From Root to Cup.
Nettles have been a plant ally to humanity for millennia, they can feed us, clothe us, even warm us as an aid to fire-lighting. They are powerfully nutritious and packed with beneficial compounds. I have a bit of a thing for nettles. There are, in fact, a bunch in my cellar as we speak, waiting to be processed on a little workshop I’ll be running in the spring, but more on that later..
This post is about the roots.
The good things about pulling up a bunch of nettles, late in the year are manifold, but one of the BEST things, especially for us men-of-a-certain-age, is that you invariably end up with a bunch of root material. I strongly advise you, menfolk, to not ignore this humble harvest.
You see, the roots of the stinging nettle contains various lignans and scopoletin, which are thought to interact with something known as the Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG). Under normal circumstances, this stuff floats around in the body with increasing concentration as we age. The testosterone that the body produces then binds to this substance, effectively nullifying it. Basically, it takes the Testosterone that your body is producing, and robs it. The problem with your T levels may not be a production issue, rather a problematic consumption issue. Nettle root helps by introducing compounds into the body that preferentially bind with this same SHGB, effectively ‘blocking’ the drain down which your testosterone is flowing, making more of it available for the rest of the system, and what it’s really supposed to be doing. Maybe you don’t need the expensive and potentially dangerous T replacement therapy after all…
As well as the effect on T levels, it’s also known to contain compounds that aid prostate health and act as a broad anti-inflammatory. So go on, get out *foraging
https://www.realherbs.com/blogs/articles/the-benefits-of-stinging-nettle-root-a-comprehensive-guide
*in the UK, it is illegal to forage root material from any plant without the landowners permission. So, before harvesting nettle roots, please ensure you gain that approval. Or be empowered to measure your own exposure to risk.