Pine Bark Extract:
Super Antioxidant

British people are eating less saturated fat according to new statistics published this month by the British Heart Foundation.

By Frank Sch�nlau PhD Biochemist & Medical Researcher

British people are eating less saturated fat according to new statistics published this month by the British Heart Foundation. Unfortunately, this is the only good news from the new statistics as other figures point to a grim future for our hearts.

The mismatch between calorie intake and physical activity continues to increase and this affects the young and old alike. Adult obesity has increased by 50% during the past decade. Less than one in five senior citizens aged 65 years and higher show the recommended physical activity level. One in every three boys and girls is overweight or obese. In turn blood pressure and cholesterol are rising and diabetes develops at an alarming pace.

“It is urgent to turn to a healthier life-style, with less calories and more activity.“

All heart risk factors are silent as we are unable to perceive them ourselves. Unnoticed, arteries gradually stiffen, blood pressure builds up, platelets turn stickier and blood glucose rises. It is urgent to turn to a healthier life-style, with less calories and more activity.

Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract helps the body to help itself
A major breakthrough was the discovery by researchers at the University of Florida Tampa which showed that Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract stimulates an enzyme which generates the body-own mediator, nitric oxide, which is responsible for relaxing constricted arteries. The increased diameter of arteries leaves more space for easier blood flow and this also lowers high blood pressure.

At the same time this mediator instructs blood platelets to be less “sticky”, thus reducing the possibility of them forming a clot which might clog a blood vessel. Hence, our body has a tool for lowering high blood pressure and preventing thrombosis. Nitric oxide plays such an important function for cardiovascular health that Dr. Louis Ignarro (UCLA) and his co-workers received the Nobel Prize for its discovery in 1987.

This vascular mediator is less efficiently produced when the blood vessel wall is burdened by high cholesterol, elevated blood glucose or shear stress from hypertension. For yet unknown reasons nitric oxide production also drops with increasing age. Supplementation with Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract for four weeks was shown to restore nitric oxide production and improve blood supply to the finger tips. Better blood, nutrient and oxygen supply with Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract benefits everybody. Italian researchers were able to show that regular intake of Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract helps defy muscle cramps and pain in athletes as well as normal recreational sports people.

“Better blood, nutrient and oxygen supply with Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract benefits everybody."

Can Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract help achieve healthy blood pressure?
The relaxation of constricted arteries has a favourable effect on blood pressure too. The first study was carried out in the US with borderline hypertensive individuals with 140 mmHg systolic  with Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract for eight weeks the systolic pressure went down 132 mmHg. Another clinical trial with 52 hypertensive men confirmed a significant lowering of blood pressure in response to Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract

Can Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract lower cholesterol?
In three clinical trials the antioxidant activity of Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract was found to be effective for lowering the “bad” LDL cholesterol and increase “good” HDL cholesterol. In a study with overweight students supplementation with Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract lowered their LDL level by 7%. Another study with hypercholesterolaemic men showed a reduction of LDL level by 16% after supplementation with Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract for 3 months.

Can Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract lower blood sugar?
In earlier studies Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract was tested for stabilising blood vessels of the retina in the eye which turned leaky as a result of diabetes. One such study was carried out in Germany with 1,169 patients suffering from this condition, known as retinopathy. During this investigation physicians noted that further to stopping capillaries in the eyes from bleeding, blood glucose appeared to be lowered too.

This prompted a clinical investigation which confirmed a significant glucose lowering effect of Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract in people only recently diagnosed with type II diabetes. Pycnogenol� Pine bark Extract does not affect insulin, instead it delays absorption of complex sugars from a meal.