Pycnogenol
Pycnogenol is a branded extract of French maritime pine bark, made mostly of procyanidins, the same family of polyphenols found in apples, grapes and cocoa. It is sold for circulation and skin, but a Cochrane review found no condition it is proven to help.
No set daily amount
27 trials in about 1,600 people reviewed by Cochrane in 2020, with no firm conclusions possible
~70% procyanidins · the share Pycnogenol is standardized to, plus or minus 5%
- Part used Bark of Pinus pinaster, the maritime pine
- Main compounds Procyanidins plus phenolic acids and catechins
- Also found in Apples, grapes, cocoa in a different mix
- Evidence Weak small trials, unclear quality
Standardization and trial counts from the Cochrane review of 2020. No recommended amount exists.
Where Pine Bark Extract and Procyanidins Come From
Diet supplies no pine bark extract; supplements are the only source. Food does supply procyanidins, the extract's main compounds, in a different mix.
- Apples and grapesmostly in the skin, and in grape seeds
- Cocoa and dark chocolateamong the richest everyday sources; processing with alkali lowers the amount
- Berries, nuts and red winecranberries and blueberries hold some, as do nuts such as hazelnuts and pecans, and red wine from the grape skins and seeds
- SupplementsPycnogenol, other pine bark extracts and grape seed extract concentrate procyanidins in a tablet
What Is Pycnogenol?
The maritime pine grows along the Atlantic coast of southwest France, where whole forests were planted on coastal sand. Its bark is extracted to make Pycnogenol, a trademarked product. That makes this page unusual: the substance is defined by a brand, and its trials were mostly done on that one product.
What Is in Pycnogenol
Its maker standardizes Pycnogenol to about 70% procyanidins, give or take 5%. Procyanidins are chains of catechin and epicatechin units that belong to the flavonoid family of polyphenols. The rest includes phenolic acids and taxifolin. Large procyanidins are poorly absorbed whole; much of what the body takes up are smaller pieces and compounds made from them by gut bacteria.
Pine Bark Extract vs. Procyanidins in Food
The same building blocks are in ordinary food. Apples, grapes, cocoa, berries and nuts all contain procyanidins, though in different chain lengths and alongside other polyphenols such as quercetin in apple skin. A supplement concentrates one plant's version in a tablet; fruit delivers a smaller, mixed amount with fiber and vitamins. Neither is proven to treat a disease.
What Pycnogenol Trials Found
Pine bark extract, mostly Pycnogenol, has been tested for asthma, ADHD, heart and blood vessel risk factors, chronic venous insufficiency, diabetes, osteoarthritis, erectile dysfunction, traumatic brain injury and more. The 2020 Cochrane review pooled 27 randomized trials with 1,641 people across 10 chronic disorders, lasting one to six months. Most were small, the reviewers rated the risk of bias unclear in most of them, and the outcomes differed, so they concluded that no firm conclusions on whether it works or is safe are possible.
Common Pycnogenol Mistakes
Treating antioxidant as a health effect. Procyanidins neutralize free radicals in a test tube. That does not show a benefit in people, the same gap seen with resveratrol.
Assuming any pine bark extract is Pycnogenol. Generic pine bark extracts may use other species or methods, and the trials on Pycnogenol do not cover them.
Counting a single positive trial. Many studies are cited in marketing, but most are small, and when the Cochrane reviewers pooled them they could not draw firm conclusions.
Pine Bark Supplements
Supplements are the only source of the extract. Check the pine species and the procyanidin content on the label.
Types of Pine Bark Supplements
- PycnogenolFrench maritime pine bark, standardized to about 70% procyanidins; the extract in most trials
- Generic pine bark extractspecies, strength and added ingredients vary; check the label
- Grape seed extractalso rich in procyanidins, but a different product with its own studies
Pycnogenol Safety
Its safety has not been well established. Most of the trials pooled by Cochrane, which lasted one to six months, did not report on serious side effects or hospital stays at all, so the reviewers could draw no firm conclusion on safety. Its safety in pregnancy, while breastfeeding and over many years is not known. Ask a doctor or pharmacist before combining it with a medicine.
Sources are listed at the end of this page. Not medical advice.
Pycnogenol in Caltide
- Not totaled yetCaltide does not add up pine bark extract or procyanidins yet. The apples, cocoa and nuts you log still count toward calories and nutrients, with each food's breakdown in the food library.
Related Nutrients
Pycnogenol Sources and References
The figures and claims on this page are checked against these sources.
Questions About Pycnogenol
Pycnogenol is the brand name of an extract of French maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster). It is a mix of plant polyphenols, mostly procyanidins, sold as a supplement for circulation, skin and other uses.
Not always. Pycnogenol is one standardized extract from one pine species. Products sold as pine bark extract may come from other pines, be made differently or be mixed with other ingredients, so trials of Pycnogenol do not automatically apply to them.
It is not proven for any condition. A 2020 Cochrane review of pine bark extracts, mostly Pycnogenol, pooled 27 trials in about 1,600 people across 10 chronic conditions and concluded that no firm conclusions on whether they work, or on their safety, are possible.
Chains of catechin units, a type of polyphenol. They are the main compounds in pine bark extract and also occur in everyday foods such as apples, grapes, cocoa, berries and nuts.
No. Pine bark is not food, so the extract comes only from supplements. Related procyanidins come from fruit, cocoa and nuts, but these are a different mix in different amounts.
Its safety has not been well established. Most trials in the 2020 Cochrane review, which lasted one to six months, did not report on serious side effects or hospital stays at all, so no firm conclusion on safety is possible. Its safety in pregnancy and over many years is not known.
Not yet. Caltide does not total pine bark extract or procyanidins, though the fruit, cocoa and nuts you log still count toward your calories and nutrients.
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