I have found many, many things that Pine Brark can "cure". The most amazing is when I told my doctor a Board Certified Cardiologist that it could just about cure heart failure.

I showed him this abstract and in my next office visit he said that he "tried it" and that he did not get the 22.4% increase in ejection fraction.

He only saw a 20% increase.

That means the heart was pumping about 20% more volume per beat.

He was very pleased.

The minimum effective dose is 150mg but I think 100 mg twice a day is best.

As a side-effect it helped raise my HDL from 41 to 76.

jackD

p.s. I have done much research on this stuff and I will list some of my findings later.

http://home.ix.netcom.com/~jdalton/P...l%20levels.pdf

Panminerva Med. 2010 Jun;52(2 Suppl 1):21-5.

Investigation of Pycnogenol® in combination with coenzymeQ10 in heart failure patients (NYHA II/III).

Belcaro G, Cesarone MR, Dugall M, Hosoi M, Ippolito E, Bavera P, Grossi MG.
SourceIrvine3 Labs, Department Biomedical Sciences, Chieti-Pescara University, Pescara, Italy. cardres@abol.it

Abstract
AIM: In this study we investigated benefits of a Pycnogenol - coenzyme Q10 combination (PycnoQ10) taken as an adjunct to medical treatment in stable heart failure patients. The aim of this single-blinded, 12-week observational study was to provide functional parameters such as exercise capacity, ejection fraction and distal edema.

METHODS: The essential element for inclusion was a stable level of heart failure within the past three months and stable NYHA class II or III (6 months). The heart failure management was in accordance with AHA guidelines for "best treatment." The treatment and control groups were comparable at baseline. The mean age of the PycnoQ10-treated patients was 61.3+/-7.1 years and 62.1+/-3.7 in the control group. All patients were taking medication and most patients (>75%) used three or more drugs for heart failure treatment. There were two dropouts in the PycnoQ10 treatment group and 6 in the control group (5 NYHA III patients).

RESULTS: Nine PycnoQ10 treated patients (out of 32) and 3 (out of 21) taking placebo improved NYHA class. Systolic and diastolic pressure as well as heart rate and respiratory rate were significantly lowered with PycnoQ10 as compared to the control group (P<0.05). No significant changes were observed in controls. Heart ejection fraction increased by 22.4% in the treatment group (P<0.05) versus 4.0% in controls. Walking distance on treadmill increased 3.3-fold in PycnoQ10 treated patients (P<0.05) but marginally improved in the control group. Distal edema decreased significantly in PycnoQ10 treated patients and only slightly in controls.

CONCLUSION: The association of Pycnogenol and CoQ10 may offer an important therapeutic option with a very good tolerability that improves heart failure management without side effects.

PMID:20657530[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


Lipids. 2002 Oct;37(10):931-4.

Supplementation with a pine bark extract rich in polyphenols increases plasma antioxidant capacity and alters the plasma lipoprotein profile.

Devaraj S, Vega-López S, Kaul N, Schönlau F, Rohdewald P, Jialal I.

SourceLaboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research, University of California, Davis, Medical Center, Sacramento, California 95817, USA.

Abstract
Pycnogenol (PYC), an extract of French maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster), is a potent antioxidant with potential health benefits. Its bioavailabilty has previously been shown by urinary excretion studies of constituents and metabolites of PYC. The aim of this study was to test the effect of PYC supplementation on measures of oxidative stress and the lipid profile in humans. Twenty-five healthy subjects received PYC (150 mg/d) for 6 wk. Fasting blood was collected at baseline, after 3 and 6 wk of supplementation, and again after a 4-wk washout period. After 6 wk of supplementation with PYC, a significant increase in plasma polyphenol levels was detectable, which was reversed after the 4-wk washout phase. The antioxidant effect of PYC was demonstrated by a significant increase in oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) in plasma throughout the supplementation period (P < 0.05). The ORAC value returned to baseline after the 4-wk washout period. Moreover, in addition to its antioxidant effects, PYC significantly reduced LDL-cholesterol levels and increased HDL-cholesterol levels in plasma of two-thirds of the subjects. While the LDL changes reversed during washout, the HDL increase did not. There was no significant difference in LDL oxidizability or plasma lipid peroxides following PYC supplementation. Hence, following oral supplementation in humans, PYC significantly increases antioxidant capacity of plasma, as determined by ORAC, and exerts favorable effects on the lipid profile.

PMID:12530550[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]