factors. In addition, it doesn’t just involve the type of exercises you do, but also the chemical processes going on inside your body.

If the acronym SHBG sounds foreign to you, we’re here to help you out. What is it and what does it have to do with exercise?

To reduce SHBG and increase testosterone, you can take supplements and foods rich in boron, vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc as well as take fish oil and Eurycoma Longifolia.

What Is SHBG?

SHBG, together with albumin, are glycoproteins that sex hormones like testosterone and DHT bind themselves to.

But before we proceed, let’s keep in mind that there are many reasons why you want more testosterone in your body:
- Testosterone reduces body fat. Research shows that testosterone deficiency results in storage of fats, while another study shows that an increase in testosterone results in adipose tissue (fats) reduction.
- Testosterone increases muscle mass. This hormone does this by increasing the synthesis of proteins in the muscles.
- Testosterone increases skeletal strength. The increase in hormone’s levels in men and women with low amounts has been shown to increase bone mineral density in the spine.
- Testosterone enhances libido. Although it is still a mystery how this hormone increases the sex drive, it is known that low amounts of testosterone are associated with low sex drive.
As you can see, testosterone has a big role to play in building your body, not to mention enhancing your masculinity. But having high testosterone levels does not always mean the benefits will be visible.

This is because the testosterone in the bloodstream that is bioavailable is actually important – the kind that is readily available for your body to use.

When testosterone is bound to SHBG, it is not available to be utilized by the body. It is the one that is not bound to these proteins, called free testosterone, that is available for use.

Only bioavailable testosterone can bind with androgen receptors. This binding process is what enables anabolic processes, like muscle building, to take place.

In short, lower SHBG means more usable testosterone for building muscles.

Taking testosterone boosters may help increase testosterone but it is also important to balance levels of these binding proteins and hormones.

On a side note, although albumin is another protein that sex hormones bind to, it is much weaker and smaller in amount than SHBG. SHBG is what you really need to be more concerned about.

The Relationship Between SHBG, Testosterone, and Estrogen

What use is there in keeping SHBG around? The answer lies in another sex hormone: estrogen.

Having too much estrogen in the body (especially in men) leads to negative effects. These include lower libido, an increase in body fats, and appearance of feminine characteristics like “man boobs“.

The increase in fats also causes aromatization, or conversion of testosterone to estrogen in these tissues. More estrogen results in more fats, and the cycle goes on.

SHBG also binds to estrogen, and when there’s more estrogen in the blood this protein increases as well. One approach in lowering SHBG is by lowering estrogen levels.

Another approach is by increasing testosterone levels. This is because high levels of androgens like this hormone lowers SHBG levels.

However, this does not mean you should increase testosterone without limit. More testosterone also increases estrogen so the best way is to balance all these hormones and proteins. You can easily keep track of them by doing a blood test:

The Role of Sugars and Carbs

A common mistake made by those who are looking to lower SHBG levels is going through high carbohydrate diets. But research shows that carbohydrates do not significantly affect SHBG levels.

It is actually high sugar levels that can lower SHBG. The conversion of glucose and fructose in sugars into lipid inhibits SHBG.

But if so, taking too much sugar leads to diabetes. And aside from metabolic issues due to insulin resistance, studies show that men with type 2 diabetes have low levels of bioavailable testosterone (free testosterone).

In short, high intakes of carbohydrates or sugars are not the right methods to lower SHBG levels.

So, what is the right way?

How to Lower SHBG: What to Avoid

Basically, there is a list of things you need to avoid and those that you can take to lower SHBG levels. First, here are things you should not take or should reduce:

Xenoestrogens and Phytoestrogens

Higher levels of estrogen increase SHBG levels, so this means that you need to take certain steps to lower substances that have estrogenic effects on your body. Xenoestrogens and phytoestrogens are substances that mimic estrogen functions.

These substances can be found in most processed food, plastics, and bath products. Therefore, go organic and if you eat in plastic containers, go for BPA–free containers.

Alcohol

For many people, parties and get–togethers just can’t be complete without alcohol. You might have to change your stance a bit because ethanol, which is present in many alcoholic drinks, is harmful to the body.

Of particular interest here are its effects on testosterone levels. Alcohol is a depressant, meaning it slows down certain body functions, including sexual functions.

Alcohol is found to lower testosterone in several ways:
- Intake of ethanol increases the NADH/NAD+ ratio in the mitochondria. This increase in ratio levels of the coenzymes slows down the transport process involved in testosterone production.
- According to this study, another way alcohol intake decreases testosterone is through increasing beta–endorphins.
- Acetaldehyde, a product of ethanol metabolism, is found in this study to be a toxin for Leydig cells. Leydig cells are the cells responsible for testosterone production.
- Drinking too much alcohol also increases aromatization (conversion of testosterone to estrogen). As discussed, very high levels of estrogen are not ideal for men (and even for women).
Moreover, alcohol in rats was found to make the testicles smaller just from 5% concentration of ethanol in their food.

Fortunately, the negative effects of alcohol in your testosterone levels are dependent on how much you drink. So you can still have a few drinks with your buddies occasionally.

Anti–Androgens

Among pharmaceutical drugs, side effects are fairly common. Some of these effects are hormone–related, particularly drugs that have anti–androgens.

These anti–androgens either lower testosterone or inhibit their function by blocking androgen receptors. Some of the prescription drugs that belong to this category are the following:
- Beta–blockers
- Anti–fungal Drugs Like Ketoconazole
- Corticosteroids
- Anti–depressant Meds
- NSAIDs Like Ibuprofen and Paracetamol
- Hair–loss–preventing Drugs
Disappointingly, some supplements (even testosterone boosters) contain anti–androgens. Some examples of these are soy proteins, licorice root, bitter melon, etc.

Fiber

Although fiber is beneficial to the body’s digestive process, it plays an opposite role when it comes to hormones. The way it helps with digestion, it can also absorb sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen and then flush them out of the system through bowel movement.

Studies show that high fiber diets can lower testosterone levels. Fiber can also increase SHBG.

However, fiber is still important for the body as studies show that it can even decrease the risk of death caused by heart disease, some types of cancer, diabetes, and stroke.

But in order to reap its life–prolonging effects without decreasing your testosterone, consumption of the right amounts is needed.

How to Lower SHBG: What to Take

Now that you know what to avoid, it’s time to learn about the substances you might want to take in order to lower SHBG:

Boron

Boron, even though not a very popular nutrient, can be found in broccoli, potatoes, carrots, and bananas. This is because this nutrient can be found in the soil and subsequently absorbed by the plants.

However, because most commercial food isn’t naturally grown in soils containing this nutrient, your typical produce isn’t likely to contain ample amounts. The good news is that you can get enough boron through supplements.

According to this study, boron can increase testosterone levels. Furthermore, it is the amount of free testosterone that it increases because it lowers SHBG levels.

However, aside from increasing testosterone, boron also increases the estrogen, estradiol by significant amounts. It is therefore not advisable for men with already high levels of estrogen.

However, if your estrogen levels are low, supplementing with boron is a good method of increasing your free testosterone levels.

This stresses more importance on balancing the androgen and estrogen ratios instead of increasing total testosterone amounts.

Vitamin D

Unknown to many, vitamin D is actually a hormone responsible for a lot of body functions. It is a substance most known to help the body absorb calcium and other nutrients necessary to build strong bones.

You can get vitamin D by getting exposed to the sun, from food like fish and egg yolk, and from supplements. Deficiency of this nutrient could lead to several conditions like rickets and cardiovascular diseases.

As if helping with form and maintaining strong bones wasn’t enough, Vitamin D also has a role to play with regards to how to lower SHBG levels.

According to this study, vitamin D can increase testosterone levels. Men with enough vitamin D were also found to have lower SHBG and higher testosterone levels.

Therefore, if you want to lower SHBG levels without spending a dime on supplements, go out and spend more time under the sun.

Magnesium

Magnesium is another very important nutrient involved in many body processes. It is involved in muscle, nerve, immunity, and bone related functions.

But even though it is vital, a lot of people are deficient in magnesium. This is because it can be easily lost through perspiration and many people also don’t follow healthy diets.

This nutrient is also very helpful with hormonal functions. According to studies, magnesium helps with working out in three ways.

Simultaneously, magnesium helps decrease SHBG and increase free testosterone. It does this by inhibiting the binding of testosterone to SHBG.

These findings are supported by another study that resulted in increased levels of free and total testosterone after magnesium supplementation. These were found to be the same with both sedentary and active participants in the study.

Magnesium also increases IGF–1 (insulin–like growth factor) that helps with muscle building.

You can get this nutrient by eating foods like beef, spinach, dark chocolate, etc.

Other sources of magnesium are topical creams and oils, as well as Epson salt. External application is actually much better because you can increase the amount of the nutrient while avoiding adverse effects.

Zinc

Zinc is another important mineral for a healthy reproductive system. But it’s a mineral that the body cannot produce by itself so getting it from food and other sources is necessary.

Studies show that zinc supplementation can increase total and free testosterone levels after exercise, and increase testosterone, DHT, and sperm count in infertile males.

Fish Oil

Fish oil can be a source of vitamin D, but fish oil itself also deserves a spot in the list of how to lower SHBG. This is because it has effects on testosterone in a number of ways.

Fish oil increases testosterone production that is activated by the luteinizing hormone (LH). DHA in fish oil also shows anti–estrogenic effects through down–regulating the estrogen receptor.

Eurycoma Longifolia

Eurycoma Longifolia is a very popular testosterone booster. And its effects are proven by scientific research.

One study shows how it increases testosterone levels as well as decreases stress. Another research proves its positive effects on male reproduction by improving erectile function, increasing libido, and increasing semen amount.

Conclusion

Building muscles is not all about workout routines and eating more or fewer of specific groups of food. It can also be affected by body processes at the cellular level.

It is important to have balanced levels of sex hormones like testosterone, DHT, and estrogen with better effects leaning towards higher testosterone levels. This is because testosterone and DHT are needed to build muscle mass and strength.

However, having more testosterone is not enough because its usability is affected by how much is freely flowing in the bloodstream and how much is bound to sex hormone binding proteins like SHBG. It is therefore important to learn how to lower SHBG levels and increase testosterone while decreasing estrogen.

In order to do this, you first need to avoid testosterone–reducing substances as well as those that boost estrogen and SHBG levels. These include alcohol, xenoestrogens, medication and supplements, and too much fiber.

Finally, on top of your intakes, no results can be seen without hard work and dedication to the right set of exercises to achieve your ideal physique.
August 20, 2017
Boron Citrate Supplement: Vital Trace Mineral That Benefits Testosterone
Many people suffer from a boron deficiency because they simply do not eat enough of the foods in which boron naturally occurs. For this reason, using boron supplements may be necessary and advisable since boron citrate benefits the whole body. Boron is a vital trace mineral which affects many processes in the body.

Minerals are inorganic materials found in the very soil in which plants grow and through which water flows. These minerals, good examples, being iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium, are then absorbed by the plants growing in the soil or the water and then consumed by us humans.

Minerals, like vitamins, are essential for your health and wellbeing.

Collectively, minerals have a general effect on many bodily functions and contribute to health but in isolation, some minerals have a drug-like affect. Boron is one-such mineral. What are the uses for boron?

Boron Citrate BenefitsSources of Boron Boron Citrate Benefits Do You NEED a Boron Supplement?Boron Supplementation Conclusion

Sources of Boron

Boron can be found in a variety of foods including:
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Avocados
- Broccoli
- Potatoes
- Pears
- Prunes
- Honey
- Oranges
- Onions
- Chick peas
- Carrots
- Beans
- Bananas
- Red Grapes
- Red apples
- Raisins
Boron Citrate Benefits

What is boron? What are the uses of boron? One of the boron facts is that it is generally good for your health – just like magnesium, zinc, iron, and other more well-known minerals. However, studies show that boron has other specific uses when taken as a dietary supplement that are especially beneficial to men. Here are the best boron benefits and boron uses:
- Elevated Testosterone – Studies reveal that boron is an effective testosterone booster. Using just one 10mg capsule of boron, study participants experienced a significant rise in serum testosterone levels within just a few hours. With regular use, there is no reason not to expect a sustained increase in testosterone levels. While this study used 10mg doses, good results can be obtained with as little as 3mg to 6mg per day.
- Decreased Estrogen – The same study that reported that boron supplementation elevated testosterone also revealed that, as well as being a six star free testosterone booster, boron also lowered estrogen levels. Estrogen is testosterone’s “evil twin” and high estrogen levels drive testosterone levels downward. By reducing estrogen, testosterone levels are more likely to increase naturally.
- Inhibition of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin – SHBG is a protein that binds to testosterone which makes it unusable within your body. It’s all well and good elevating your t-levels but if you cannot use the increased testosterone, you won’t experience much in the way of benefit. Boron has been shown to reduce SHBG levels which makes your testosterone more available and increases useable “free” testosterone levels in your blood.
- Reduced Inflammation – If you scratch your skin, it is likely to become raised, swollen and reddened. This is essentially inflammation. Inflammation not only happens on the outside of your body but on the inside too. Inflammation is caused by things like environmental and nutritional toxins, eating too much sugar, eating trans fats, stress, and the free radical damage caused by the very act of breathing (aging). Many diseases are directly attributable to inflammation. The most obvious being joint pain, irritable bowel syndrome, cardiovascular disease and skin rashes. Studies show that boron mineral reduces the markers of inflammation which may help reduce the risk of suffering diseases commonly associated with inflammation and may also speed up recovery for exercise. Boron is also helpful for increasing the healing speed of wounds. This is likely the result of the aforementioned anti-inflammatory effect.
- Increased Bone Health – Too little boron can have an adverse effect on skeletal health and, specifically, bone mass. Supplementation of boron or increasing the intake of boron-rich foods will enhance calcium metabolism and balance estrogen and testosterone levels leading to greater lean body mass. This will reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis – a disease characterized by low bone density and an increased risk of fracture.
Do You NEED a Boron Supplement?

Boron is readily available in many foods, but it’s not always possible to eat enough of these foods. You could get enough boron by eating lots of fruit and vegetables but the modern diet being what it is, many people are boron-deficient. However, If you merely want to boost your testosterone levels, there are many other ways to do it more than supplementing boron.

What is boron used for? Most boron-related issues are linked to too little dietary boron. Low bone mass, increased inflammation, unbalanced testosterone/estrogen ratio etc. By increasing your boron intake, this deficiency will be alleviated and these functions are more likely to return to normal.

For most men, a boron deficiency can be hard to fix without the use of a boron supplement. A diet low in natural foods and high in processed foods means that boron is something of a dietary rarity. Using a boron supplement provides a quick and easy way to fix your boron toxicity and deficiency – no mess, no fuss.

Boron Supplementation

To make getting enough boron as easy as possible, we recommend these excellent products which are our preferred source of boron supplements:

Now Foods 3mg Boron Capsules

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Trace Minerals Liquid Ionic Boron

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Both products contain high purity boron and are very easy to use.

Conclusion

Research suggests that boron supplementation may increase testosterone production while lowering estrogen – beneficial effects for almost all men – and also be good for general health. Eating a diet high in boron-rich foods and taking a boron supplement may help you gain muscle and lose fat faster, as well as strengthen your bones and boosting your libido.

Product image credits: Amazon.com
March 15, 2015