These days, many people are focused on boosting their immune system. A strong, healthy immune system can help protect you from infectious diseases like COVID-19 and the flu, and it can also reduce your risk of allergies and autoimmune diseases. There are a lot of ways to build your immune system, but one less familiar one to look into is taking pine pollen capsules. Here's a closer look at pine pollen and how it can help boost your immunity.

What is pine pollen?

Pine pollen is simply pollen from pine trees. It is collected from the tree's male cones. While all pine trees make pollen, most of the pine pollen used to make supplement capsules is obtained from Scots pines and Chinese red pines.

What are the properties of pine pollen?

Pine pollen has been called a "superfood" by some. It is really rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Specifically, pine pollen is a good source of magnesium, potassium, manganese, and selenium. It also contains a few compounds that work as hormones in the plant, but that are thought to have other beneficial biological benefits in the human body. These hormones include cytokinins, auxins, and gibberellins.

How does pine pollen help boost immunity?

There are a few ways in which pine pollen can help boost your immune system. The antioxidants it contains help bind to free radicals and infectious pathogens so that your immune system does not have to work as hard to fight off these elements. Many people are also deficient in magnesium, which has a negative impact on the immune system — so taking pine pollen as a magnesium supplement helps improve immunity.

Taking pine pollen also specifically helps with allergies. You're exposing yourself to a little pollen each day, which makes your body less reactive to pollen over time. You won't be free from allergies overnight, but if you take pine pollen capsules regularly, your symptoms should diminish over time.

What are the other benefits of pine pollen?

Like many superfood supplements, pine pollen has an array of benefits beyond immune support. Its high magnesium levels also help support a healthy mood. It can also help reduce inflammation, which may be helpful if you suffer from arthritis or joint pain from an old injury. Some think that the plant hormones in pine pollen help boost male fertility or counteract the effects of low testosterone levels, too.

Pine pollen capsules are a smart choice for boosting immunity, and so much more.