Pycnogenol is a US registered trademark name for an extract of the bark of the French maritime pine tree (Pinus pinaster) that is standardized to contain 70% procyanidin. The constituents of Pycnogenol can also be found in grape seeds and witch hazel bark. For more information, please see our Grape Seed article. Because of its pharmaceutical backing, there are a number of studies on the benefits of Pycnogenol.

Procyanidin - Antioxidant
The main constituent of Pycnogenol is procyanidin, which is a powerful antioxidant. In studies on lipids from retinal (eye) cells, Pycnogenol was found to be even more protective against oxidative damage than Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Alpha Lipoic Acid and Grape Seed Extract. It has also been shown to stimulate synthesis of antioxidant enzymes in the cells lining our arteries. Because of this, it is theorized to provide twice the antioxidant benefit to cardiovascular system. It also has a number of other benefits attributed to antioxidants such as: reducing the physical signs of aging and improving mental health. For more information, please see our Antioxidant article.

Cardiovascular Health
Pycnogenol has been tested in those suffering from medicated and non-medicated hypertension. It has a mild blood pressure lowering effect that can prevent the need for medication in milder cases, and can help to reduce the dose required in those already medicated for hypertension. It has also been shown to be as effective in reducing platelet adhesion (stickiness) as aspirin, but without the side effect of increasing bleeding time. Thus, Pycnogenol is also an effective blood-thinning agent without the side effects associated with other blood thinners. Also, longer-term supplementation (1 – 3 months or more) has been shown to reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and slowly increase HDL (“good”) cholesterol, thus helping to reduce the risk for arteriosclerosis. For more information, please see our Cholesterol article.

Diabetes
A daily dose of Pycnogenol has been shown to lower both fasting and non-fasting blood sugar levels over a period of 3 weeks of supplementation. It was also shown to help lower hemoglobin A1c levels as well, which is the molecule used to monitor long-term blood sugar stability. When taken with other blood sugar lowering medications, Pycnogenol was shown to cause further reduction. Its antioxidant properties can also help to protect the cardiovascular system against damage by reactive sugar-bound molecules that occur in cases of uncontrolled blood sugar. For more information, please see our Diabetes article.

Immune Regulation
Pycnogenol has been shown to help regulate the immune system and promote its response against foreign agents and cancer cells. Daily dosing has also been shown to reduce C-reactive protein (inflammatory marker) in the blood of osteoarthritis patients. It was also shown to reduce pain in these patients, such that they required less pain medication than before supplementation. For more information on treatment, please see our Osteoarthritis article. Daily supplementation has also been shown to help treat asthma. It reduces the inflammatory markers associated with asthma, and to improve breathing quality and reduce the number of attacks during the treatment period. For more information on treatment, please see our Asthma article.

How can I get more Pycnogenol?
Pycnogenol is available in powdered form alone and in combination formulas. It is also available in gels and creams for skin protection and preventing the signs of aging. The dose of Pycnogenol depends on the condition targeted. For diabetes, 50mg daily provides benefit while 100mg and 200mg daily showed was even better. For the treatment of cardiovascular disease the recommended dose is 100mg daily. Poor circulation was found to require 50 - 100mg three times daily (150-300mg daily).