Peri-menopausal symptoms treated with pycnogenol
This is apparently the first study of pycnogenol (French maritime pine bark extract) to treat peri-menopausal symptoms.
First, the details.
- 200 women were randomly assigned to take 200 mg of pycnogenol or a placebo daily.
- They reported their symptoms using the Women’s Health Questionnaire, which covers somatic (physical) symptoms, depressed mood, vasomotor (constriction/dilation of blood vessels) symptoms, memory and concentration, attractiveness, anxiety, sexual behavior, sleep problems and menstrual symptoms.
- Women visited the clinic at 1, 3, and 6 months.
And, the results.
- Only 155 women completed the study.
- The pycnogenol group reported improvement of symptoms compared to the start of the treatment.
- Improvement was reported after one-month.
- There were no changes in placebo group.
- In addition, LDL (bad) cholesterol levels were reduced 10% with pycnogenol vs placebo at 6 months.
- No side effects were reported.
The bottom line?
The researchers at the Ham-Ming Hospital in Taiwan concluded, pycnogenol “may offer an alternative method to reducing climacteric symptoms,”
It’s not clear why so many women dropped out of the study.
8/30/07 17:34 JR