Chrysin powder (480-40-0)

Chrysin powder is a flavonoid compound found in bee pollen and propolis. Flavonoids are widely present in plants, including fruits and vegetables, and they serve primarily as pigments and may have antimicrobial properties. Chrysin powder is well known for being a testosterone boosting plant compound, used orally for bodybuilding, anxiety, inflammation, gout, HIV/AIDS, impotence, baldness, and preventing cancer including breast cancer.

Chrysin powdder is a dihydroxyflavone in which the two hydroxy groups are located at positions 5 and 7. It has a role as an anti-inflammatory agent, an antineoplastic agent, an antioxidant, a hepatoprotective agent, an EC 2.7.11.18 (myosin-light-chain kinase) inhibitor and a plant metabolite. It is a dihydroxyflavone and a 7-hydroxyflavonol.

Chrysin powder limits fat molecule damage (lipid peroxidation), and thus prevents cellular membrane damage, protein damage, and the imbalance of cellular functions, an example being mitochondria’s release of calcium.

Mitochondria are the energy source for a cell, and it relies heavily on calcium levels for it to work. Lipid peroxidation can cause high levels of calcium to accumulate, which triggers the mitochondria to fail and cause cell death.

Chrysin powder is most well known for being a testosterone boosting plant compound, although this seems to be a misleading claim. While it has very good mechanisms of action that would lead to the conclusion that it could boost testosterone (as in, it sensitizes the testicles to produce more testosterone and inhibits the conversion of testosterone to estrogen) these both occur at significantly higher oral doses than are seen with oral supplementation. Chrysin powder appears to be poorly absorbed, and even then it is readily metabolized resulting in insufficient levels in the blood and testes to exert these beneficial effects.

Athletes are interested in chrysin powder for bodybuilding because laboratory research suggested that chrysin powder might increase the male hormone called testosterone and improve bodybuilding results. But research in humans hasn’t found any effect on testosterone levels. The amount of chrysin powder that is absorbed from the intestine may be very small, which would make treatment effects unlikely.

1) Chrysin powder may Prevent Cancer

Chrysin powder inhibits tumor growth by activating the Notch1 signaling pathway in both cell and mice studies.

It also decreases the cellular activity of the NF-KB molecule, which plays a critical role in controlling inflammation, immunity, cell division, and cell survival. By doing so, chrysin is able to limit cancer cell division, communication, and survival.

2) Chrysin powder might Prevent Brain Damage

Chrysin powder prevents microglia from releasing nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines. This reduces nerve cell damage and helps prevent the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

In mice, Chrysin powder also reversed the damage done by toxic compounds, such as reactive oxygen species and acrylamide, by acting as an antioxidant [2].

In a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease, Chrysin powder acted as an anti-aging agent and worked to decrease memory impairment.

3) Chrysin powder may Help Treat Depression and Anxiety

In mice, chrysin supplementation reduced depressive behavior and brain (hippocampal) dysfunction. It increased BDNF levels, which is thought to reduce depression.

Chrysin powder is also able to create a sedative effect, which is linked to its effects on GABA. GABA helps to calm the body down as it promotes relaxation, and balances out the increased activity of glutamate, which is increased during anxiety attacks.

4) Chrysin powder may Help Improve Male Fertility

In male rats, oral administration of Chrysin powder significantly increased testosterone production, sperm movement, and sperm concentration.

5) Chrysin powder might Help with Treating Diabetes

In diabetic rats, oral Chrysin powder administration normalized glucose and insulin levels. It also helped improve insulin signaling (transmission).

In other studies of diabetic rats, aside from improving blood glucose levels, chrysin supplementation protected against diabetes-associated complications.

It reduced inflammation, memory and behavioral problems, fat levels, and oxidative damage in the brain, liver, and pancreas.

Chrysin powder can treat diabetes because it limits the excessive buildup of AGE. High levels of AGE may contribute to the onset of diabetes. Chrysin inhibits the activity of reactive oxygen species, which helps inhibit the production of AGE.

6) Chrysin powder may Help Protect the Heart

In a mouse model of drug-induced heart toxicity, Chrysin powder inhibited heart cell death.

A review of mice and cell studies showed that Chrysin powder can reduce heart damage in various ways. It activates PPAR-gamma, which reduces inflammation.

Chrysin powder also suppressed oxidative stress and other inflammatory pathways (MAPK and NF-kB). Excessive inflammation can cause swelling of the arteries or heart, plaque-buildup (atherosclerosis), or cell damage.

7) Chrysin powder may Prevent Liver Damage

In mice, chrysin supplementation reduced TNF-α levels, which was increased during chemically-induced liver damage. It also reduced inflammation.

In another mouse study, chrysin supplementation increased antioxidant activity and reduced oxidative damage in ethanol (alcohol)-induced liver injury.

Chrysin powder also reduced liver scarring (fibrosis) in another mouse study.

8) Chrysin powder may Help Protect the Kidneys

Reactive oxygen species can cause the kidney cells to undergo DNA damage. Chrysin powder helps both protect DNA from further damage and is able to increase the rate of repair.

In a mouse study, Chrysin powder eliminated proteinuria (a condition where more than 300 mg of protein is found in expelled urine), an indicator of kidney disease. It also increased the filtration rate, indicating a better functioning kidney.

It increased the filtration rate of plasma (a component of blood), indicating a better functioning kidney.

In another mouse study, Chrysin powder suppressed the TNF-α pathway and inflammation and prevented further kidney damage.

9) Chrysin powder may Help Treat Asthma

Chrysin powder reduced allergic inflammation in mouse airways by reducing inflammation.

Supplementation with chrysin suppressed inflammatory pathways and molecules (inflammatory cytokines, iNOS, NF-kB, etc.).

Users said that raw chrysin powder is very effective at increasing testosterone levels. People have supplemented raw chrysin powder while bodybuilding and one user said he felt stronger. However, others said that it increased aggression levels.

COA

[1]  “Chrysin: Compound Summary for CID 5281607”. PubChem, National Center for Biotechnology Information, US National Institutes of Health. 14 July 2018.

[2] Zhandi, M; Ansari, M; Roknabadi, P; Zare Shahneh, A; Sharafi, M (2017). “Orally administered Chrysin improves post-thawed sperm quality and fertility of rooster”. Reproduction in Domestic Animals. 52 (6): 1004–1010. doi:10.1111/rda.13014. ISSN 0936-6768. PMID 28695606.

[3] Premratanachai P, Chanchao C (2014). “Review of the anticancer activities of bee products”. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine. 4 (5): 337–44. doi:10.12980/APJTB.4.2014C1262. PMC 3985046. PMID 25182716.

[4] Davatgaran-Taghipour Y, Masoomzadeh S, Farzaei MH, Bahramsoltani R, Karimi-Soureh Z, Rahimi R, Abdollahi M (2017). “Polyphenol nanoformulations for cancer therapy: experimental evidence and clinical perspective”. International Journal of Nanomedicine. 12: 2689–2702. doi:10.2147/IJN.S131973. PMC 5388197. PMID 28435252.