Properties and indications of pine bark extract

Pine bark extract can be a good signing for your natural medicine cabinet, especially if you suffer from high blood pressure, psoriasis, erectile dysfunction, back pain, hemorrhoids, or are prone to urinary tract infections.

There are more than 100 species of pine, but scientific studies on its properties are often conducted with a standardized extract of French maritime pine called Pycnogenol, which is marketed by many supplement manufacturers.

Oligomeric proanthocyanidins in the pine bark extract

The extract of pine or pine bark contains plant substances of great interest such as polyphenols, among which are the so-called oligomeric proanthocyanidins. Published studies attribute the following properties to them:

They reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals. They have an anti-inflammatory effect. They improve blood circulation. Reduce deposits in blood vessels. They contribute to the overall health of the skin through their collagen repairing action.

What is pine bark extract used for?

There are studies with pine bark extract on a variety of conditions.

Psoriasis

In a scientific study with patients with psoriasis, an Italian research team found that supplementing with 150 mg of Pycnogenol daily improved symptoms. The patients took 50 mg, times a day. During the three-month study, the scientists were able to observe a faster healing in one third of patients. Redness, hardness and flaking decreased thanks to the extract.

Hemorrhoids

Pine bark extract also could help with hemorrhoids, As demonstrated by a study published in Phytotherapy Research. 84 women with hemorrhoids were divided into three groups of patients with hemorrhoids, many of them bleeding.

Group A took 300 mg of Pycnogenol, daily for the first 4 days and then 150 mg for the remaining 3 days (morning, afternoon and night). Group C took Pycnogenol® like group A but also received 0.5% Pycnogenol cream for daily application. Groups B and D served as placebo controls.

The study lasted for one week followed by one week of follow-up. The two groups that took the pine bark extract had significantly fewer symptoms than the control groups. In group C, who also used a pine bark extract cream, the symptoms subsided faster.

chronic venous insufficiency

A review shows that pine bark extract is effective in the chronic venous insufficiency. Chronic venous insufficiency manifests itself, for example, in edema in the lower legs, as well as cramps and pain.

The 475 subjects in the 15 clinical studies took 100 to 360 mg of Pycnogenol per day for one to twelve months, resulting in a reduction in edema and other symptoms compared to control groups.

Even doses of 100 to 150 mg worked significantly better than compression stockings after eight weeks. Also, these doses reduced varicose veins and spider veins in women more than compression stockings alone.

urinary tract infections

Pine bark extract might also help people suffering from urinary tract infections several times a year.

One study showed that pine bark extract may reduce the incidence of UTIs. 25 volunteers took 150 mg of Pycnogenol per day for two months.

The number of urinary tract infections was reduced in the pine bark extract group from 3.1 to 1.6, ie by almost 50%. Furthermore, the number of subjects who did not experience further urinary tract infections was significantly higher in the pine bark extract group than in the control group. And oxidative stress was also significantly reduced in the group that had taken the pine bark extract.

Blood pressure

A review evaluated 12 clinical studies with a total of 922 participants that examined how the intake of pine bark extract affected the blood pressure.

According to the study, the participants suffered from coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Pycnogenol reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 3.22 and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 1.91 mmHg. However, the effect was only apparent if the extract was taken for at least 3 months.

The results suggest that doses between 100 and 200 mg per day are better for lowering blood pressure.

Back pain

In a study conducted with 82 people with Back pain, showed that those who exercised and took 200 mg of Pycnogenol (4 times 50 mg) per day for one week, the discomforts subsided faster and their physical performance was significantly higher than that of the control group.

How to take pine bark extract

Before taking any type of supplement, it is advisable to consult a specialist. Pine bark extract is available in capsule or tablet form. When buying, make sure that they do not contain additives. The capsules differ in dosage depending on the manufacturer and range from 30mg to 500mg per capsule and/or day. A usual dose is 150mg per day, taken with meals, preferably with breakfast, if only one capsule is taken.

There are no known side effects after taking pine bark extract. Sensitive people may only experience mild digestive problems such as stomach cramps. In this case, the capsules can be taken after eating.

Scientific references: