Maritime Pine Bark Extract

July 9, 2020

OVERVIEW

Maritime pine trees grow in countries on the Mediterranean Sea. The bark is used to make medicine. Maritime pine trees that grown in an area in southwest France are used to make Pycnogenol, the US registered trademark name for a commercially available maritime pine bark extract. The active ingredients in maritime pine can also be extracted from other sources, including peanut skin, grape seed, and witch hazel bark.

Maritime pine bark extract is used for diabetes, asthma, common cold, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

CLASSIFICATION

Is a form of:
Pine native to the Mediterranean Region

Primary Function:
Diabetes, asthma, cold

Also Known As:
Condensed Tannins, Écorce de Pin, Écorce de Pin Maritime, Extrait d'Écorce de Pin

HOW DOES IT WORK?

Maritime pine contains substances that might improve blood flow. It might also stimulate the immune system, reduce swelling, prevent infections, and have antioxidant effects.

USES

Hay fever. Some research shows that taking a standardized extract of maritime pine bark before the start of allergy season reduces allergy symptoms in people with birch allergies.
Asthma. Taking a standardized extract of maritime pine bark daily, along with asthma medications, seems to decrease asthma symptoms and the need for rescue inhalers in children and adults with asthma. Keep in mind that maritime pine bark extract shouldn't be used in place of asthma medicine.
Athletic performance. Young people (age 20-35 years) seem to be able to exercise on a treadmill for a longer time after taking a standardized extract of maritime pine bark daily for about a month. Also, athletes training for a physical fitness test or a triathalon seem to perform better in the tests and competitions when they take this extract daily for 8 weeks while training compared to only training.
Poor circulation that can cause the legs to swell (chronic venous insufficiency or CVI). Taking a standardized extract of maritime pine bark by mouth seems to reduce leg pain and heaviness, as well as fluid retention, in people with circulation problems. Using this extract with compression stockings also appears to be more effective than using compression stockings alone. Some people also use horse chestnut seed extract to treat this condition, but using the maritime pine bark extract appears to be more effective.

RECOMMENDED DOSING

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

ADULTS

BY MOUTH:

Hay fever: 50 mg of a standardized maritime pine bark extract has been used twice daily starting 5 weeks before allergy season.
Asthma: 1 mg of a standardized maritime pine bark extract per pound of body weight, up to a maximum of 200 mg/day, has been given in two divided doses for one month. Also, 50 mg of the same extract has been used twice daily for 6 months.
Athletic performance: 100-200 mg a standardized maritime pine bark extract has been used daily for 1-2 months.
Poor circulation that can cause the legs to swell (chronic venous insufficiency or CVI): 45-360 mg of a standardized maritime pine bark extract has been taken daily in up to three divided doses for 3-12 weeks.

CHILDREN

BY MOUTH:

Asthma: 1 mg of a standardized maritime pine bark extract per pound of body weight has been taken in two divided doses for 3 months by children and adolescents aged 6-18 years.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Is pine bark and pycnogenol the same?
Pine bark is a herbal extract which is available in the UK under the trade name Pycnogenol®. It's rich in several bioflavonoids that have both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. The little evidence available suggests that pine bark extract may result in an improvement in the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Is Pycnogenol worth taking?
Pycnogenol may have benefits for heart and artery health. It seems to lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the legs. Some small studies suggest it may also protect against coronary artery disease and blood clots. There's good evidence that pycnogenol helps with eye damage caused by diabetes.

How quickly does Pycnogenol work?
Limited research suggests that pycnogenol, used alone or in combination with L-arginine, might improve sexual function in men with ED. It seems to take up to 3 months of treatment for significant improvement.

Is Pycnogenol good for kidneys?
Previous studies have shown Pycnogenol® as a supplement to anti-hypertensive medication further improves kidney flow and kidney function. Pycnogenol® has also been shown in several studies to lower blood glucose in diabetic patients.

Is pine bark extract good for your eyes?
Pine bark extract may boost diabetic eye health. Supplements of French maritime pine bark extract may improve the flow of blood in the tiny blood vessels of the retina, and enhance sight in diabetics with early stage eye problems.

How much Pycnogenol should you take a day?
For poor circulation: 45-360 mg daily, or 50-100 mg three times daily. For diseases of the retina, including those related to diabetes: 50 mg three times daily. For mild high blood pressure: 200 mg of pycnogenol daily. For improving exercise capacity in athletes: 200 mg daily.

What is pine bark supplement good for?
Maritime pine bark extract is commonly used orally to treat and prevent diabetes, diabetes-related health issues, and problems of the heart and blood vessels among many other uses. Some people use skin creams that contain maritime pine bark extract as "anti-aging" products.

What is maritime pine bark?
French maritime pine bark extract A nutritional supplement containing an extract obtained from the French maritime pine bark Pinus pinaster, with potential immunomodulating and antioxidant activities. The French maritime pine bark extract contains high amounts of the phytochemicals proanthocyanidins.

Does pine bark increase testosterone?
Made from the bark of Mediterranean pine trees, pine bark extract can be effective in lowering cholesterol, improving heart health, and treating erectile dysfunction. Recent research has shown that combining pine bark extract with L-arginine has a positive effect on testosterone production.

How long does it take for pine bark to work?
It seems to take up to 3 months of treatment for significant improvement. Heart failure. Early research suggests that taking a specific combination product containing standardized maritime pine bark and coenzyme Q10 for 12 weeks improves some symptoms of heart failure.

What is maritime pine bark good for?
Maritime pine trees grow in countries on the Mediterranean Sea. The bark is used to make medicine. Maritime pine bark extract is used for diabetes, asthma, common cold, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

How much pine bark extract should I take for Ed?
Following the three-month study period, results showed that daily supplementation of 120mg of Pycnogenol significantly improved erectile function in both test groups.

What are the side effects of pine bark?
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.

Does pine bark extract thin the blood?
Pine bark extract has a significant impact on nitric oxide (NO) levels in the body, which are responsible for vasodilation and improving blood flow.

Is pine bark extract good for you?
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.

CLINICAL STUDIES

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