Where Can I Buy Pine Bark Extract ((FREE))
Pine bark extract has a significant impact on nitric oxide (NO) levels in the body, which are responsible for vasodilation and improving blood flow. A recent study found the combination of pine bark extract and arginine (an amino acid that also boosts NO production) were effective for improving mild to moderate erectile dysfunction.2 If you struggle with low libido or erectile dysfunction, or suffer from high blood pressure, boosting NO levels in the body is an effective strategy for helping to reverse these conditions.
where can i buy pine bark extract
Pine bark extract can make a great addition to your nutritional arsenal for its potent antioxidant support, as well as its added support for blood flow, blood sugar, inflammation, immunity, brain function and skin support. Pycnogenol is a standardized supplement formula guaranteed to contain at least 65-75% proanthocyanidins, the active ingredient that triggers all these benefits. Remember, a good diet and regular exercise should always be the foundation for building your best health. However, sometimes the body needs a little added support and supplemental Pycnogenol can go a long way to keeping your brain and body sharp this winter.
Pine bark extract is rich in plant pigments called bioflavonoids. Several laboratory studies have found that some of these bioflavonoids have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Antioxidants are substances that can override harmful molecules (free radicals) which are produced within your cells and which may cause tissue damage or disease. Other studies have found that it can reduce the production of specific enzymes that break down cartilage.
No major side-effects have been reported in previous trials, although minor side-effects include stomach upsets and headaches. In theory, pine bark may lower blood pressure and blood sugar level, and these effects have also been reported in some RCTs. For that reason, you should be careful taking pine bark if you have hypertension or diabetes.
Pinus massoniana pine bark extract is a powerful antioxidant. It can inhibit free radical attacks on linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid and critical component of neuronal cell membranes. It does so with much greater efficacy than α-tocopherol (vitamin E), another well-established antioxidant.
Pine bark extract also boasts better superoxide anion scavenging than many other antioxidant compounds, including quercetin and α-tocopherol. Superoxide anions are a type of free radical known as reactive oxygen species (ROS). When free radical levels exceed the available antioxidants, they damage cells that play biological roles, including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Free radical damage also leads to oxidative stress and widespread inflammation, which science has linked to aging and several disease states.
Free radical scavengers like pine bark extract support general health and well-being by reducing cellular inflammation and restoring the necessary balance of oxidants and antioxidants. Pine bark extract can further protect cells by acting as an anticarcinogen and antimutagen. It also stimulates the immune system and inhibits the growth of harmful cells.
Most individuals can take pine bark extract without side effects. However, it may interact with immunosuppressants and medications for managing diabetes and blood clotting. Individuals should consult with a physician before starting any new supplement to avoid negative drug interactions and side effects.
Objective: The safe and efficacious use of Pycnogenol (French maritime pine bark extract) in other inflammatory diseases prompted this study of its antiinflammatory effects in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of the study was to evaluate whether Pycnogenol reduces the symptoms of OA in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomly allocated trial with patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis stages I and II.
Background: Pine bark (Pinus spp.) extract is rich in bioflavonoids, predominantly proanthocyanidins, which are antioxidants. Commercially-available extract supplements are marketed for preventing or treating various chronic conditions associated with oxidative stress. This is an update of a previously published review.
Search methods: We searched three databases and three trial registries; latest search: 30 September 2019. We contacted the manufacturers of pine bark extracts to identify additional studies and hand-searched bibliographies of included studies.
Main results: This review included 27 RCTs (22 parallel and five cross-over designs; 1641 participants) evaluating pine bark extract supplements across 10 chronic disorders: asthma (two studies; 86 participants); attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (one study; 61 participants), cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk factors (seven studies; 338 participants), chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) (two studies; 60 participants), diabetes mellitus (DM) (six studies; 339 participants), erectile dysfunction (three studies; 277 participants), female sexual dysfunction (one study; 83 participants), osteoarthritis (three studies; 293 participants), osteopenia (one study; 44 participants) and traumatic brain injury (one study; 60 participants). Two studies exclusively recruited children; the remainder recruited adults. Trials lasted between four weeks and six months. Placebo was the control in 24 studies. Overall risk of bias was low for four, high for one and unclear for 22 studies. In adults with asthma, we do not know whether pine bark extract increases change in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) % predicted/forced vital capacity (FVC) (mean difference (MD) 7.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.19 to 12.21; one study; 44 participants; very low-certainty evidence), increases change in FEV1 % predicted (MD 7.00, 95% CI 0.10 to 13.90; one study; 44 participants; very low-certainty evidence), improves asthma symptoms (risk ratio (RR) 1.85, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.58; one study; 60 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or increases the number of people able to stop using albuterol inhalers (RR 6.00, 95% CI 1.97 to 18.25; one study; 60 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In children with ADHD, we do not know whether pine bark extract decreases inattention and hyperactivity assessed by parent- and teacher-rating scales (narrative synthesis; one study; 57 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or increases the change in visual-motoric coordination and concentration (MD 3.37, 95% CI 2.41 to 4.33; one study; 57 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In participants with CVD, we do not know whether pine bark extract decreases diastolic blood pressure (MD -3.00 mm Hg, 95% CI -4.51 to -1.49; one study; 61 participants; very low-certainty evidence); increases HDL cholesterol (MD 0.05 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.11; one study; 61 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or decreases LDL cholesterol (MD -0.03 mmol/L, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.00; one study; 61 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In participants with CVI, we do not know whether pine bark extract decreases pain scores (MD -0.59, 95% CI -1.02 to -0.16; one study; 40 participants; very low-certainty evidence), increases the disappearance of pain (RR 25.0, 95% CI 1.58 to 395.48; one study; 40 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or increases physician-judged treatment efficacy (RR 4.75, 95% CI 1.97 to 11.48; 1 study; 40 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In type 2 DM, we do not know whether pine bark extract leads to a greater reduction in fasting blood glucose (MD 1.0 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.09; one study; 48 participants;very low-certainty evidence) or decreases HbA1c (MD -0.90 %, 95% CI -1.78 to -0.02; 1 study; 48 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In a mixed group of participants with type 1 and type 2 DM we do not know whether pine bark extract decreases HbA1c (MD -0.20 %, 95% CI -1.83 to 1.43; one study; 67 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In men with erectile dysfunction, we do not know whether pine bark extract supplements increase International Index of Erectile Function-5 scores (not pooled; two studies; 147 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In women with sexual dysfunction, we do not know whether pine bark extract increases satisfaction as measured by the Female Sexual Function Index (MD 5.10, 95% CI 3.49 to 6.71; one study; 75 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or leads to a greater reduction of pain scores (MD 4.30, 95% CI 2.69 to 5.91; one study; 75 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, we do not know whether pine bark extract decreases composite Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index scores (MD -730.00, 95% CI -1011.95 to -448.05; one study; 37 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication (MD -18.30, 95% CI -25.14 to -11.46; one study; 35 participants; very low-certainty evidence). We do not know whether pine bark extract increases bone alkaline phosphatase in post-menopausal women with osteopenia (MD 1.16 ug/L, 95% CI -2.37 to 4.69; one study; 40 participants; very low-certainty evidence). In individuals with traumatic brain injury, we do not know whether pine bark extract decreases cognitive failure scores (MD -2.24, 95% CI -11.17 to 6.69; one study; 56 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or post-concussion symptoms (MD -0.76, 95% CI -5.39 to 3.87; one study; 56 participants; very low-certainty evidence). For most comparisons, studies did not report outcomes of hospital admissions or serious adverse events.
Authors' conclusions: Small sample sizes, limited numbers of RCTs per condition, variation in outcome measures, and poor reporting of the included RCTs mean no definitive conclusions regarding the efficacy or safety of pine bark extract supplements are possible.
This review summarizes the effects of the standardized proprietary bark extract of the French maritime pine (Pycnogenol) in mild osteoarthritis (OA), stage 1 and 2. The extract exerts antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and chondroprotective effects in vitro and in vivo. Its phenolic acids as well as catechin and taxifolin are quickly absorbed. Active metabolites, produced by gut microbiota in the intestinal tract from oligomeric procyanidins, appear in blood 6 h following ingestion and remain for at least 14 h, providing a long-lasting flow of anti-inflammatory substances for relief of OA symptoms. These constituents of Pycnogenol could be detected in serum, blood cells, and synovial fluid of OA patients. The resulting inhibition of cartilage-destructing proteases and pain-producing cyclo-oxygenases provides the basis for relief from pain, improvement of stiffness, enhanced mobility, and well-being in three clinical studies with the pine bark extract as an adjunct supplement. Sparing the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, supplementation with the pine bark extract reduced gastric complications and hospital admissions of OA patients. Because of its favorable safety profile and sustained anti-inflammatory action, Pycnogenol represents an option as an add-on supplement for OA patients. 041b061a72