An influential naturalist, botanist, zoologist, and an early advocate for the preservation of wilderness, John Muir, also known as “John of the Mountains” and “Father of the National Parks” was quoted to say:
Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.
Inspired by these glorious trees, he wrote letters, essays, and books that have been read by millions of people, including politicians, to take action to preserve large nature areas! His work and activism completely changed how we, as a society, view our mountains, forests, seashores, and deserts.
What is it about pines that is so special?
A symbol of immortality, wisdom, and eternity, pine trees adapt to harsh and diverse environments standing long, green, and tall even in subzero temperatures. They are often found in cemeteries since they represent eternal life, with their circling pine cones signifying continuity and renewal of life.
An inspiring sight of pine trees awakens a sense of awe and respect in us.
Designed to outlast, this strong and resilient tree offers us outstanding health benefits for our bodies and souls.
You may have heard about many powerful health benefits of pine needle tea and pine needle extract, but did you know that pine bark has been studied for 40 years in over 400 different studies for its astounding health-promoting benefits?
In this article, we’ll focus on how you can use pine bark to claim its superstar science-backed health benefits.
Table of Contents
- What is Pine Bark Extract?
- What is Pine Bark Extract Good for?
- Pine Bark Extract Benefits and Effects
- 1. Supreme Antioxidant
- 2. Anti-inflammatory & Heart Health
- 3. Innovative Skin Benefits
- 4. Arhtritis Help
- 5. Cancer Prevention
- 6. Strong Immunity
- 7. Focus and Brain Booster
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Barking up the Right Tree
What is Pine Bark Extract?
It is a 100% natural extract sourced from the bark of pine trees growing in beautiful lush forests. With over 40 years of research, pine bark has scientifically proven records of tons of different health benefits. Due to these reasons, pine bark supplements are rightfully becoming more and more popular for the bountiful health-enhancing properties.
Back in the 1500s, a French explorer Jacques Cartier and his sailors struggled with scurvy (serious vitamin C deficiency) during their long voyages. The First Nation tribes shared their traditional wisdom with them and used pine tree bark to prevent scurvy.
Pine tree bark contains powerful antioxidants, loads of vitamins, plant polyphenols, and other phytonutrients. These natural compounds found in pine bark work synergistically with vitamin C and vitamin E.
With its potent anti-inflammatory properties, the extract of pine bark binds with collagen and helps protect our cells and skin from damage.
In recent years pine bark as a supplement has been widely recognized for its health benefits. Especially popular in the skincare community, the extract of pine bark is used in creams, serums, and lotions to slow down the aging process, maintain the skin barrier, and boost collagen.
But beautiful supple skin is far from being the only benefit of specific all-star compounds found in pine bark. Below you will find many others!
What is Pine Bark Extract Good for?
The health benefits of pine bark supplement include cell damage protection, inhibition of bacteria, improved skin, circulation, and vascular health, anti-inflammatory arthritis relief, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) help in focus, cancer prevention, and powerful immunity and well-being boost.
All that from one part of the herb?!
It’s science!
Pine Bark Extract Benefits and Effects
Where do all of these amazing benefits come from? Remarkable polyphenol nutrients in pine bark have been researched for years for human nutrition. These include:
- Proanthocyanidins (condensed tannins). Found in Pinus sylvestris, a study showed this bioactive compound inhibits parasite development. Another study showed anti-tumor properties of compounds found in Pinus sylvestris pine bark.
- Phenolic acids. Commonly found in herbal nutrition, this group of polyphenols exhibits high antioxidant effects.
- Catechins. Flavonoids that act as potent antioxidants that protect cells from damage by free radicals and oxidation.
All these powerful compounds found in pine bark give it the science-backed anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and antioxidant superstar reputation. They attract researchers who are investigating how pine bark can help conditions such as traumatic brain injury and chronic heart disease.
What’s truly impressive is that due to its anti-inflammatory activity, researchers are now beginning to investigate different types of pine bark as a potential therapeutic remedy for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) for faster recovery and reducing potential long-term complications. This virus is the cause of the disease COVID-19 which turned our world upside down and pine bark’s active ingredients are making their way to a hall of fame in promising the treatment.
1. Supreme Antioxidant
Free radicals, the unstable harmful molecules, damage our cells and DNA and seriously compromise our immune system. Pine bark extract is one of the most powerful antioxidants ever discovered! It contains proanthocyanidins, which have been heavily studied for their antioxidant effects. They neutralize free radicals and prevent cellular damage and premature aging, supporting our good immunity.
One important study of Pinus sylvestris pine bark reports that its antioxidant effects are more potent than those of vitamin C (ascorbic acid):
The obtained data shows that PBP (pine bark proanthocyanidins) provides more efficient protection against peroxynitrite than that of ascorbic acid. Together, the present study suggests that pine bark proanthocyanidins could exert potent preventive activity against peroxynitrite-elicited cytotoxicity on the biomacromolecules, a study-worthy finding with pharmacological importance.
2. Anti-inflammatory & Heart Health
Another study confirms that “pine bark contains compounds that inhibit the production of the proinflammatory mediators”. The compounds found in pine bark help the body reduce oxidative damage which also has amazing benefits for capillary health and the cardiovascular system.
A study on pine bark Pinus sylvestris reports that its compounds inhibited the production of proinflammatory mediators:
The effects of the three pine bark samples on the synthesis of two proinflammatory mediators, nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2, were measured. It was shown that pine bark contains compounds that inhibit the production of these proinflammatory mediators.
Many of the adverse effects of chronic inflammation could be reversed by taking a pine bark supplement. Antioxidants also extinguish internal fires with their anti-inflammatory effects. Your body will produce free radical compounds if you’re in poor health, overweight, or out of shape. This damages your DNA by triggering inflammation throughout the body and compromising your health.
3. Innovative Skin Benefits
Is pine bark extract good for skin?
You bet! Your skin can benefit from using a pine bark supplement in many ways. The high antioxidant levels improve the health of your skin and prevent premature aging. Talk about supple skin!
A high-quality groundbreaking ingredient in skincare products, pine bark not only improves your skin barrier and look, but also helps in skin and wound healing. This liquid extract can reduce scar tissue and speed up recovery time and healing of injured skin.
While getting enough vitamin D from the sun is crucial to your health, it can also be damaging to your skin. If you spend a lot of time in the sun, due to its high antioxidant content, more potent than that of Vitamin C, which seems to be all the rage now in skincare products, it’d be a smart decision to take the extract of pine bark supplement for skin health, photoprotection, and the prevention of age spots. Similar to vitamin C serums, it may reduce hyperpigmentation and promote a more even complexion long-term.
It’s the antioxidants in pine bark that are believed to help protect the skin against UV rays naturally and healthily. One study confirms the use of pine bark in cosmetics due to its antioxidant properties:
The presence of valuable extracts suggests that barks may have uses as valuable raw materials for chemical applications such as cosmetics, perfumes, and food preservatives.
4. Arthritis Help
Pine bark may show helpful in treating arthritis patients. In the article Scotch pine bark has anti-inflammatory action, a Pinus sylvestris pine bark study by the Finnish researchers reports:
Compounds in the bark of the Scotch pine, more usually used for Christmas trees, show promising anti-inflammatory action in cell studies, say Finnish researchers, and could be developed into food supplements for arthritis patients.
5. Cancer Prevention
Distinct bioactive lignans found in pine bark Pinus sylvestris may help in cancer prevention. They do this by blocking enzymes included in hormone metabolism and inhibiting the growth and spread of cancerous cells.
6. Strong Immunity
Apart from incredible antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects, pine bark has a significant impact on nitric oxide (NO) levels in the body. In essence, these are responsible for improving blood flow and circulation, additionally reducing heaviness and fluid retention.
By helping manage the NO levels, taking pine bark extract to boost immunity is one of the best things you can do to manage your health and improve your overall well-being!
7. Focus and Brain Booster
Forgetting your keys or small details may be a sign of early cognitive decline, but it can also be a consequence of a poor lifestyle without enough exercise, sleep, healthy diet, or a symptom of a condition like ADHD. Using pine bark extract for ADHD both in adults and children can help focus attention, improve your memory and mental function and fight off brain fog.
Taking natural pine bark herbal supplement is a safe and excellent way to help sharpen your ability to learn new things and improve focus.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Side Effects of Pine Bark?
Extensive research has established the general safety of taking pine bark for both humans and animals. While no serious adverse effects have been reported, one may experience mild short-term side effects, such as headache, stomach irritation, or temporary dizziness.
If you are pregnant or on the way to become, are breastfeeding, or taking any prescription drug, please talk to your doctor before using a pine bark supplement.
There may be some interactions of pine bark with some medications for diabetes, blood clotting, and with immunosuppressants, as it makes the immune system more active. If you have any medical conditions or are under medication, always consult with your healthcare professional if you’re considering this herbal supplement.
Pine Bark Extract Composition and Storage
With no GMOs or harmful chemical additives, this liquid extract is pure, containing alcohol as a solvent and the extracted bark of European pine (Pinus sylvestris). If kept away from direct sunlight and heat, its shelf life is up to 24 months.
How Do You Take Pine Bark Extract?
Pine bark extract dosage
Put 20 drops in a bit of water or juice, 2 times a day. This is a starting dosage that you should build up to 30 drops per serving. Pine bark has been indicated as safe to take for up to one year. After this, you should take a short break before starting again.
When is the best time to take pine bark extract?
The best time to take this extract is before meals, ideally 2 times a day. Since the bottle is easy to use on the go, you can put it in your purse or rucksack and use it wherever you are for maximum health support.
How Long Does it Take for Pine Bark Extract to Work?
Our all-natural liquid pine bark extract enters your bloodstream immediately (unlike the form of a pill), so you should feel its beneficial effects soon after you’ve taken the recommended dosage. It will start working on your immune system and, in time, you should also notice other above-mentioned benefits.
Barking up the Right Tree
Nature is the origin and source of all science. Pine bark extract may almost look like a magical elixir and truly a breakthrough, given its astonishing health-boosting power!
We’ve listed seven benefits of pine bark in this blog, but there are many more. We invite you to wake up the explorer in you, take your scientific glasses and research more here.
Take a walk through a fresh pine tree forest and discover the vast abundance of science-backed benefits of the ultimate natural health booster—its majesty: pine bark extract.
Thanks for sharing. I read many of your blog posts, cool, your blog is very good.