Pycnogenol (French maritime pine bark extract)
Summary
Pycnogenol is a pine bark extract rich in procyanidins. Meta-analyses found small drops in blood pressure of about 2–3 mmHg (grade C) but no effect on blood lipids. One 100-person knee osteoarthritis trial reported less pain. A Cochrane review judged the evidence insufficient for any chronic condition.
Key facts
- A standardized French maritime pine bark extract (procyanidins)[5]
- 27 trials, 1,685 people: systolic −2.3 mmHg and diastolic −2.6 mmHg versus control[1]
- 15 trials across 7 conditions: evidence insufficient to support use for any chronic disorder[5]
- 150 mg a day in the knee osteoarthritis trial[4]
- 5 graded human outcomes on this page
- October 11, 2026
How it works
ProposedProcyanidins act as antioxidants in lab studies; how pine bark extract might lower blood pressure or joint pain in people is not established.[5]
What the human research says
Human trials only, one row per outcome. The form column shows what each trial actually tested. Grades follow our evidence-grading policy.
At a glance: strongest evidence per outcome
| Outcome | Grade | Effect | Strongest evidence | Rows |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart | Grade C | Improved | Meta-analysis · n = 1,685 · 2025 | 3 rows |
| Healthy aging | Grade D | Mixed | Systematic review · n = 791 · 2012 | 1 row |
| Bones & joints | Grade D | Improved | RCT · n = 100 · 2008 | 1 row |
Every graded row
| Outcome | Effect | Grade | Best evidence | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blood pressure and cardiometabolic markers | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 1,685 · 2025 Adults in 27 randomized trials Form: Pine bark extract (mostly Pycnogenol) · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied Systolic −2.26 mmHg, diastolic −2.62 mmHg, fasting glucose −6.3 mg/dL, HbA1c −0.32%, weight −1.4 kg and LDL −5.1 mg/dL versus control; no effect on HDL, triglycerides or total cholesterol. | 39987124 (opens PubMed)Source [1] |
| Blood pressure | Improved | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 922 · 2020 Adults in 12 clinical trials Form: Pycnogenol · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied Systolic −3.2 mmHg and diastolic −1.9 mmHg; the systolic effect was larger when pycnogenol was given with other treatments. | 31637782 (opens PubMed)Source [2] |
| Blood lipids | No effect | Grade C | Meta-analysis · n = 442 · 2014 Patients in 7 controlled trials Form: Pycnogenol · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied No significant change in total, LDL or HDL cholesterol or triglycerides. | 24346156 (opens PubMed)Source [3] |
| Chronic disorders overall | Mixed | Grade D | Systematic review · n = 791 · 2012 Adults and children with asthma, ADHD, venous insufficiency, diabetes, erectile dysfunction, hypertension or osteoarthritis Form: Pycnogenol · Dose: Varied across trials · Duration: Varied Small samples, few trials per condition and risk of bias meant no definitive conclusions on efficacy or safety were possible. | 22336841 (opens PubMed)Source [5] |
| Knee osteoarthritis symptoms | Improved | Grade D | RCT · n = 100 · 2008 Adults with stage I–II knee osteoarthritis Form: Pycnogenol · Dose: 150 mg/day with meals · Duration: 3 months WOMAC index and pain scores improved versus placebo, and analgesic use fell. | 18570266 (opens PubMed)Source [4] |
Forms
| Form | Elemental % | Absorption (human data) | GI tolerance | Studied for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pycnogenol (standardized pine bark extract) | Varies[4][5] | No head-to-head human absorption data between products in our sources.[4][5] | Well tolerated in the 3-month knee trial.[4][5] | Blood pressure, knee osteoarthritis (150 mg/day in the cited trial) |
Studied doses
Doses studied in human trials ranged from 150 mg a day in the knee osteoarthritis trial cited here; the meta-analyses pooled trials with different doses and durations.[4][1][2]
Interactions
Published interactions only: each row cites a source. No row means none was found in our sources, not that a combination is safe.
None found in our sources.
Who should be careful
- People on blood pressure or diabetes medicine
- Pooled trials showed small drops in blood pressure and glucose that could add to these drugs; no interaction trials are cited here.[1]
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- No safety data in pregnancy were found in the sources we cite.[5]
- Anyone expecting proven benefits
- A Cochrane review found the evidence insufficient for any chronic condition.[5]
Talk to your pharmacist or clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medicines.
Where to buy Pycnogenol (French maritime pine bark extract)
Products from brands we partner with that contain Pycnogenol (French maritime pine bark extract). Listing a product is not a claim that it works; check the amount per serving against the doses studied above, and the label for other ingredients.
- SupersmartPaid linkPycnogenol4 capsules: 200 mg Pycnogenol (50 mg per capsule); 15 servings; the full serving is above the 150 mg/day used in the knee trialShop at Supersmart (opens in new tab)Price and label checked 2026-10-11 on the brand’s site.
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Frequently asked questions
Does Pycnogenol lower blood pressure?
Meta-analyses found small average drops of about 2–3 mmHg in systolic pressure.[1][2]
Does it lower cholesterol?
A meta-analysis of 7 trials found no effect on cholesterol or triglycerides.[3]
Does it help knee pain?
One 100-person trial of 150 mg a day for 3 months reported less pain than placebo.[4]
What did Cochrane conclude?
That the evidence is insufficient to support its use for any chronic condition.[5]
Sources
- [1]Does supplementation with pine bark extract improve cardiometabolic risk factors? A systematic review and meta-analysis.. BMC Complement Med Ther, 2025. meta-analysis
- [2]Effect of pycnogenol supplementation on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.. Phytother Res, 2020. meta-analysis
- [3]A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of pycnogenol on plasma lipids.. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther, 2014. meta-analysis
- [4]Effect of pine bark extract (Pycnogenol) on symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.. Phytother Res, 2008. RCT
- [5]Pycnogenol(®) for the treatment of chronic disorders.. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2012. systematic-review
What changed
- Effect arrows corrected on 2 row(s): outcomes where a harmful measure fell (pain, symptoms, blood pressure, lipids, glucose, risk) now show as improved (up). No study data changed.
- First draft. Every PMID checked against NCBI E-utilities (title, year and journal taken from the PubMed record) and abstracts read for each cited row. Product details in Where to buy read from the brand page on the date shown. Self-reviewed in a second strict pass (no independent reviewer yet).