Hi everyone. My son just started school after almost 3 yr. of homeschooling. He's been on a pretty even keel except for one terrifying rage attack at home. He's been on a fairly stable supplement routine for the past year or so. Recently I added in grape seed extract. It has been amazing. A really dramatic increase in his ability to follow through and a decrease in brain fog. I am curious if there is a difference in how grape seed extract and pycnogenol are used by the body. I tried grape seed extract first based on price. Also, are there other supps that work well in conjunction with the grape seed extract? I have adjusted his vit. C since starting the grape seed extract. I guess I'm wondering what else did I leave out from his regimen. The change in him has been amazing!

Laurie (formerly Laurie in NY, now in Az)

Hi Laurie

yes, grape seed extract and also pycnogenol are really amazing supps, both for concentration and also for their immuno supportive functions

click here for detailed info on both from the Health Encyclopedia at iherb.com

iHerb also sells a grapeseed/grapeskin /pine bark blend at a substantially discounted cost from what it is in health stores
here is that link

Billberry and Borage oil are 2 supps that our doc recommended for use with
OPCs (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins) for additional antioxidant and mental alertness

HTH

I'd like to try this, but if it used for ADHD, is it likely to take away some of my energy? Its just that...I feel really drowsy and energyless all the time, so I wouldn't want that.

Sorry if that makes no sense lol

No, grapeseed is not sedating.

It is basically anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic.
Much of ADHD involves inflammatory cytokines in the brain.

Grapeseed is great supplement..you get antioxidant effects, improvement in free radical damage in blood vessels too.

Thanks What about pine bark/Pycenogenol and evening primorse oil?

None are sedating. Primrose oil works best when you have a source of EFAs in the diet--alpha linolenic acid as found in flax
and other plants sources. Too much Primrose will fuel the
manufacture of PGE2 cytokines which are inflammatory.
High doses are not necessary. It is an Omega-6, so moderation
is key with those to keep your ratios low of 3:6 should be no higher than 1:5 ideally.

Pycnogenols work the same as grapeseed, only are more expensive.