Cardiovascular Dietary supplementFrench Maritime Pine Bark Extract

Pycnogenol

French Maritime Pine Bark · Maritime Pine Extract

Evidence: Studied in humans. Example dose: finalize with a provider. Not a fact-check stamp.

50-100mg daily – 100 mg Oral 1-2x daily

Procyanidin / OPC AntioxidantCardiovascular / Skin SupportDietary Supplement (Patented)

Pycnogenol is the proprietary trade name for French maritime pine bark extract (Pinus pinaster), standardized to 65-75% procyanidins. Procyanidins are oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) - powerful antioxidants and nitric oxide modulators with cardiovascular, cognitive, and skin benefits.

Quick Start

Route

Oral capsule

Start low

50-100mg Oral

Frequency

1-2x daily

Timing

With food

With meals.

❋

Start here. Every protocol below is ordered lowest-first. Begin at the smallest effective dose, hold about a week to assess tolerance, and step up only if needed.

Tiered Protocols · lowest first

Conservative start

50-100mg daily · Oral capsule · 1-2x daily

conservative starter

50-100mg daily

1-2x daily

Standard

Circulation & Antioxidant

100 mg · Oral · Daily

human clinical trial · Luzzi, Belcaro et al. 2011 (Panminerva Med 53(3 Suppl 1):75-82; PMID 22108481)

French maritime pine bark extract widely studied (Belcaro group) for venous insufficiency, endothelial function, cognition, and skin. Standardized to ~70% procyanidins.

100 mg

Daily

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How it works

Pycnogenol procyanidins act through:

Antioxidant

Direct ROS scavenging plus glutathione system support.

NO Modulation

Enhances eNOS activity and protects NO from oxidative degradation - cardiovascular and erectile mechanisms.

Anti-Inflammatory

NF-κB pathway modulation reduces inflammatory cytokines.

Capillary Stabilization

Strengthens capillary walls; reduces edema in venous insufficiency.

Procyanidin-Specific

Higher polymerization index than other OPC sources - bioavailability profile differs from grape seed extract or cocoa procyanidins.

What to expect

Early

Days 1–7

Days 1-14: subtle subjective effects.

Mid

Weeks 2–4

Weeks 4-12: peak effects.

Later

Weeks 4–12

Long-term continuous use OK.

Evidence

HumanStrong

AnimalStrong

In-vitroPresent

Each reference below was re-fetched from its PubMed record, and the quoted sentence was confirmed to appear in that abstract and to support the claim it sits under. Follow any of them to read the source.

Its strong antioxidant, antiinflammatory, endothelium-dependent vasodilator activity, and also its anti-thrombotic effects make it appropriate for targeting the multifaceted pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome.

Its strong antioxidant, antiinflammatory, endothelium-dependent vasodilator activity, and also its anti-thrombotic effects make it appropriate for targeting the multifaceted pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome.

Pycnogenol® in Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders. Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2015 · PMID 25931421

Evidence scope. Narrative review in metabolic syndrome; no exact dose/route confirmation.

Claims we could not support

No abstract we checked supports these for this molecule at this route. That is not the same as saying they are false — it marks where the evidence is missing.

Dose/route: 50-100mg daily via Oral capsule, 1-2x daily. No checked live PubMed abstract supported this complete molecule/formulation/route/dose/frequency combination.

Primary safety claim: Mild GI. No checked live abstract directly established this as the primary concern for the card's exact formulation and regimen.

Side effects & safety

Commonly reported

Mild GI
Mild dizziness rare

Less common & notes

Mild antiplatelet activity.
Allergic reactions rare.
Long-term safety good per extensive clinical use.

Pharmacokinetics

Illustrative plasma concentration · 40 h

Half-life

~5-14 hours

Multi-component

Peak · Tmax

1-3 hours

Elimination

Days for cumulative effects

Bioavailability

Oral moderate

Duration of action

Daily dosing for sustained effects

Clearance

Hepatic

Storage. Capsule. Cool dry location.

Regulatory status

Dietary supplement (US, DSHEA). Patented by Horphag Research.

Put it to work

Calculate, log & track

Open Pycnogenol straight into OnePin with your vial and dose pre-filled, then let it handle the syringe math and remind you before the vial runs out.

Open Pycnogenol in the app →

Go deeper

The guide & community

The complete Pycnogenol walkthrough, real protocol discussion and coaching live inside the BlessUp community on Skool.

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