Have Your Heard of this 'Super Antioxidant'?

Raena Morgan: We hear so much about the antioxidant power of vitamin C and vitamin E.  How does pycnogenol compare to those two?

Dr. Fred Pescatore: Well pycnogenol is a different class of antioxidants

Morgan: Oh, it is.  Ok.

Pescatore: So it's a bioflavonoid, which is a completely different class of antioxidants.  It's a new class of antioxidants.  And it's, there are actually stronger classes of antioxidants.

Morgan: Stronger than vitamin E and C, huh?

Pescatore: Yes, absolutely.  So pycnogenol is actually considered a super antioxidant.  Because it can help... and not all bioflavonoids are super antioxidants.  Pycnogenol happens to be a super antioxidant because it helps vitamin C and vitamin E to stick around in the body longer.

Morgan: Really?

Pescatore: So it helps the body keep the vitamin C there without being eliminated, helps it to do its job.  So it actually helps them gather up the free radicals that are there.

Morgan: OK.  So how is it absorbed into our system?

Pescatore: Pycnogenol is taken as a nutritional supplement.  So it's taken, you know, just like vitamin C or vitamin E.  It lasts in our body for about 24 hours, from the time we take it.  And it just sort of goes in there and does what any other nutritional supplement does.  Only the beauty of this is that it does last for 24 hours.  Because a lot of times these things, they go in and they go out.  They last for three or four hours, that's why I ask patients to take things several times a day because, that's the only way you'll be able to keep your blood level up.  And the beauty of pycnogenol is that it does last for 24 to 27 hours in the body.

Morgan: So it lasts that long in the body.  We absorb it by taking it as a supplement, but it also keeps the vitamin C and vitamin E active in our bodies longer as well?

Pescatore: Absolutely, it does all of that.   And the reason why it's so absorbable, is because it's a low molecular weight product.  And whenever you have something that's a low molecular weight product, that just means it's small enough to get into the body and it's small enough to get absorbed.  Because sometimes we'll be taking these giant molecules and they just can't get absorbed into the body.  So literally, we're wasting our money taking some supplements.  Pycnogenol, is definitely never a waste of money, because, low molecular weight, gets absorbed, helps all your other antioxidants, I mean it's just terrific. 

Morgan: And so it survived digestion is what you're saying?

Pescatore: Correct.

Morgan: Because it's so small, right?

Pescatore: Because, its... they've done studies.  Pycnogenol actually has studies that shows that the metabolites of pycnogenol can be measured in the urine 24 to 27 hours after you've taken the dose.

Morgan: Excellent

Pescatore: So we know it, it's not just something that you know that...

Morgan: So you're not going to get this, oh it's very expensive urine that your getting because this is going to stay in your body.

Pescatore: Isn't that amazing that whole expensive urine thing?  I mean when conventional physicians tell you that or people tell you that, I know you just said very expensive urine.  Well, what do you think happens when you take a pharmaceutical drug?  It's also in your urine, I mean it's got to come out!

Morgan: Right!  It's pretty expensive too!

Pescatore: Way more expensive than pycnogenol, or vitamin C or vitamin E, that's for sure. 

 Morgan: But the good news is that it keeps those other antioxidants active in our bodies and it stays at least 24 hours.

Pescatore: That's the beauty of it, I mean, that's the take home message.  To have something that helps your other antioxidants and lasts in your body, and gets absorbed?  What more could you want from a nutritional supplement?

Morgan: Thank you so much.

Pescatore: Thank you.