An antioxidant supplement studied for its effects on inflammation and disease prevention.
That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says.
What Is Pycnogenol?
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Procyanidinis the primary active ingredient in the commercial product pycnogenol.
Oxidative stress is associated withinflammationandcancer.
Clinical trials are few and far between, and many have used only small sample sizes.
Some data suggest that pycnogenol may lower the risk of heart disease or help withosteoarthritis symptoms.
Here’s a closer look at the evidence for these uses.
No supplement is intended to treat, cure, or prevent disease.
These conditions are calledcardiometabolicdiseases, the biggest cause of death worldwide.
Keep in mind, though, that researchers don’t know much about the long-term effects of pycnogenol.
More, robust clinical trials are needed to determine the best dose and how long to take the supplement.
Reviewers noted that the data was low-quality, so larger clinical trials are needed to verify this effect.
Doses used in clinical trials include:
Your healthcare provider can help you determine an optimal dose.
However, consuming a product like pycnogenol may have potential side effects.
These side effects may be common and mild or uncommon and severe.
According to one trial, pycnogenol has a very low rate of side effects, less than 2%.
Remember that most clinical trials have only studied pycnogenol for up to three months.
Little is known about the effects of long-term use.
Interactions
Little is known about pycnogenol’s interactions with prescription medicines or other herbal supplements.
It may be helpful for people with OA and could help lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Clinical trials using pycnogenol are very limited, though.
Stronger data are needed before it can be recommended for most conditions.
Pycnogenol has not been proven safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding or for children under 6.
It also may interact with blood pressure and diabetes medicines, NSAIDs, and some cancer medicines.
In fact, a small study of postmenopausal females showed that pycnogenol promoted hair growth.
It increased hair density by 30% after two months.
Possibly, but the evidence is lacking.
Small studies suggest it may be helpful in males witherectile dysfunctionwho also take antidepressantsor have diabetes.
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