Pycnogenols

"pycnogenols", which today are considered and referred to in the scientific community as oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes, or OPC's. OPC's have been used in Europe under medical supervision for over thirty years with no reports of adverse effects. Over one million people utilize these daily.

OPC's have been tested time and time again for safety by conventional and scientific methods at leading research centers worldwide including the Pasteur Institute. They have been found to be non-toxic, non-antigenic, non-teratogenic, non-mutagenic, and non-carcinogenic.

Clinical tests suggest that OPC's may be a much as fifty times more potent than Vitamin E and twenty times more powerful than Vitamin C in terms of fighting free radical damage and our ability to absorb and utilize them. In addition to their antioxidant activity, they strengthen and repair connective tissue, including that of the cardiovascular system, and they moderate allergic and inflammatory reponses by reducing histamine production.

Pycnogenol is a trademarked name for pine bark extract, although the term is often used informally to refer to other OPC sources as well, most notably grape seed extract.

(Written by Julie, one of our volunteers)

Warning

Purple grape juice has been shown to inhibit platelet activity (clotting) in studies done at the University of Wisconsin Medical School.

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