Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Metabolic syndrome effects 32% of American adults and has been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type-2 diabetes. A recent study suggests that taking daily supplements of Pycnogenol® (French maritime pine bark extract) may reduce the risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that include high blood pressure, insulin resistance, large waist circumference, high triglyceride levels and high cholesterol.

Participants in the study included 130 participants between the ages of 45 and 55. Over the course of six months, half of the group took a placebo while the other half took 50 mg of Pycnogenol® daily.

At the three-month mark, all of the risk factors of metabolic syndrome showed improvement in the supplement group. These improvements included decreases in waist circumference, triglyceride levels, blood pressure as well as an increase in HDL cholesterol. That improvement was even greater at the six-month mark.

Researchers from Creighton University in Nebraska conducted the study. It was published online ahead of print on January 28, 2013, in Phytotherapy Research.

Pycnogenol® has been shown to help with high blood pressure, muscle soreness, osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, ringing in the ears, erectile dysfunction and retinopathy.

Pycnogenol® is water soluble, meaning it can be added to the production of many common foods. It is currently included in dietary supplements, cosmetic products, and a variety of foods and drinks.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Pycnogenol® is made from French Maritime bark extract. Researchers have found that supplementation with Pycnogenol® may help people who suffer from asthma reduce their symptoms, lower the number of times they have to go to the doctor, and help them sleep through the night.

Participants in the study included 76 individuals with mild to moderate asthma due to dust mite allergies. Over the course of six months, half of the group took 100 mg of Pycnogenol® in addition to their asthma medicine (inhalation corticosteriod) while the other half kept to their normal regimen of asthma medication without an additional supplement.

At the conclusion of the trial, the researchers observed that 55% of all of the participants who took the Pycnogenol® supplement were able to lower their daily asthma medicine dosage. In the control group, only 6% were able to take less medicine and 19% had to actually increase their dosage.

Additionally, the supplement group used their emergency inhalers every fifth day, while the control group had to reach for them every second day. The supplement group also woke up in the night half as often as they had prior to taking the pycnogenol and reported fewer doctor visits. The control group showed no change in either area.

The study was conducted at the University of Pescara in Italy. It was published in the September 2012 issue of Panminerva Medica.

Pycnogenol® has been shown to help with high blood pressure, muscle soreness, osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, ringing in the ears, erectile dysfunction and retinopathy.

Pycnogenol® is water soluble, meaning it can be added to the production of many common foods. It is currently included in dietary supplements, cosmetic products, and a variety of foods and drinks.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Pycnogenol® is an extract from French Maritime Pine bark that is taken in supplement form. Studies have shown it to have numerous health benefits, with the latest finding it may improve flow mediated dilation (FMD) in people with stable coronary artery disease.

FMD is a measure of a blood vessel’s healthy ability to relax. People with stable coronary artery disease usually have a plaque that has become large enough to produce partial arterial obstruction. This prevents adequate blood flow to the heart.

The study was published online ahead of print on January 11, 2012, in the European Heart Journal.

For the study, 23 individuals with stable coronary artery disease consumed either 200 mg of Pycnogenol® daily for eight weeks or a placebo. In addition, they took their regular regimen of statins, anti-hypertensives and blood thinners. After a two week washout period, the participants switched interventions.

At the conclusion of the study, the researchers noted a 32% improvement— from 5.3 to 7.0 – in flow mediated dilation in the supplement groups, but no change in the placebo groups. They also noted a reduction in the supplement group of an oxidative stress marker, known as plasma-8-isoprostanes, when compared to baseline and the placebo group.

Pycnogenol® has been shown in previous studies to help with menopausal symptoms, better skin, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), relief from hay fever, lowering the risk of vision loss and reducing the risk of kidney damage.

Pycnogenol® is water soluble, meaning it can be added to the production of many common foods. It is currently included in dietary supplements, cosmetic products, and a variety of foods and drinks.

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

For some women, menopause can be an extremely trying period of their lives and there are relatively few treatment options available. However, a new study suggests that taking a daily supplement of Pycnogenol®, a branded extract of French maritime bark, may help menopausal women feel better.

The researchers were based at Pescara University in Italy and their findings were published in the September 2011 issue of Panminerva Medica.

Study participants included 70 peri-menopausal women between the ages of 40 and 50. They consumed either a placebo or 100 mg of pine bark extract daily for eight weeks. To measure menopause symptoms, the researchers administered a scoring system based on 33 common signs and symptoms that ranged from 0 (nonexistent) to 4 (very serious).

At the conclusion of the study, the supplement group reported significant reductions in hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, irregular periods, loss of libido and vaginal dryness. The average score for these symptoms fell from 2.67 to 1.45. In comparison, the placebo group showed essentially no change, going from an average score of 2.72 to 2.73 during the same time period.

The supplement group also showed reduced levels of oxidative stress, which could lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. Menopausal women are at an elevated risk for cardiovascular disease.

Pycnogenol® has been shown to help with allergies, asthma, ringing in the ears, high blood pressure, muscle soreness, osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, erectile dysfunction and retinopathy.

Pycnogenol® is water soluble, meaning it can be added to the production of many common foods. It is currently included in dietary supplements, cosmetic products, and a variety of foods and drinks.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Many skin care products on the market base their claims on weak science and may not actually provide much benefit. A new study has found scientific evidence that an extract from French maritime pine bark may be able to improve both the appearance and quality of your skin.

French maritime pine bark and skin health was the subject of a study published on January 21, 2012, in Skin Pharmacology and Physiology.

The researchers, who are based at Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine in Dusseldorf, Germany and Horphag Research, recruited 20 women between the ages of 55 and 68. The participants consumed 75 mg of Pycnogenol® (a branded form of French maritime bark) daily for 12 weeks.

At the end of the 12 weeks, the researchers observed:

1. 25% increase in skin elasticity

2. 8% increase in skin hydration (especially in the women with dry skin)

3. Increased production of collagen

4. 44% increase in hyaluronic acid production

5. 3% reduction in wrinkles

Hyaluronic acid is secreted by cells and serves as part of the structural element in tissues. Levels start to decrease after the age of 30, and this is thought to play a role in the aging process and the formation of wrinkles.

Pycnogenol® can do more than help you look younger. It has been shown to help with allergies, asthma, ringing in the ears, high blood pressure, muscle soreness, osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, erectile dysfunction, and retinopathy.

Pycnogenol® is water soluble, meaning it can be added to the production of many common foods. It is currently included in dietary supplements, cosmetic products, and a variety of foods and drinks. In terms of dietary sources, the active ingredients in Pycnogenol® can also be found in peanut skin, grape seed, and witch hazel bark.

Scott Greenberg, NatureCity author & contributor

Here’s a sobering statistic… Every year approximately 400,000 people are diagnosed with heart failure in the United States alone. Help may be on the way as a new study shows that a combination of coenzyme Q10 and pine bark may improve blood flow and general heart health in heart failure patients.

While heart failure is not reversible, researchers from the Chieti-Pescara University in Italy have released a published a study in the June 2011 issue of Panminerva Medica suggesting a natural way to manage the symptoms of heart failure: a combination of coenzyme Q10 and an extract from French Maritime pine bark.

The researchers worked with 53 people between the ages of 54 and 68 who had suffered from heart failure. Half the group received a supplement consisting of 350 milligrams of CoenzymeQ10 from Kaneka and 105 milligrams of the branded pine bark extract Pycnogenol while half the group received a placebo.

After 12 weeks, the supplement group showed an approximately 6 point decrease in diastolic blood pressure, from 139.2 to 133.2 mmHg. They also showed a 5 point decrease in systolic blood pressure, from 82.3 to 77.3 mmHg.

In the placebo group, diastolic blood pressure decreased by less than one mmHg, from 140.3 to 139.5 mmHg. The decrease in systolic blood pressure was a little more than 2 mmHg, from 83.4 to 81.2 mmHg.

Diastolic blood pressure is the pressure in blood vessels when the heart is resting. It is represented by the bottom number on a blood pressure reading and anything above 90 mmHg is considered high. Systolic blood pressure, on the other hand, is the pressure in blood vessels when the heart is beating and is represented by the top number in a blood pressure reading. Readings above 140 mmHg are considered high.

The researchers also noted a decrease in pulse rate from 78.4 to 74.2 beats per minute in the supplement group, while the placebo group only decreased from 79.1 to 78.4 beats per minute.

CoQ10 has been linked with numerous health benefits, including but not limited to reducing inflammation, improving blood vessel function, protecting muscles, reducing the risk of gum disease and lowering cholesterol.

Pycnogenol has also been shown to help with allergies, asthma, ringing in the ears, high blood pressure, muscle soreness, pain osteoarthritis, diabetes, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, endometriosis, menopausal symptoms, erectile dysfunction, and retinopathy.

Pycnogenol is water soluble, meaning it can be added to the production of many common foods. It is currently included in dietary supplements, cosmetic products, and a variety of foods and drinks. The active ingredients in pycnogenol can also be found in peanut skin, grape seed, and witch hazel bark.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

Researchers at Chieti-Pescara University in Italy have published a study in the October 2010 issue of the journal Panminerva Medica which found that pycnogenol (pine bark extract) may ease tinnititus. Tinnitus is a relatively common condition in which the sufferer hears sounds, such as ear ringing, when there is actually no external source of sound.

Currently 15 million Americans suffer from “serious” tinnitus and more than 50 million Americans are expected to experience some form of tinnitus in their lifetime.

82 participants between 35 and 55 years of age were recruited for this study. They were all classified as having mild to moderate tinnitus in only one ear. The participants were randomly assigned to receive 100-150mg of pycnogenol or a placebo daily for 4 weeks.

One of the main causes of tinnitus is inhibited blood flow in the inner ear and the researchers found that just 4 weeks of intervention with the pine bark extract significantly improved blood flow.

They also used a scale called the Subjective Tinnitus Scale to measure symptoms of tinnitus and found an impressive reduction in tinnitus symptoms among participants given the pine bark extract. Specifically, those who received the pine bark saw a reduction from an average of 8.8 to 5.2 and 3.3 in the low and high dose groups, respectively.

There are currently not many effective treatments for tinnitus and the researchers are hopeful that further studies will show that pycnogenol is an effective and safe therapeutic option for tinnitus sufferers.

Pycnogenol has also been linked to a number of other health benefits such as reducing the risk of arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis and high blood pressure. Many of these benefits are likely due to the very high anti-inflammatory properties of pycnogenol.

Sarah McGowan-Freije, NatureCity author & contributor

An extract called Pycnogenol that is made from the bark of the French Maritime Pine may reduce the symptoms of hay fever.

This is the finding of a study conducted by researchers affiliated with KGK Synergize in Canada. The results of the study were published in the June 2010 issue of the journal Phytotherapy Research.

Hay fever is an allergic reaction to pollen (often grass pollen) or fungal spores, usually occurring in the nose or eyes.

The researchers recruited 60 participants with birch-related hay fever between 18 and 65 years of age in Ontario, Canada.

The participants began taking the Pycnogenol extract (100 mg daily) or a placebo 3-8 weeks before the beginning of the birch allergy season. They continued to take the extract or the placebo for the extent of the season.

The researchers found that Pycnogenol significantly reduced hay fever symptoms. However, at least 5 weeks of supplementation prior to the allergy season was necessary for optimal results.

Just 12.5% of the participants that received the supplement for at least 7 weeks needed antihistamines (allergy medicine) compared to 50% of the participants in the placebo group.

The researchers are confident that larger studies will build on their findings, adding to the quickly growing list of potential health benefits of Pycnogenol. Pycnogenol has strong anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown in previous studies to potentially reduce the risk of arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis and high blood pressure.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

High blood pressure in the eye, known as ocular hypertension, can lead to glaucoma and vision loss. The condition occurs when the amount of oxygen and nutrient-rich fluid circulated through the eye exceeds the amount that is drained.

Oculular hypertension is considered anything above normal eye pressure which ranges from 10-21 mmHg. Approximately 10% of U.S. adults are known to suffer from this condition.

A study was published in the May 2010 issue of the journal Clinical Opthalmology which found that a supplement called Mirtogenol may help people with ocular hypertension increase blood flow to the eye.

Mirtogenol is a combination of Pycnogenol, a pine bark extract, and bilberry extract. It is packed with beneficial bioflavonoids (which are also found in fruits and vegetables) and has been associated with a number of health benefits.

For the study the researchers recruited 79 patients with ocular hypertension and no signs of glaucoma or vision loss.

The participants were randomly divided into three groups and received treatments of prescription eye drop medication Latanoprost, Mirtogenol tablets, or a combination of both.

The researchers found that participants taking Mirtogenol had a reduction in pressure from 38.1 to 29.0 mmHg, whereas in those taking Latanoprost the intraocular pressure decreased from 37.7 to 27.2 mmHg. In the group who took a combination of Mirtogenol and Latanoprost, the intraocular pressure decreased from 38.0 to 23.0 mmHg.

The researchers noted that other studies have reported that the bilberry extract may counteract the increased permeability of blood capillaries. Moreover, the pine bark extract may improve the lining of blood vessels and lower overall blood pressure, said the researchers.

Evan Watson, NatureCity author & contributor

An extract made from the French maritime pine bark called Pycnogenol has been gaining increasing popularity as the science behind its health benefits grows.

A recent study published in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics adds kidney health to the list of benefits associated with Pycnogenol.

The study found that the pine bark extract may help increase blood flow, thereby reducing the risk of hypertension and the resulting kidney damage that often occurs.

Researchers from G D’Annunzio University in Italy recruited 55 hypertensive patients for the randomized, controlled study.

All of the participants were given 10 mg of an anti-hypertensive medication called Ramipril daily for 6 months. Additionally, half of the participants also received 150 mg of Pycnogenol daily for 6 months.

At the beginning and end of the study the researchers measured urinary levels of the protein albumin, which is used to measure kidney function. When the kidneys are damaged, albumin leaks from the kidney into the urine.

At the end of the study the researchers observed a 26% reduction in albumin levels in the group taking only Ramipril and a 57% reduction among the participants given both Ramipril and Pycnogenol.

The participants taking Ramipril and Pycnogenol also saw a 10% improvement in blood flow to the kidneys.

All the participants also saw greater reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure; 30% and 8% respectively for the Ramipril only group and 35% and 11% respectively for the Rampril and Pycnogenol group.

This study adds to the findings of previous studies that have linked Pycnogenol to reductions in blood pressure. Due to Pycnogenol’s anti-inflammatory properties, it may also be effective at fighting other inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis and diabetes.