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Learn About Pine Bark Extract in 5 Minutes
by Katie Hipwell
Katie Hipwell
Table of contents
What is pine bark extract?
Pine bark extract is a beneficial substance extracted from the bark of the French maritime pine. Along with grape seed extract and bilberry extract, pine bark extract is one of the only known sources of proanthocyanidins, which have been shown to have powerful antioxidant benefits in a variety of studies. Pine bark extract is also a great source of vitamin C, and research indicates that this natural plant substance could be useful for your skin, nervous system, cardiovascular system, and metabolism.
Is pine bark extract water-soluble or fat-soluble?
The beneficial compounds in pine bark extract, such as proanthocyanidins and vitamin C, are water-soluble, which means that they break down rapidly in your body and absorb into your tissues efficiently.
Where can pine bark extract be found naturally? Common sources of pine bark extract:
Pine bark extract is only available in supplements that are made from the bark of certain kinds of pine trees. While the French maritime pine is currently the main source of pine bark extract, researchers are also experimenting with the bark of Japanese and Korean pine tree variants.
What is the recommended daily value for pine bark extract?
Even though it appears to have impressive benefits, pine bark extract has not been recognised as an essential nutrient, so there is no nutrient reference value (NRV) for this substance. In clinical studies, however, doses between 100mg and 400mg have been used.
Can you absorb enough pine bark extract from food?
Pine bark extract is not available in any food sources, so it is necessary to ingest this beneficial substance in supplement form.
Why is pine bark extract necessary for your body?
Pine bark extract is rich in ingredients that have been widely recognised as antioxidants including proanthocyanidin, which is widely regarded as one of the most powerful antioxidants ever discovered. In the body, antioxidants prevent oxidative stress, which is the primary cause of inflammation. In turn, inflammation is widely considered to be the primary culprit behind most bodily disorders and diseases, so taking pine bark extract appears to generally support health and well-being, whilst helping specifically with a few specific conditions.
Functions of pine bark extract
- Potential skin benefits: Research indicates that pine bark extract may improve skin hydration and elasticity, which are key markers of skin ageing. Evidence also suggests that pine bark extract could improve wound healing, protect against UV rays, and reduce skin redness and roughness.
We've chosen to include 95mg of Pine Bark Extract in Feel Beauty Probiotic+, due to its impressive benefits for skin elasticity and hydration.
- Potential neurological benefits: Studies show that pine bark extract may help with ADHD in children, and this substance also appears to exert neuroprotective effects that could help prevent common age-related neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
- Potential cardiovascular benefits: Evidence suggests that pine bark extract might reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and this natural substance also appears to reduce blood pressure.
- Potential metabolic benefits: Metabolic syndrome is an underlying disorder that contributes to obesity, diabetes, and other harmful conditions. Research indicates that pine bark extract may help with metabolic syndrome by decreasing blood sugar, lowering blood pressure, and improving kidney function.
When should you take pine bark extract?
Antioxidants appear to be beneficial no matter what your health status may be. Even if you’re in perfect health, taking pine bark extract may be a great way to ensure that you stay healthy, and if you suffer from any of the conditions listed above, pine bark extract could be even more useful.
How long do you need to take pine bark extract to start experiencing its benefits?
Pine bark extract absorbs into your system quickly, but you’ll need to take this substance repeatedly over the course of a few days or weeks to start noting its beneficial effects.
Consistency is key and our research recommends taking your Feel supplements for at least 3 months to allow your body to adjust and provide you with the desired benefits.
How long does it take for your body to digest/absorb pine bark extract?
Most of the beneficial substances in pine bark extract should absorb into your system within 24-48 hours.
How long does pine bark extract stay in your body after you take it?
Since the beneficial substances in pine bark extract are water-soluble, they should only stay in your body for 2-3 days.
Is pine bark extract an antioxidant?
Research indicates that some of the components of pine bark extract, such as proanthocyanidins and vitamin C, appear to have potent antioxidant properties.
Can you overdose on pine bark extract? What are the effects?
There are no known cases of pine bark extract overdose, and this substance does not appear to have any major side effects. Minor side effects may include headaches and digestive distress.
Does pine bark extract dissolve, flush out, or build up in the body?
Most of the compounds in pine bark extract are water-soluble, so they dissolve and flush out of your body without building up.
Can you take pine bark extract during a diet?
Since pine bark is vegan and gluten-free, this substance does not conflict with any dietary restrictions.
Are there synthetic forms of pine bark extract?
No synthetic forms of pine bark extract have been developed to date.
Absorption rate of synthetic pine bark extract
There is no information on potential absorption rates of synthetic forms of pine bark extract.
Why might natural forms of pine bark extract be better?
Natural pine bark extract is currently the only form of this substance that’s available.
How to take pine bark extract
Pine bark extract is taken orally as a supplement.
Pine bark extract trends in medicine
A 2020 Japanese study found that administration of pine bark extract improved vascular endothelial function in clinical settings, which indicates that this natural extract could help with blood pressure, blood clotting, immune function, and a variety of other critical bodily functions. Also in 2020, an international study provided further evidence that pine bark extract may help with neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Sources
1. Pycnogenol® Effects on Skin Elasticity and Hydration Coincide with Increased Gene Expressions of Collagen Type I and Hyaluronic Acid Synthase in Women
2. Pycnogenol: A Miracle Component in Reducing Ageing and Skin Disorders
3. Treatment of ADHD with French maritime pine bark extract, Pycnogenol
4. The effect of polyphenolic extract from pine bark, Pycnogenol® on the level of glutathione in children suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
5. Neuroprotective effect of Pycnogenol® following traumatic brain injury
6. Normalization of cardiovascular risk factors in peri-menopausal women with Pycnogenol
7. Pycnogenol® in Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders
8. A Study on the Effect of Food Containing Pine Bark Extract on Vascular Endothelial Function―A randomized, Double—blind, Placebo—controlled, Parallel—group Study―
9. Pine Bark Polyphenolic Extract Attenuates Amyloid-β and Tau Misfolding in a Model System of Alzheimer’s Disease Neuropathology
