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Pycnogenol®
by Dave Foreman
Pycnogenol® is the US registered
trademark for an extract derived from
French Maritime Pine Bark (Pinus
pinaster), which contains procyanidins, a
group of bioflavonoids. Originally, the term
"pycnogenol" was used as a generic term
for procyanidins. Orally, Pycnogenol® has
been used by natural health enthusiasts for
conditions such as chronic venous insufficiency,
allergies, asthma, hypertension,muscle soreness,
pain, osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention
deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
endometriosis, dysmenorrhea, erectile
dysfunction and retinopathy. It is also used
orally to help avoid vascular conditions such as
heart disease and varicose veins and also to
slow the aging process, maintain skin health, and
improve athletic endurance.This is a long
list, but science is where I hang my hat - and
when it comes to the science behind this
supplement, the strong evidence is for two
basic conditions: Chronic Venous Insufficiency
(CVI) and Retinopathy. I am not saying
Pycnogenol® doesn’t help those other
conditions. It may have some benefits for
those issues; it just hasn’t been proven in
the laboratory.
Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) is poor
return of blood from feet and legs back to
the heart. CVI may occur following excessive
clotting and inflammation of the leg veins.
It is also known as deep vein thrombosis.
CVI can also happen because of the failure of
the valves in leg veins to hold blood against
gravity.The end result of this is swollen legs.
Taking Pycnogenol® seems to significantly
reduce symptoms of leg pain and heaviness,
and edema in people with this condition.
The dose used in a study published in
Phytomedicine (2000 Oct;7(5):383-8) utilized
100 mg three times daily for two months.
The term retinopathy indicates damage to
the retina at the back of the eye. Several
conditions, such as diabetes and high blood
pressure (hypertension), are common health
issues that may lead to the development of
retinopathy. According to an article published in
Phytotherapy Research (2001 Vol 15 issue 3
p219-123), taking 50mg of Pycnogenol® three
times daily for two months seems to slow
or prevent the deterioration of retinal function
in patients with retinopathy caused by
either diabetes, atherosclerosis, or other
vascular diseases.
My final comment on Pycnogenol® is that it
is an excellent antioxidant. Due to our
environment, lifestyles and general health issues,
it is always advisable to consider supplementing
the diet with antioxidants. If you are seeking to
supplement with a potent antioxidant that has
no known side effects, then Pycnogenol® might
be the right one for you.
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