NOW FoodsSupplements, Pycnogenol 100 mg (a Unique Combination of Proanthocyanidins from French Maritime Pine) with Amla, 60 Veg Capsules

I've been taking this twice per day for a few months now. I haven't had any expensive lab work done to test the effects quantitatively, but I have definitely had less sinus / respiratory inflammation than usual, my skin seems less dry, and I've felt better and more energetic (more youthful) overall. There seems to be very good evidence that pycnogenol boosts hyaluronic acid, collagen, and elastin production. It also improves blood flow to skin / epithelial tissue, and endothelial tissue. So it makes sense that it would have many potential secondary benefits.

It's a wonderful product that helped me a lot with some pain left over after a surgery. I tried another brand but this one is much more potent.

I like Pycnogenol for an extra bit of energy. Especially if I am doing a sports activity I find them very helpful.

I tried it to see if it would help with blood glucose levels after meals. I cautiously say that my testing may indicate that it does. I will take a cholesterol test to see if it is beneficial there. Grape Seed Extract may contain the same active ingredient.

When I was in poor health before, I took this along with L-arginine for a while and noticed some improvement in my sexual function. So, I believe this extract may contain polyphenols or some other unidentified compounds that can support the body. That's why I’ve continued taking it. Even now, when I’m in excellent health, I still make a habit of taking one capsule a day.

I have several conditions that pycnogenol helps with, including Ménière’s disease, perimenopause, and chronic venous insufficiency. I’ve been taking 160 mg of pycnogenol daily religiously (I have a 100 mg bottle and a 60 mg bottle) and noticed that my perimenopause symptoms are much better. I also haven’t had a vertigo attack in that time, but I do get steroid injections and take a diuretic, so I can’t say for sure that the pycnogenol alone is managing that. In any event, I recommend pycnogenol.

I purchased this to increase blood flow to my brain, in a general attempt to treat a condition called cochlear hydrops. While the condition did eventually improve during this thirty-day period, it wasn't obvious to me that the Pycnogenol had anything to do with the recovery. I tried 1x AM/PM for eighteen days, then 2x AM for twelve days, but noticed no clear effect. After discontinuing more than two months ago, the condition continues to fluctuate at about the same rate as when I was on it.I noticed no other effects either, good or bad. Sleep, energy, focus, they were all about the same on or off of the supplement.You can try it if you want, at least it seems harmless, but moderate your expectations.

So far, the supplement seems to be working.