Pycnogenol is a plant extract that comes from grape seeds, peanut skin and, most commonly, the bark of a tree called Pinus Pinaster. Pycnogenol is actually the brand name of an ingredient extracted from the Pinus Pinaster bark.
The claim made about Pycnogenol is that it is a powerful antioxidant, and that the trees that produce the Pycnogenol are completely organically grown, and that there have been over 56 clinical studies published on this ingredient. Despite the claims made by Pycnogenol, the FDA does not approve Pycnogenol products. They are, however, certified kosher and have earned the GRAS (General Recognized as Safe) status for their products in the US.
Pycnogenol is a popular choice for people who want to take supplements to increase their body’s antioxidant levels because Pycnogenol has been tested for up to six months of use. Most supplements only have 2 to 6 weeks of studies conducted on them, if they have any studies done at all.
Longer studies help to show how toxic a product will be to the body over time. However, even a 6 month study is not enough to determine long-term toxicity. It takes years for a supplement or medication to be really proven safe. Some medications that have been on the market for several years are suddenly taken off the shelf because people who use them stat getting sick.
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Pycnogenol Benefits The typical claim of pycogenol supplement sellers is that this product is an antioxidant which stops free radicals from doing damage to your body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that disrupt the stability of electrons in the body and then take the electron away. ... more
The typical claim of pycogenol supplement sellers is that this product is an antioxidant which stops free radicals from doing damage to your body. Free radicals are unstable molecules that disrupt the stability of electrons in the body and then take the electron away.
In general, the human body takes care of these free radicals on its own as long as you are ingesting enough antioxidants. However, if you don’t have enough antioxidants, then your body will be susceptible to various illnesses. These illnesses include:
Simply put, antioxidants are an important part of your diet and without them you could face serious life-threatening illness. You can get your daily recommendation of antioxidants by eating 5 to 8 servings of veggies and fruit each day.
In addition, Pycnogenol claims to:
Some supplement companies that sell Pycnogenol products claim that it can:
According to Pycnogenol, there are over 50 pycnogenol studies that have been conducted on its benefits. However, on their website where they show their “research” you cannot actually view any of details regarding the research. Some of the synopses specifically state that they are rat studies while other don’t indicate anything at all.
They also don’t provide information about what Pycnogenol was compared against in the studies. For example, if Pycnogenol is compared to placebo in a majority of studies, then it should be significantly beneficial as a free radical. This lack of information is troubling. In addition, most of the studies are not conducted by doctors.
According to Pycnogenol, all of these studies were published. However, we tried to find several of the studies online and finding them was next to impossible. Those we did find were small studies done on rats or test tubs and no human studies were found. This doesn’t mean they don’t exist, only that we couldn’t find them.
In addition, there were several papers that mentioned some of the studies found on the Pycnogenol website. These papers, however, mentioned these studies in a negative fashion, suggesting that they were too small, too short, etc.
If understanding the science behind any products that you take is important to you, you are going to be a bit disappointed by what is available. If you are a try it and then decide kind of person, then the lack of information probably won’t bother you.
You will find that Pycnogenol products are available as Pycnogenol or combined with multivitamins. Pycnogenol is available in 20mg caps to 100 mg. The cost ranges from about $7 to $100.
The recommended dosing for Pycnogenol is 1 mg per every 2 pounds that you weigh. If you weigh 129 pounds then you should take 65 mg a day.
Pregnant women and children under the age of 6 should not take Pycnogenol products as Pycnogenol has not been tested on these subjects.
In addition, you may have minor side effects when taking Pycnogenol that include:
Pycnogenol is considered safe for up to 6 months of continuous use. To find and compare sources of Pycnogenol, you can use the free supplement finder now!
| Gas |
| Headaches |
| Stomach Upset |
| Condensed Tannins, French Marine Pine Bark Extract, French Maritime Pine Bark Extract, Leucoanthocyanidins, Maritime Bark Extract, Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins, OPCs, PCOs, Pine Bark, Pine Bark Extract, Pinus pinaster, Pinus maritime, Procyanidin Oligomers, Procyanodolic Oligomers, Pygenol |
| Circulation |
| Fights Free Radicals |
| Immunity |
| Prevent Asthma Attacks |
| Prevent Cramps |
| Strengthen Blood Vessel Walls |
| Strengthen Capillaries |
| Allergies |
| Blood Pressure Regulation |
| Endurance |
| Macular Degeneration |
| Tinnitus |
| Varicose Veins |