Pycnogenol reduces muscle pain by 72%
"No pain, no gain" often leaves me wondering how much pain is too much.
One reason you feel pain when you exercise or over-exert yourself is the presence of a higher level of waste products. Usually, your body washes them away, and you don't feel pain. When you overdo things or are involved in bodybuilding, the waste products build up faster than they can be removed. Tree bark might help your body recover faster from muscle pain.
Aching muscles? Wipe out the pain!
Pycnogenol is a natural extract from Maritime pine tree bark, and Italian scientists have proven that it makes sore muscles feel better faster. Doctors at G. D'Annunzio University in Chieti, Italy, tested Pyncogenol on athletes as well as patients suffering from various blood vessel disorders (e.g., intermittent claudication and diabetic microangiopathy). Test groups received either a placebo or 200mg of Pycnogenol for four weeks and then were tested for muscle pain or cramps during the fifth week. Muscle cramps in the athletes decreased 72%, while patients suffering from blood vessel disorders had a 59% decrease. The placebo groups had no significant reduction in pain or cramps.
According to the researchers, "Pycnogenol prevents cramps, muscular pain at rest, and pain after/during exercise in normals, in athletes prone to cramps, in patients with venous disease, in claudicants, and in diabetics with microangiopathy. The difference is statistically significant." Imagine the improvement in your quality of life if you could relieve your muscle pain and cramps by almost three-fourths!
Stop blood clots from long-term sitting or inactivity
Have you ever sat for long periods of time - either at home, at work or on a plane - and found your ankles had swollen so badly that you could hardly walk? It's a common problem, especially with the number of people traveling longer distances by plane. Besides being unsightly, it causes pain and stiffness. It takes a lot of walking (which is difficult when you're in pain) and usually a good night's sleep to get back to normal. Pycnogenol may help relieve that problem, too.
Doctors at G. D'Annunzio University and L'Aquila University (both in Italy) studied 169 travelers on long-haul flights to determine if Pycnogenol could stop their ankles from swelling. Ankle-swelling is caused by fluid accumulation and can be an early warning sign of more serious health problems. Scientists found that the swelling of ankles in the control group increased by 58.3%, while the group receiving Pycnogenol had an increase of only 17.9%.
In a related study conducted by the same two universities, they found that Pycnogenol reduced deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and superficial vein thrombosis (SVT). Thrombosis means you have a blood clot, which can be deadly. Subjects received 100mg of Pycnogenol two to three hours before their flights, another 100mg six hours later and a third 100mg dose the next day. In the group receiving a placebo, there were five thrombosis events, while the people receiving Pycnogenol had NO thrombosis events.
In the clinical trials I reviewed, all stated that users of Pycnogenol experienced no side effects from use. How many prescription drugs can make that statement?
Dosage & how to shop for Pycnogenol
In some of the studies, only 100mg of Pycnogenol was given, but one study administered 200mg to subjects. It might be a good idea to start with a lower dose to determine if it's enough to relieve pain or cramps. If it doesn't, you might want to increase the dosage to 200mg.
While Pycnogenol is usually pricey, I've found a product sold through VitaCost that's bargain-priced. In comparison to other brands, you'll be paying less than half!
Click on the VitaCost ad in the left column and enter Pine Bark Extract 95% OPC in the search box. You can copy the words from this blog and paste them in the search box at VitaCost.
So, get on that plane and visit family and friends. If you take Pycnogenol, you'll arrive almost as fresh as when you left!
Additional sources:
Angiology. 2006 May-Jun;57(3):331-9
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2005 Jul;11(3):289-94
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2004 Oct;10(4):373-7
* * * * * * * *
I am not a doctor and have no medical training.
The information in this blog is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Statements made on this blog
have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Consult a healthcare professional before using any products,
treatments or exercises mentioned on this blog.
"Let food be thy medicine and
medicine be thy food" - Hippocrates
One reason you feel pain when you exercise or over-exert yourself is the presence of a higher level of waste products. Usually, your body washes them away, and you don't feel pain. When you overdo things or are involved in bodybuilding, the waste products build up faster than they can be removed. Tree bark might help your body recover faster from muscle pain.
Aching muscles? Wipe out the pain!
Pycnogenol is a natural extract from Maritime pine tree bark, and Italian scientists have proven that it makes sore muscles feel better faster. Doctors at G. D'Annunzio University in Chieti, Italy, tested Pyncogenol on athletes as well as patients suffering from various blood vessel disorders (e.g., intermittent claudication and diabetic microangiopathy). Test groups received either a placebo or 200mg of Pycnogenol for four weeks and then were tested for muscle pain or cramps during the fifth week. Muscle cramps in the athletes decreased 72%, while patients suffering from blood vessel disorders had a 59% decrease. The placebo groups had no significant reduction in pain or cramps.
According to the researchers, "Pycnogenol prevents cramps, muscular pain at rest, and pain after/during exercise in normals, in athletes prone to cramps, in patients with venous disease, in claudicants, and in diabetics with microangiopathy. The difference is statistically significant." Imagine the improvement in your quality of life if you could relieve your muscle pain and cramps by almost three-fourths!
Stop blood clots from long-term sitting or inactivity
Have you ever sat for long periods of time - either at home, at work or on a plane - and found your ankles had swollen so badly that you could hardly walk? It's a common problem, especially with the number of people traveling longer distances by plane. Besides being unsightly, it causes pain and stiffness. It takes a lot of walking (which is difficult when you're in pain) and usually a good night's sleep to get back to normal. Pycnogenol may help relieve that problem, too.
Doctors at G. D'Annunzio University and L'Aquila University (both in Italy) studied 169 travelers on long-haul flights to determine if Pycnogenol could stop their ankles from swelling. Ankle-swelling is caused by fluid accumulation and can be an early warning sign of more serious health problems. Scientists found that the swelling of ankles in the control group increased by 58.3%, while the group receiving Pycnogenol had an increase of only 17.9%.
In a related study conducted by the same two universities, they found that Pycnogenol reduced deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and superficial vein thrombosis (SVT). Thrombosis means you have a blood clot, which can be deadly. Subjects received 100mg of Pycnogenol two to three hours before their flights, another 100mg six hours later and a third 100mg dose the next day. In the group receiving a placebo, there were five thrombosis events, while the people receiving Pycnogenol had NO thrombosis events.
In the clinical trials I reviewed, all stated that users of Pycnogenol experienced no side effects from use. How many prescription drugs can make that statement?
Dosage & how to shop for Pycnogenol
In some of the studies, only 100mg of Pycnogenol was given, but one study administered 200mg to subjects. It might be a good idea to start with a lower dose to determine if it's enough to relieve pain or cramps. If it doesn't, you might want to increase the dosage to 200mg.
While Pycnogenol is usually pricey, I've found a product sold through VitaCost that's bargain-priced. In comparison to other brands, you'll be paying less than half!
Click on the VitaCost ad in the left column and enter Pine Bark Extract 95% OPC in the search box. You can copy the words from this blog and paste them in the search box at VitaCost.
So, get on that plane and visit family and friends. If you take Pycnogenol, you'll arrive almost as fresh as when you left!
Additional sources:
Angiology. 2006 May-Jun;57(3):331-9
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2005 Jul;11(3):289-94
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2004 Oct;10(4):373-7
I am not a doctor and have no medical training.
The information in this blog is not intended
to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Statements made on this blog
have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Consult a healthcare professional before using any products,
treatments or exercises mentioned on this blog.
medicine be thy food" - Hippocrates
posted by Edith Gaylord | 7:00 AM
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