Pycnogenol® and Menopause: Feeling Healthy and Beautiful at Any Age

By: Franziska Weichmann, PhD, Manager of Scientific Communications and Product Development at Horphag Research

Perimenopause is the time around the final menstruation, in which women transition from a fertile into an infertile state. Apart from marking the end of fertility years, menopause affects various physiological systems as a result of hormonal fluctuations. These climacteric symptoms include vasomotor symptoms (hot flashes, sweats), increased risk of cardiovascular problems, cognitive impairments, sexual dysfunction (vaginal dryness, loss of libido, dyspareunia), depressed mood, sleep disruption, joint and muscle aches and impaired sense of attractiveness (1, 2). This life-changing phase in all women's lives can last only a few months or up to 4 years in some cases, and it affects women between 45 and 55 (3). Interestingly, women from different cultures perceive the severity and mere occurrence of various symptoms very differently (4).

Hormone therapy (especially estrogen-progestogen preparations) has for a long time been a common way to treat menopausal symptoms. However, this treatment may cause an increased risk of severe adverse effects, including venous thromboembolism, strokes and even breast cancer (5). Thus, many women are looking for non-hormonal and natural ways to cope with the signs and symptoms of menopausal transition.

Pycnogenol®, a standardized, patented French maritime pine bark extract is a natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory food supplement and was found to have beneficial properties for the various health impairments in perimenopausal women. It has been established that Pycnogenol® does not affect hormone levels (6), and does not only improve all menopausal symptoms but it also helps with cardiovascular and skin health.

Pycnogenol® relieves menopausal symptoms

To date, almost 500 menopausal women took part in four different studies in which the effect of Pycnogenol® was specifically investigated on climacteric symptoms (6-9).

A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study with 155 Taiwanese peri-menopausal women found all symptoms of the Women’s Health Questionnaire (WHQ) to be significantly improved in the Pycnogenol® supplementing subjects, as compared to placebo controls (7). The women supplemented with 200 mg Pycnogenol® per day for 6 months. The symptoms on the WHQ include somatic (tiredness, headache) and vasomotor problems (hot flashes, sweating), depressed mood, memory and concentration issues, attractiveness, anxiety, sexual behavior, sleep, and menstrual problems.

In another study, the symptoms of 70 women in menopausal transition were evaluated with 38 subjects being supplemented with 100 mg Pycnogenol® per day for 8 weeks (8). The scoring system included 33 common signs and symptoms of menopausal complaints, such as hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, irregular periods, loss of libido and vaginal dryness, which were improved significantly after a relatively short time of Pycnogenol® intake.

The efficacy of a lower dosage of Pycnogenol® on climacteric symptoms was studied in a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled investigation of 170 women, supplemented with only 60 mg daily (6). Pycnogenol® intake significantly reduced menopausal symptoms.

Menopause is a leading risk factor of cardiovascular disease (10). Regular supplementation of peri-menopausal women with 100 mg Pycnogenol® per day for 6 months was shown to normalize this risk (9). Slightly elevated levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure were reduced to normal values and factors, connected to cardiovascular events (homocysteine and CRP values) were improved significantly. Free radicals in the blood plasma of the subjects decreased significantly by 22% upon supplementation of Pycnogenol®. Additionally, the study provides the result of a menopausal symptoms questionnaire with 34 items, which showed almost all symptoms to have improved after the 8 weeks of Pycnogenol® supplementation.

 Being the lead active ingredient in the context of a patented complex dietary formulation (Lady Prelox®), Pycnogenol® has also been shown to be beneficial in peri- and post-menopausal women, regarding vaginal dryness, sexual function and emotional and physical health (11-13).

 Pycnogenol® improves skin beauty

In over 20 published dermatological clinical investigations, Pycnogenol® was shown to provide numerous health benefits to the skin. These benefits include decreased pigmentation, increased skin hydration, improved skin perfusion and greater skin elasticity, leading to a beautifully glowing skin appearance with less wrinkles.

Pycnogenol® is able to reduce over-pigmentation for an even, bright looking skin and can contribute to limit photo-ageing in addition to sun-protective measures (14-17). Pycnogenol® was clinically validated to counteract skin hyper-pigmentation. Metabolites of Pycnogenol® showed to normalize enzyme activities, such as tyrosinase, which play key roles in the generation of melanin. In a clinical trial with 20 women in menopause, oral supplementation with Pycnogenol® was shown to significantly lower UV-induced expression of pigment synthesizing enzymes that are related to long-lasting pigmentation (16). As a result, Pycnogenol® contributes to fairer and more homogenous skin complexion.

In another study, 30 women presenting with melasma reported a 22% fairer skin complexion after 4 weeks of supplementation with Pycnogenol®. Additionally, Pycnogenol® was demonstrated to effectively lighten-up over-pigmented skin areas by 37% in this study (15).

Skin ageing processes are highly accelerated by exposure of skin to UV radiation. In a clinical trial, Pycnogenol® was shown to dose-dependently increase resistance to solar UV exposure, needed to trigger skin redness (17). Taken as a daily dietary supplement, Pycnogenol® was shown to provide potent photo-protective effects from inside the skin, which is very beneficial in addition to topical skin protection and shadowing. It is not suggested to replace adequate skin-protective measures in situations of intense sun exposure.

Pycnogenol® increases hyaluronic acid generation in the skin, moisturizing the skin and keeping it taut and smooth (18). A 12-week supplementation of Pycnogenol® revealed increased hyaluronic acid synthase levels by 44% in a clinical study with female volunteers, aged 55 to 68 years. The hyaluronic acid synthase is the natural source of water-binding hyaluronic acid in the dermis. Consequently, skin-hydration increased by 21% in the group of Pycnogenol® supplementation in women presenting with dry skin prior to Pycnogenol® intake, as measured by corneometry. In women presenting with normal skin moisture, supplementation with Pycnogenol® was demonstrated to still further improve skin hydration significantly by 8% (18).

Another benefit of Pycnogenol® in the skin is to increase skin elasticity and reduce skin fatigue by stimulation of the synthesis of new collagen in the skin and downregulation of the activity of enzymes that break down collagen and elastin (18-20). A study with 20 healthy women investigated Pycnogenol® efficacy on the dermis, regarding skin elasticity, which improved by 25%, as measured by a cutometer after 6 weeks of Pycnogenol® supplementation. Skin fatigue decreased by 30%. Interestingly, the results were paralleled by Pycnogenol®’s ability to generate skin´s connective tissue collagen in average by 40% (18).

In addition to stimulating the synthesis of new collagen, Pycnogenol® metabolites can inhibit the release and activity of destructive metalloproteinase enzymes, which break down dermal tissue proteins collagen, elastin and gelatin, respectively (19, 20). The reduced activity of these lytic enzymes saves the connective tissues from degradation, representing the basis for maintaining an elastic, smooth and youthful looking skin.

Pycnogenol® also has the property of enhancing blood-microcirculation in dermal capillaries (21). In several clinically studies, Pycnogenol® was shown to improve endothelial function, thus relieving vascular constriction, owed to enhanced generation of vasorelaxant nitric oxide. This leads to improved perfusion and hydration, better nutrient, and oxygen supply as well as more efficient waste removal. A good perfusion of the dermis represents the core requirement for physiologically competent and healthy skin, with nutrition, hydration, and detoxification fully operational.

Bone and joint health

Many menopausal women complain about increased joint pain and indeed, there are several hypotheses regarding the decreasing estrogen levels during menopause influencing osteoarthritis prevalence and severity (22). Pycnogenol® has been shown to act beneficially in patients presenting with signs of osteoarthritis (23-26). Osteoarthritis is a condition, in which joints cartilage and the underlying bones are affected by breakdown events, resulting from mechanical degradation as well as activation of matrix peptidases (27) This possibly leads to a systemic inflammation, resulting in accelerated degradation of the joint cartilage (27).

In a study with 55 osteoarthritis patients, the level of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly decreased by 72% and the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was decreased by 30% (23).

Those results are in accordance with previous findings that regular intake of Pycnogenol® leads to a potent decrease of pro-inflammatory markers like NF-κB and COX-enzymes, as well as a decline in matrix metallopeptidases (MMP) enzymes (19, 20, 28, 29).

A pilot double-blind study with 37 osteoarthritis patients showed that Pycnogenol® intake for 3 months led to improved pain symptoms, with a significant reduction of 43% in self-reported pain, 35% in stiffness and 52% in physical function compared to placebo controls (24).

In another double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized study, 100 patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis in the knee were supplemented with 150 mg Pycnogenol® per day for 3 months (25). The results of this study confirmed the previous findings of decreased pain and reduced need for analgesic medication during and after Pycnogenol® supplementation, in comparison with placebo control subjects.

In a larger clinical study with 156 osteoarthritis patients, Pycnogenol® was again supplemented for 3 months, in which the pain scores decreased by 56%, compared to a decrease by 11% in placebo controlled patients (26). Also, the mobility restrictions and emotional distress that comes with this condition were improved with supplementation of Pycnogenol®.

A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study with 170 menopausal women showed the efficacy of a lower dosage of Pycnogenol® (60 mg daily) on joint health (6). Pycnogenol® intake significantly reduced arthritic or muscular pain by 54.4%.

Pycnogenol® maintains a healthy cardiovascular system

As previously mentioned, menopause is a leading risk factor of cardiovascular diseases (10). Furthermore, increased vascular/endothelial dysfunction has shown to be associated with the frequency and severity of perimenopausal symptoms and lower quality of life (30). The underlying mechanisms for endothelial dysfunction are thought to be due to enhanced oxidative stress and endothelial inflammation, which also increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. One of the vastly researched properties of Pycnogenol® is its positive effect on the vascular and endothelial health (7, 31-33). The suggested mechanism is an activation of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase by Pycnogenol®, which leads to an optimized NO generation. This results in vasorelaxation and improved tissue perfusion.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over study, 200 mg Pycnogenol® per day was supplemented for 8 weeks. To determine the endothelial function, the flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in the brachial artery of 23 patients presenting with coronary artery disease, was measured (31). The FMD during supplementation was improved by 33 %, whereas during placebo, the FMD slightly decreased.

In another double-blind placebo-controlled randomized study indicating an improved endothelial function, the hypertensive patients had been taking 100 mg Pycnogenol® per day for 12 weeks (32). The levels of a vasoconstrictor (endothelin 1, narrowing the blood vessels) were significantly lowered by 20 % in the supplement group, whereas vasodilatory tissue hormone levels (prostaglandin, widening the blood vessels) increased compared to the placebo group.

The serum vasoconstrictor (endothelin 1) levels were measured in another double-blind, placebo-controlled study and were similarly lowered by 17.8 % in supplemented type II diabetes and hypertensive patients (125 mg Pycnogenol® daily for 3 months) compared to scarcely any change in placebo patients (33).

A double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial with 200 perimenopausal women showed a significant decrease (normalization) of the slightly elevated blood pressure by 3.9% (7). In the same study, the cholesterol levels were examined as well, as cholesterol levels are associated with elevated risk for cardiovascular disease. A significant decrease of LDL-cholesterol by 9.9% and a significant increase of HDL cholesterol by 4.6% was determined after the 6 months of Pycnogenol® supplementation showing that Pycnogenol® improves the lipid profile and therefore reduces the cardiovascular risk. This confirms Pycnogenol®’s beneficial effects on cardiovascular health.

Conclusion

Pycnogenol® French maritime pine bark extract is a safe, natural, and evidence-based solution to help with menopausal symptoms without any adverse effects.

For a complete list of scientific research and for further information, please visit www.pycnogenol.com .

References:

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