A new study published in the May
2008 (volume 8, issue 25) edition of the journal of Nutrition Research
shows Pycnogenol(R) (pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant extract from the
bark of the French maritime pine tree, reduces blood sugar in type II
diabetes patients, allows people to lower their antihypertensive medication
and improves cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. The study,
conducted at the University of Arizona, Tucson, indicates Pycnogenol(R) may
serve as a potent adjunct to prescription medications for the 20 million
people in the Unites States living with diabetes.
"Most people with type II diabetes have cholesterol problems and half
of those people experience hypertension. It has been documented that
Pycnogenol(R) mediates a number of beneficial effects on the cardiovascular
system for diabetics and healthy individuals," said Dr. Ronald Watson, a
lead researcher of the study. "Previous studies have shown Pycnogenol(R)
supplementation to be associated with reducing platelet aggregation,
lowering LDL and increasing HDL cholesterol and modifying hypertension,
among others. But what really makes the study results compelling is
Pycnogenol(R) simultaneously lowered blood glucose, LDL cholesterol and
blood pressure in patients. Furthermore, this is the first study suggesting
that Pycnogenol(R) might also be beneficial in protecting kidney function
in diabetics."
The 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
consisted of 48 men and women, 40 to 75 years of age, with
noninsulin-dependent type II diabetes, taking anti-diabetic medication with
metformin, sulfonylurea and glitazones. Furthermore, they took
antihypertensive medications with ACE inhibitors such as Lisinopril.
Despite their medication their fasting blood sugar was above healthy values
(142 mg/dL) and their average systolic blood pressure was 139 mmHg subjects
were randomly assigned to receive either Pycnogenol(R) (25 mg, 5 times
daily) or matched placebo. Participants were instructed to continue taking
their prescription medications.
Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded at baseline and at biweekly
follow-up visits physicians tried to lower the patient's individual
anti-hypertensive medication with aim to keep it below 130 mmHg. At monthly
follow-up visits, all unused prescription medications were collected and
counted. Change from baseline at weeks four, eight and 12 were calculated
after eight hours of fasting for assessing plasma glucose, LDL cholesterol
and endothelin-1. Urinary protein concentration was measured from spot
urine samples on a monthly basis.
In the Pycnogenol(R) treated groups, results revealed Pycnogenol(R)
achieved blood pressure control in 58.3 percent of patients at the end of
the 12 weeks with 50 percent reduction in prescription medications. Plasma
endothelin-1, a very potent hormone-like arterial constrictor which is
typically elevated in diabetes patients, decreased by 17.8 percent. The
constriction of arteries is believed to be the cause of hypertension and
the decreased endothelin-1 with Pycnogenol(R) is suggested to be the cause
for the healthier blood pressure. The mean average blood glucose decreased
from high 142.3 mg/dL to a healthy value 118.6, a decrease by 16.7% after
12 weeks. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol improved significantly,
declining by 11.9%.
"It is amazing to see that adding Pycnogenol(R) to the regimen of
prescription medication brought blood glucose to healthy levels, allowed
half the patients to reach healthy blood pressure and enabled 58% to even
lower their anti-hypertensive medication," said Watson. "An absolutely new
finding is that Pycnogenol(R) appears to improve kidney function in
diabetic people, this deserves more attention in future investigations.
Pycnogenol(R) should be standard adjunct to pharmaceutical treatment of
diabetic patients to help control an array of cardiovascular problems."
In the past four years alone, numerous studies have been published on
Pycnogenol's(R) health benefits for people living with diabetes. In a study
published in the March 2004 Diabetes Care, Pycnogenol(R) was shown to lower
blood sugar levels and not affect insulin levels. The October 2006 journal
of Angiology revealed Pycnogenol(R) reduces diabetic microangiopathy and in
2006, published research in the July journal of Clinical and Applied
Thrombosis/Hemostasis revealed Pycnogenol(R) heals leg ulcers in patients
who suffer from diabetic leg ulcerations. Additionally, Pycnogenol(R) has
been shown to reduce fasting and postprandial serum glucose levels and
glycosylated hemoglobin in patients with type II diabetes. And, earlier
studies with more than 1,000 diabetes patients, showed that Pycnogenol(R)
has the ability to seal leaky capillaries in the eye. This capability stops
the progression of vision loss in patients suffering from diabetic
retinopathy, a diabetes-induced eye disease that ultimately leads to
blindness.
Pycnogenol(R)
Pycnogenol(R) is a natural plant extract originating from the bark of
the maritime pine that grows along the coast of southwest France and is
found to contain a unique combination of procyanidins, bioflavonoids and
organic acids, which offer extensive natural health benefits. The extract
has been widely studied for the past 35 years and has more than 220
published studies and review articles ensuring safety and efficacy as an
ingredient. Today, Pycnogenol(R) is available in more than 600 dietary
supplements, multi-vitamins and health products worldwide.
Natural Health Science Inc. (NHS), based in Hoboken, New Jersey, is the
North American distributor for Pycnogenol(R) (pic-noj-en-all) brand French
maritime pine bark extract on behalf of Horphag Research. Pycnogenol(R) is
a registered trademark of Horphag Research Ltd., Guernsey, and its
applications are protected by U.S. patents #5,720,956 / #6,372,266 and
other international patents. NHS has the exclusive rights to market and
sell Pycnogenol(R) in North America and benefits from more than 35 years of
scientific research assuring the safety and efficacy of Pycnogenol(R) as a
dietary supplement.
SOURCE Natural Health Science
Digg
Reddit
Slashdot