Name Ingredients:
Pycnogenol is a standardized extract from French maritime pine bark, rich in procyanidins and other antioxidants. It has shown potential as a hair loss treatment, particularly for menopausal women.
Key insights:
- The in vitro evidence suggests that pycnogenol has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that might be beneficial for treating hair loss outcomes.
- The in vivo evidence suggests that topical pycnogenol can have UV-protectant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. Furthermore, in a rat model of testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia, subcutaneous injection of pycnogenol was found to significantly reduce prostate weight and DHT concentrations in the serum and prostate.
- The clinical evidence suggests that pycnogenol could be beneficial for menopausal women.
- A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 63 Han Chinese menopausal women aged 45-60. The women took 50 mg of pycnogenol orally three times daily for six months. After two months of supplementation, hair density increased by 30%, and after six months, it increased by 23% compared to the baseline. This improvement was associated with improved scalp microcirculation and reduced transepidermal water loss. While this study is interesting, it should be noted that there is no mention in this paper of participants having any type of hair loss – so we cannot know for sure that this product works to improve hair loss outcomes.
- Our experience tracking members: pycnogenol alone is not enough to improve hair loss outcomes
Additional links:
- Pycnogenol: Evidence Quality
- Inhibitory effects of Pycnogenol®, a pine bark extract, in a rat model of testosterone propionate-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia
- An oral French maritime pine bark extract improves hair density in menopausal women: A randomized, placebo‐ controlled, double blind intervention study