Pine Bark Improves Heart Function

HOBOKEN, N.J.A study published in the journal Panminerva Medica demonstrates PycnoQ10®, a Pycnogenol® and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) combination, taken by stable heart failure patients as an adjunct to medical treatment naturally improves heart function.

PycnoQ10 was found to strengthen the heart, increasing the blood volume ejected with each beat. As a consequence, the oxygen-rich blood supply to the organs improves, and patients become more physically energetic. Blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rates also were improved among patients.

Many conditions that lead to heart failure cannot be reversed, but heart failure can often be medically managed with good results," said lead researcher Dr. Gianni Belcaro. This study shows that a combination of Pycnogenol® and CoQ10 offers an effective, natural solution as adjunct for heart health management."

Researchers at Chieti-Pescara University in Italy conducted a 12-week single-blinded, placebo-controlled observational study to investigate the effectiveness of Pycnogenol® and Kaneka CoQ10 (PycnoQ10®) supplementation in 53 patients between the ages of 54 and 68 who had mild to moderate hypertension, with stable congestive heart failure. Patients recruited had been diagnosed with heart failure with an ejection fraction lower than 40 percent of their original capacity. Additional inclusion criteria were a stable level of heart failure within the past three months and stable New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II (mild symptoms) or III (moderate symptoms) heart failure classification. All patients were taking prescribed heart medication, and most used three or more drugs for heart failure treatment.

Patients were divided into two groups. One group received capsules with a combination of 15 mg Pycnogenol® and 50 mg CoQ10 from Kaneka; the second group received placebo capsules in addition to their individual prescription medications. The treatment and control groups were equivalent at baseline. Patients were instructed to take seven capsules, in the morning after breakfast, each day.  Patients exercise capacity, as judged by walking on a treadmill, ejection fraction and distal edema were evaluated.

At the conclusion of the study, there was significant decrease of systolic and diastolic pressure as well as a decrease in heart rate in the PycnoQ10® group, compared to marginal improvements in the control group. There also was considerable decrease in respiratory rate in PycnoQ10® patients. The treatment with PycnoQ10® was found to significantly increase heart ejection fraction by 22.4 percent after treatment, whereas it only slightly decreased in the control group.

PycnoQ10® treated patients also had improved endurance on the treadmill. The quality of life of patients also improved with PycnoQ10®, as validated with the Karnofsky Index. The distal edema, expressed as the percentage of the initial volumetric value, decreased significantly to 72 percent in PycnoQ10® treated patients but was increased by four percent in the control group.