What Is Pine Bark Extract?
Pine bark extract is derived from the European coastal pine tree otherwise called Landes or maritime pine. The extracted juice is fermented and then brewed. Further, it undergoes the air-drying process and is made into tablets. The commercial pine bark extract is available in the market carrying the name pycnogenol which was patented by a French scientist. There might be differences in the effect of pine bark extract and tablets.
What Are the Most Important Nutrients in Pine Bark Extract That Controls Blood Glucose?
Pink bark extract is good at reducing the signs of aging. It eliminates the risk of heart disease. Pine bark extract is taken to control cholesterol levels in the body. Pine bark extract is rich in bioflavonoids such as flavons, flavonons, anthocyanins, isoflavones, and Flavonols. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in these flavonoids can fight free radicals and protect your body from tissue damage and other life-threatening diseases) like cancer.
How Pine Bark Extracts Helps Diabetes Health Conditions?
In a study, it is found that consuming foods that are rich in flavonoids improves vascular function and capable of healing wounds faster in people with type 2 diabetes. The oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs) in the bark are capable of healing blood vessels in eye conditions such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
How Does Pine Bark Extract Work to Regulate Blood Sugar Levels?
The occurrence of type 2 diabetes has increased vastly in the recent decade all over the world due to lifestyle changes and food habits. All the while there have been researching and studies going on to treat this condition with plants and herbs as allopathic medicines cause severe side effects and can lead to kidney failure. Likewise, the researchers conducted a study with pine bark extract to find out its effectiveness in treating diabetes. It has turned out that pine bark extract has a significant effect on controlling blood sugar levels and also reducing cholesterol in the body.
Alpha-glucosidase is an enzyme which is responsible for metabolizing the carbohydrates in the food we take. It breaks down the sugar into glucose and other by-products and wastes. In a study, researchers found that ingesting pine bark extract causes our body to inhibit the enzyme activity and slow down the production of glucose. In turn, it stops the typical high glucose levels in the bloodstream after a meal.
Pine bark extract nutrients are whole and complex. They get metabolized slowly which is favorable because it is able to stop the enzymatic activity happens in the large intestine. Also in a clinical study, it was found that tetrameric and hexameric procyanidins in pine bark extract seem to be stopping the enzymatic activity up to 94 percent.
Is Pine Bark Extract Safe?
A lot of scientific studies have proven the positive effects of pine bark extract in diabetic conditions. Though Pine bark extract is available in powder and tablet forms Pycnogenol is the first commercial pine bark extract that is available as tablets. While many of the patients swear by the incredible effect of these herbal medicines it still needs a lot of clinical studies for proper validation and its effects on type 2 diabetes.
