The Pine Bark Extract, commonly known as Pycnogenol, is an aqueous extract of French maritime pine. This network includes some antioxidants such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and others such as glutathione

Consumer advised of Pine Bark Capsules Natural Merlin is:

2 capsules per day: 1 capsule in the morning and 1 capsule at night.

All capsules are taken with water.

The Pine Bark Extract Merlin Natural Health is suitable for vegetarians, with no known side effects at the doses indicated.

All supplements and juices should be stored in a cool, dark and not exposed to light.

Following these guidelines will help preserve the integrity of the products.

The information presented is not intended to diagnose illness or prescribe treatment. Always consult a qualified doctor with knowledge of natural supplements before starting a course of supplements and before making any changes in prescribed medications.

Merlin Natural Health we are happy to provide products to improve health at affordable prices and we are always available to answer questions you may have.

This network includes such antioxidants as Vitamin C, and others, such as glutathione. Pine Bark Extract regenerates the vitamin C radical. According to studies conducted with different antioxidant sources, Pine Bark Extract turned out to be the antioxidant that was best able to regenerate vitamin C.

Anti - Inflammatory effect and sun protection
Pine Bark Extract not only has anti-inflammatory effects, it also has a protective effect on human skin cells in connection with UV radiation. To be more precise, it reduces the pro-inflammatory impact of sunlight exposure. Pine Bark Extract inhibits the activation of NF-kappa-B (transcription factor).

In clinical studies, human subjects were given 100-200 mg of Pine Bark Extract daily. The researchers then set out to find the amount of UV-radiation that gave the slightest bit of reddening of the skin after 24hrs. This measure is called MED and stands for Minimal Erythemal Dose. After Pine Bark Extract supplementation, the MED level increased, indicating that the skin had become more resistant to sunlight.

Research shows that Pine Bark Extract may have a protective effect on human skin.

Reducing the risks of smoking
Smokers live at risk of several diseases other than lung cancer. Smoking has been shown to increase the risk of.

Thrombus formation- heart infarction.
Stroke.
High blood pressure.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. (COPD)
Asthma.
For all these conditions, there is clinical research showing that Pine Bark Extract may have a protective effect.

The nicotine in cigarette smoke increases blood adrenaline level two-fold. Adrenaline instructs platelets to be alert and form a blood clot. They get pre-sticky and aggregate, although we are not actually injured. This may result in blockage of blood vessels, and can be the cause of heart infarction and stroke.

Adrenalines function is to prepare the body for the 'fright, flight, or fight' reaction. When adrenaline levels suddenly rise, adrenaline prepares the body for possible cuts and wounds by making the blood platelets stickier, whereby they coagulate easier.

Clinical study of smokers
In clinical study of smokers, Pine Bark Extract has been shown to reduce platelet stickiness by significant levels.

By taking a so-called Cox-inhibitor, such as aspirin, you can prevent the platelets from becoming sticky and adhering to each other. Pine Bark Extract has the same effect. When you take this supplement and smoke three cigarettes, there is hardly any increase in platelet stickiness.

The great advantage of using Pine Bark Extract compared with Aspirin is that Pine Bark Extract does not cause increased bleeding time and is not associated with gastric bleeding. A common problem with Aspirin use is that when you receive a injury- shaving nick, cut or other type of injury- its takes nearly twice the time for the bleeding to stop. Aspirin irreversibly changes the enzyme called Cox, while Pine Bark Extract has an impact on different mechanisms that do not affect this enzyme.

Nitric oxide regulation
Pine Bark Extract increases Nitric Oxide, a natural substance which,

Instructs the platelets to be less sticky.
Causes the muscle around blood vessels (smooth muscle tissue) to relax and so increase the diameter of the blood vessels. Because of the increased blood vessel diameter, Pine Bark Extract may help to reduce blood pressure.

The effect was seen in a clinical study of non-medicated patients with mild hypertension in which Pine Bark Extract significantly reduced the systolic blood pressure.

Oxidative stress
Asthma
Hay fever
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Elastin and Collagen protein damage
The effects of smoking, (active & passive)