Antioxidant - Pycnogenol

Pycnogenol is a group of water-soluble polyphenols called Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPC's),

The active ingredients are catechins, epicatechins, their dimers and oligomers, and organic acids.

The most potent antioxidants [dimeric proanthocyanidins - PACs] are derived from white pine bark. Pycnogenol is 80% to 85% PACs, 5% catechin and epicatechin, and 2%-4% organic acids.

Benefits of Pycnogenol

Pycnogenol is about 50 times more powerful than Vitamin E in its antioxidant properties, and 20 times more powerful than vitamin C.

These powerful antioxidants:

• strengthen blood capillaries and help to regulate their permeability.
• maintain collagen - OPC's and bioflavonoids with vitamin C work together
• fight inflammatory conditions in veins and capillaries. (See ActiVin, OPC's, Bioflavonoids).

Source of Pycnogenol

The body cannot manufacture OPC's- polyphenols so must obtain them from foods. Unfortanately, most food sources are not water soluble, and thus are harder to assimilate.

Pycnogenol is water soluble and therefore more powerful.

Antioxidant Supplements