Tinospora Cordifolia as in LG Sciences' Natadrol is a Potent Antioxidant and Metal Chelator

This is only a small news-item, but unfortunately scientific background info on commercially available supplements is pretty rare - so here we go...

Scientists from India (Bhawya. 2010) investigated the antioxidant potential of various extracts of Tinospora Cordifolia (the primary ingredient in LG Sciences Test Booster Natadrol) and found that ...

Methanolic, ethanolic and water extracts showed significant antioxidant potential compared to other solvents and also possess metal chelation and reducing power activity. In the DPPH radical scavenging activity, methanolic extract  (98.13%)  showed high antioxidant potency, ethanolic  extract (90.34%) was a potent scavenger of superoxide radical. At the same time, both methanolic (97.08%) and ethanolic extracts  (95.21%)  inhibited hydroxyl radical along with other extracts. The metal chelation  in methanolic  (60.62%), ethanolic  (57.62%),   aqueous extracts  (40.89%)  and reducing of ferrous ions was significant found increasing in methanolic, ethanolic and aqueous extracts.

Although this is an in-vitro study, it may well explain the beneficial effect LG claims their product exerts on testosterone production via an antioxidant and metal-chelating pathway. Or in other words: Less oxidation and metal accumulation at the cellular level equals higher testosterone output. Interestingly, a methanolic extract would even be more potent than the "highly specialized ethanolic extract" LG uses.

What you may however be interested in, as well, is the fact (mentioned in an older blog post) that - just as many other testboosting, cortisol-lowering, etc. herbs tinospora tends to be toxic (especially in the testes) in high does in-vitro studies. This suggests that, despite all antioxidant activity, going overboard on respective supplement may not be advisable.