Nature’s Best Pycnogenol is supposed to offer many health benefits, because of its strong antioxidant properties that prevent oxidative damage. It is true that a diet rich in fruits and veggies offer health benefits because it helps increase your intake of flavonoids, but the question is, can you get some specific benefits by taking a supplement that contains a flavonoid like Pycnogenol? Here is our review to help you decide.
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol provides you with a popular flavonoid, that is supposed to work by improving blood circulation in the body and preventing free radical damage. You get 40mg of Pycnogenol from each serving of Nature’s Best Pycnogenol. It is supposed to treat circulatory problems, and improve asthma symptoms as well. The thing is that you can get enough of this flavonoid if your diet includes bilberries, blackberries, brussels sprouts, grapes, kale, and citrus fruits. There is actually insufficient scientific evidence that supplementing with Pycnogenol, or another flavonoid for that matter, is going to offer impressive health benefits.
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol is a natural supplement, so it is generally considered safe. Still, some customer reviews suggest that you may experience some gastrointestinal side effects in the beginning. Refer to our “Side Effects” section for more details.
You can get 60 servings of Nature’s Best Pycnogenol for £19.95. It seems affordable, as you have to take only one serving per day. Taking one serving a day may not be enough though.
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol is supposed to help you enjoy better health by improving blood circulation. There is some evidence that it may help people suffering from erectile dysfunction, but there are only animal studies showing positive effects of Pycnogenol. It is actually a flavonoid, but many studies have also found that you experience the benefits of flavonoids when you take from dietary sources.
Eating fruits and vegetables not only provides you with flavonoids, but also increases your intake of important vitamins and nutrients. That is why flavonoids work. You may not experience those benefits when you take flavonoids in isolation, which is exactly the case with Nature’s Best Pycnogenol. While the price of this supplement may look rather affordable, you are still going to lose that money because it is not going to deliver desired results.
Our verdict: avoid it!
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Nature’s Best Pycnogenol provides you with a number of health benefits, mainly because it contains Pycnogenol or pine bark extract. This flavonoid is supposed to anti-diabetic properties, and may also help improve your overall health. It may also improve nitric oxide levels, which in turn helps with erectile dysfunction. However, the truth is that this patented formulation of Pine Bark Extract does not have enough scientific evidence to support its use.
There are many Pycnogenol supplements currently available in the market, and most of them are standardized to 65-75% of Procyanidin, which is the main active compound. We do not have much information about how much of Procyanidin compounds are present in Nature’s Best Pycnogenol. This is another reason we do not think taking this supplement is a good option for anyone.
The manufacturer claims that Nature’s Best Pycnogenol helps by improving blood circulation in the body. Now, there is really no need to take any supplement to achieve this result, as you can easily improve blood circulation through regular exercise and more attention to your diet. Pycnogenol is supposed to work by increase Nitric Oxide levels in the body, but it is not clear how much or how long you need to take to see an effect.
Here is what the official site says about taking Nature’s Best Pycnogenol:
Another big issue is that you cannot find enough human trials to confirm the benefits of Nature’s Best Pycnogenol. Whatever little evidence is there to support the use of Pycnogenol has industry funding, which is why you just cannot trust all those results. It is important to mention that some studies have found positive results of Pycnogenol supplementation, but most of those results are related to erectile dysfunction only. For instance:
There are other such studies too, but most of them are confounded with the use of L-arginine and other amino acids. It is also thought that supplementing with Pycnogenol may help improve cognitive function. Again, there is not enough scientific evidence to confirm this claim, but you can find some animal studies that have shown some promise. For instance:
The problem is that it is hard to replicate these results in human studies, which is the reason why we believe that taking Nature’s Best Pycnogenol is not going to prove effective. It is true that Pycnogenol may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect in the body, which is why you may experience some benefits once the inflammation goes down. However, you will have to take the supplement for a long time to see any benefit in this respect. You are less likely to experience any benefit from Nature’s Best Pycnogenol, which does not seem to provide you with enough of Pycnogenol per serving. For instance, some studies have found that Pycnogenol may improve blood flow and increase nitric oxide levels in the blood, only when you take 100mg/day for up to 8 weeks. There is only 40mg of Pycnogenol in each serving of Nature’s Best Pycnogenol, so you should not expect any significant benefits.
The supplement also includes magnesium stearate, which is a compound made by combining a magnesium ion and stearic acid. Most supplements include it because of its lubricating properties. You need to bear in mind that many health experts are against the use of this compound, because it can have a toxic reaction in your body. The presence of this additive is another reason why we believe that you should stay away from Nature’s Best Pycnogenol.
The fact of the matter is that taking flavonoid to improve your health may seem to be a good idea, but it does not always produce desired results. The same holds true for Nature’s Best Pycnogenol. When obtained from dietary sources, such as kale, strawberries, tea, onions, brussels sprouts, parsley, and citrus fruit, Pycnogenol certainly helps eliminate free radicals from the body, and even help reduce the aging effects. However, there is not enough research to confirm that the same effects are observed when you take Pycnogenol in isolation. Just like all other flavonoids, it works better when taken through dietary sources because you get other vitamins, minerals, and important nutrients at the same time. Wasting money on Nature’s Best Pycnogenol is not going to prove a good idea, so avoid it!
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol provides you with a good dose of a flavonoid called Pycnogenol. Regular intake of this supplement is supposed to help you in the following ways:
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol provides you with a flavonoid that acts as an antioxidant in the body. It is supposed to improve your health by increasing blood circulation, and eliminating free radicals from your body. The problem is that there are not enough scientific studies to support the use of Pycnogenol. Many studies have confirmed that taking antioxidants in a supplement form is not going to prove that effective. The same holds true for flavonoids. You will be much better off increasing your intake of fruits and veggies to get all the flavonoid, along with important minerals and vitamins. Moreover, Nature’s Best Pycnogenol uses magnesium stearate and other ingredients that make a supplement less favorable as compared to raw fruits and veggies. Overall, it is better to avoid Nature’s Best Pycnogenol, and tweak your diet a little to stay healthy!
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol contains only one main ingredient, which is Pycnogenol. This flavonoid is extracted from pine bark, and is supposed to work in many different ways. As per Webmd.com:
However, there is not enough evidence to suggest that all these benefits are associated with the use of Nature’s Best Pycnogenol. It also contains magnesium stearate, which is used for its lubricating properties, but it can have several side effects when used in supplements.
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol contains natural ingredients, so you usually do not have to worry about experiencing many side effects. Still, you may have to be a bit careful when you first take it because it can trigger allergic reactions, and may cause gastrointestinal symptoms as well. It is important to mention that Nature’s Best Pycnogenol also contains magnesium stearate, mainly to lubricate the capsules, but it can also cause side effects. Some studies have found that it is better to avoid supplements containing magnesium stearate because it can be toxic.
How much Pycnogenol you take will also affect what sort of side effects you experience. As mentioned already, you may have to take up to 100mg a day for 8 weeks to notice its effects, but some studies have shown that taking more than 25mg for long enough may lead to several side effects. At higher doses, Pycnogenol can cause problems like indigestion, dizziness, mouth ulcers, and headaches.
Experts also believe that you should avoid taking Pycnogenol when you have certain medical conditions. People with autoimmune diseases, like lupus, MS, and rheumatoid arthritis should never take Pycnogenol. It can make your symptoms even worse. Also, you should avoid it when you have a bleeding disorder because Pycnogenol may increase blood circulation, and lead to an increased risk of uncontrolled bleeding.
It is also a good idea to avoid this supplement when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. There is one study conducted on pregnant women to check the effects of Pycnogenol, and no side effects were noted. Still, it is better to be on the safe side and avoid it in pregnancy.
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol makes several big claims, but it seems that their formula is not potent enough to produce positive results. Here are some customer reviews to help you have an idea:
I have tried this product in the past but I no longer use it because it did nothing to improve my health. It is never a good choice for weight or improved brain function. Do not waste your money!
I have been taking these capsules for a couple of weeks now, but I am still not able to pinpoint any specific benefit associated with it. I do not think it is as effective as they claim.
Nature’s Best Pycnogenol may or may not come with a money-back guarantee, depending on where you go to make a purchase.
You can buy Nature’s Best Pycnogenol directly from the official website, or order through third party retailers.
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