Pycnogenol Side Effects
Comparing Pycnogenol Side Effects to Benefits
Pycnogenol is the trademark name for a water-soluble mixture of proanthocyanidins, which comes from the bark of the European coastal pine tree – P. maritima. The trademark is owned by a British company: Horphag Research, Ltd. The supplement has been studied and tested for the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), inflammation, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). According to studies, the benefits far outweigh Pycnogenol side effects.
Known Pycnogenol Side Effects
Since the supplement is fairly new and its use limited, there is either very little documentation to go on, or no adverse effects have been found in certain uses. In trials for ADHD patients, some children experienced tiredness and felt less energetic than before. These same children also exhibited increased irritability. These changes were not of a permanent nature, so there was no danger involved in taking Pycnogenol.
One of the many concerns potential users have, is the safety and effectiveness of a dietary supplement during pregnancy. For instance, taking black cohosh plant extract, used in Remifemin, induces labor. In the case of Pycnogenol, there have been no studies undertaken to establish the safety of the product for use during pregnancy.
According to studies that have been done on human volunteers, there are very few instances of problems. The only verified issue that some subjects had, was occasional mild gastric discomfort.
Benefits of Pycnogenol
In the United States of America, Pycnogenol is available as an over the counter supplement and has been patented as an effective anti-oxidant. It helps reduce the effects of free radicals in the body. Specific benefits under the patent, include the following:
- The treatment of hypoxia following atherosclerosis and cardiac or cerebral infarction.
- The limitation of tumor promotion.
- The prevention of collagen degradation.
- The enhancement of the antioxidant capacity of human plasma, if Pycnogenol is combined with whey protein.
Pycnogenol extracts have been used in toothpaste and employed as a means of limiting lipid oxidation in cooked beef products. These uses are due to the antimicrobial activity that Pyvnogenol is capable of.
Both the antioxidant effects and the anti-inflammatory effects of Pycnogenol are beneficial to sufferers of CVI. When used in conjunction with ginger root extract, Pycnogenol has been studied as a method of combating thrombosis for long distance travelers, and to limit the effects of motion sickness.
Pycnogenol has been tested on lupus patients to control inflammation and as a painkiller during the third trimester of pregnancy. Other possible uses are as an additive in medicinal chewing gum, to fight plaque and gum disease; the improvement of sperm quality; the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
When tested on ADHD patients, Pycnogenol had a positive effect after one month of usage. The dose was 1 mg per 1 kg body mass. After patients discontinued its usage, the positive effects of Pycnogenol were no longer present.
Summary of Evidence
Due to the clinical nature of the trials and studies and the US patents, the benefits of Pycnogenol are real – not just based on people “feeling better”. Since there are documented health benefits and many potential future medicinal applications for the supplement, the known Pycnogenol side effects are truly minor comparison.