Random, interesting studies

[Mauritio]

@alfredoolivas
Nice catch, this might be important. So it's actually something in the seeds, not the laxative effect.

Just saw you can also buy Chia seeds as powder.

[Mauritio]

Plant Pregnenolone

The Malaysian plant Holarrhena curtisii contains actual pregnenolone. Its properties also sound somewhat anti-serotonergic.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/278103906_Pregnenolone_from_the_Roots_of_Holarrhena_curtisii

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It also contains alkaloids with steroidal activity
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9834146/

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Another alkaloid from the same genus can convert into Pregnenolone in vivo
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/248216582_In_vivo_conversion_of_a_steroidal_alkaloid_holaphyllamine_to_pregnenolone

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This paper shows that plants con convert steroids into each other and contain different ratios of known steroids.

Digitalis grandiflora for example contains pregnenolone, progesterone, 17α-hydroxypregnenolone, DHEA, and testosterone

https://pure.mpg.de/rest/items/item_3524574_6/component/file_3528676/content

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Holarrhena pubescens another plant from the same genus has anti malarial effects, which rely on the pregnene-type steroidal alkaloids
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29172699/

Interesting effects of Holarrhena pubescens on diabetes, also anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory
https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/10/9/1341#

Conessine, a steroidal alkaloid from Holarrhena pubescens has antiviral, antiplasmodial, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6496801

Conessine is a histamine H3-antagonist
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26924015/

[Mauritio]

Hormones activate one of the bitter Taste receptors.

". androsterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate with 0.1 µM and adrenosterone as well as pregnenolone with 0.3 µM, respectively, showed threshold concentrations in the submicromolar range."

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12915477/#nyas70172-sec-0080

[alfredoolivas]

@Mauritio they taste awful unless dissolved in tocopherol lol

[sunsunsun]

This post is deleted!

[Mossy]

That is interesting about Chia seeds. Especially from a Peat perspective. (Or maybe I should say from my novice understanding of Peat.) Anything with seeds I've avoided since learning of Peat.

Could the powder of a Chia seed even be different from simply grinding the seeds?

[Mauritio]

@Mossy Peat even said he can't see any value whatsoever in chia seeds, which is weird because they contain a lot of polyphenols, fiber and minerals, so there is at least some nutritional value there.

And he said if someone feels better from them it's probably the laxative effect, which is more or less ruled out in the above study.

So I still dont understand how it has these effects.
And it doesnt seem to be just the grounded seeds. There's another study I posted which used chia seed extract, which was very beneficial as well.
And IIRC another one used whole chia seeds.

I think the powder and grounded seeds should be very similar. Unless the powder is somehow defattened. But suppose they would state that.

There was a thread on here recently that Omega 3s are essential and you need them for certain things. Ive only skimmed it, but maybe it has something to do with that.

So following the true method of knowledge I will order some grounded chia seeds and see for myself.

[Mossy]

@Mauritio Appreciate your thoroughness. It will be interesting to see what effect they have on you. I don't like the taste and feel of chia seeds, but maybe they could be used as a food supplement, like I do with liver.