When I’m reading and researching scientific articles all day, I never forget that I’m writing for real people with real questions about their day-to-day health. And most of you fine readers don’t have access to the highly refined compounds scientists use to test their hypotheses.
So when someone writes in asking about Pomegranate, something in every grocery store, I make sure I give it as much attention as any of the exotic and cutting-edge ingredients I research. After all, if there are strong benefits from Pomegranate for every man, then we should all be paying attention.
What You Need to Know
1. Testosterone
Right off the top we should lead with the Testosterone boosting effects Pomegranate can have in men. I made this choice for two reasons. One, it’s a shameless plug of an article we wrote a month ago detailing all the T-Boosting benefits of Pomegranate.
The other reason is because, frankly, this is an article about Men’s Health, and there’s arguably no greater internal marker of a man’s well being than his T-Levels. Which is probably why leading medical journals have touted not only that Pomegranate increases Testosterone, but even improves fertility in males.
Next we’ll talk about the important function Pomegranate carries out that can also keep your estrogen levels from climbing as you age.
Aromatase-Inhibitor
We’ve published several pieces about how men of all ages should beware of Aromatase, the process by which (typically aging) bodies convert our Testosterone into estrogen. Beyond being aware of it, we can also take steps to prevent the process, and a leading food to prevent Aromatase is Pomegranate. So it really delivers a double-punch–keeping T levels high, and estrogen low.
2. Blood Pressure
Several studies have gone around and around on whether Pomegranate can have an effect on blood pressure, and I’ve gone through what feels like all of them. But the studies with the most rigorous protocols all seem to have the same conclusion: Pomegranate can significantly lower blood pressure.
Which is important given that 50% of men in the US alone have high blood pressure, and it’s the leading cause of death. There are some underlying studies we can look at next that can give us a hint as to how Pomegranate is so effective at lowering blood pressure.
Cholesterol
In case you’re unfamiliar, Cholesterol plays a huge role in increasing our blood pressure. So the fact a clinical trial concluded that Pomegranate juice could lower all types of Cholesterol should be taken note of. And the study didn’t ask the participants to exercise more or change any other part of their diet, meaning the effect owed wholly to the Pomegranate, and nothing else.
Triglycerides
This will be discussed a bit more in detail under the Blood Sugar tab, but here we’ll mention that Triglycerides are the fats that float around in our blood, and elevate our risk of heart disease and stroke. According to data analysis from previous studies, researchers at an American University have concluded that Pomegranate can actively reduce these fats in our bodies.
3. Antioxidant
I’m sure many of you expected me to lead with the Antioxidant effects of Pomegranate, but I really did want to focus on the things most important to Men’s Health, like testosterone and heart disease. But that's not to say that the Antioxidant power of Pomegranate can't preserve and boost other aspects of a man’s body. In fact the myriad benefits are only just now being understood.
Blood Sugar
Did you know that men are more likely to get Diabetes–even when we weigh less? One key to reducing that risk is controlling our blood sugar, at which job Pomegranate excels, in part because of its Antioxidant properties.
In a breakthrough study published just last year, researchers found that the main Antioxidant in Pomegranate, Punicalagin, can actually prevent Type II Diabetes by blocking the oxidative stress to tissue that leads to high blood sugar. And in persons that already have high blood sugar, it can help regulate how our bodies process it.
Last note on Blood Sugar, when we have insulin resistance, the cells in our muscles don’t take the fat up as energy, and our insulin instead tells our livers to turn it into fat. Which means Pomegranate can not only reduce our blood sugar for immediate benefit, but in so doing helps us along the line toward lower triglycerides, and another heart-preserving benefit.
Cancer
The risk of lung cancer in men is over 68% higher for men than women. That’s very tough news for us. Of course there are lifestyle choices like smoking that factor in, but there are also occupational considerations, such as working in fields with a lot of dust (agriculture) or saw dust (construction).
Which is why findings from an Anticancer Medical Journal are so intriguing. They found that the Antioxidants in Pomegranate juice and peel selectively target lung cancer cells, effectively stopping them from growing. What’s more, they also target prostate cancer cells. It’s as if Pomegranate is nature’s cancer treatment just for men.
Cognitive Performance
A great many Nootropics use Antioxidants such as Resveratrol and Pterostilbene in their formulas, and for good reason. Oxidative stress attacks our brain cells, destroying memory and cognitive function. No wonder, then, that the specific polyphenols found in Pomegranate have shown clinically demonstrable boosts to memory and cognition.
Final Thoughts
In all my research I’ve rarely seen quite so many benefits following the ingestion of just one fruit or vegetable. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many specifically benefitting men. From T-Production to Blood Sugar, from treating cancers that target men to helping us with Aromatase blocking, Pomegranate improves nearly every health outcome that concerns men.
You can find it typically in T-Boosters like TestoPrime, and as a standalone product. But if you’re feeling thirsty, you can always just grab a glass of Pomegranate juice, kick up your feet, and toast your health.