kebaldwin
Thu, Jul-06-06, 18:27
Being jolted awake by shooting pains in your legs is a "real" nightmare for many. Muscle cramps, whether experienced in the middle of the night or during the day, can be both painful and aggravating. A recent study found that supplementing with pycnogenol, or pine bark extract, might help. In addition to promoting healthy circulation, pycnogenol also supports healthy lung and tissue function and may help with premenstrual syndrome.
I was pleased to see a study just reported in the June 2006 edition of Angiology concerning the use of pycnogenol in reducing muscle cramps and pain1. There were two parts to the study. In the first part, three different groups, including healthy subjects, patients with poor circulation and athletes, were evaluated. In order to enroll, individuals had to suffer muscle cramps at least four to eight times weekly and moderate to severe muscular pain at least three days a week. All three groups were given 50 mg pycnogenol capsules which they took four times daily (for a total dose of 200 mg a day) and were instructed to drink about 1 ½ quarts of water daily. By the fourth week into the study, the number of cramping episodes decreased to a statistically significant level in all three groups. Most individuals had a reduction in the amount of muscle cramping by about 75%. In the second part of the study, 47 patients who suffered with poor circulation involving the blood vessels were given 200 mg of pycnogenol daily for one week and compared to individuals given placebo. Those given pycnogenol noted a significant decrease in cramping episodes and muscular pain by over 20% compared to those receiving dummy pills.
Pycnogenol is a fascinating nutrient. Believe it or not, it actually comes from a particular pine bark found in French maritime. It's in the class of nutrients known as bioflavonoids. It has incredible antioxidant benefits. There have been other studies suggesting that pycnogenol can also have benefit for sunburn and can promote healthy lung and tissue function. It has also been suggested that it may improve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Speaking of premenstrual syndrome, there was an interesting article in the May 2006 edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology2. Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NY collected blood samples from 10 healthy pre-menopausal women during two parts of their menstrual cycle. In addition, they measured blood levels of another 15 pre-menopausal women who had been on birth control pills for at least six months during two parts of their menstrual cycles. Finally, these two groups were compared to 40 women who didn't use oral contraceptives and had blood collected randomly during any part of the menstrual cycle. It was found that serum coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and vitamin E levels were significantly lower during the follicular phase (which occurs between days 8 and 11 of the menstrual cycle) compared to the luteal phase (occurring between days 18 to 22). In addition, oral contraceptive users were noted to have significantly decreased CoQ10 levels along with vitamin E levels. This information has obvious ramifications since these groups of women could potentially be at increased risk of certain health conditions because of the significant decrease in these important nutrients. Conceivably, these women could be at increased risk of circulatory problems such as heart attack and stroke, especially those women taking birth control pills.
There were a number of other interesting studies recently published. In the June 2006 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers pooled 13 randomized placebo-controlled trials on vitamin K supplementation for bone health3. Six of these trials were subsequently excluded because of lack of information specifically dealing with fractures. In the seven trials included in the meta analysis, it was found that vitamin K supplementation up to 45 mg daily reduced fracture rate between 60% and 81%. The researchers indicated that the benefit behind vitamin K's influence was from modification of a protein called osteocalcin which is required to bind calcium to the bone matrix.
In another study published in NeuroScience Research June 2006, researchers studied the effects of S-allylcysteine (a component of garlic) regarding mitochondrial dysfunction in rats4. Mitochondrial injury was induced by infusion of a particular chemical. Certain blood markers regarding mitochondria were then measured. It was found that pre-treating the rats with S-allylcysteine resulted in significant prevention of all these markers. Authors indicated that the findings suggested that the protective actions of S-allylcysteine are related to its antioxidant properties which, in turn, may be accounting for the preservation of superoxide dismutase activity and primary mitochondrial tasks.
http://www.vitacost.com/newsletter/newsletter.cfm?nl=284&csrc=EM-FYH20060706:main
I was pleased to see a study just reported in the June 2006 edition of Angiology concerning the use of pycnogenol in reducing muscle cramps and pain1. There were two parts to the study. In the first part, three different groups, including healthy subjects, patients with poor circulation and athletes, were evaluated. In order to enroll, individuals had to suffer muscle cramps at least four to eight times weekly and moderate to severe muscular pain at least three days a week. All three groups were given 50 mg pycnogenol capsules which they took four times daily (for a total dose of 200 mg a day) and were instructed to drink about 1 ½ quarts of water daily. By the fourth week into the study, the number of cramping episodes decreased to a statistically significant level in all three groups. Most individuals had a reduction in the amount of muscle cramping by about 75%. In the second part of the study, 47 patients who suffered with poor circulation involving the blood vessels were given 200 mg of pycnogenol daily for one week and compared to individuals given placebo. Those given pycnogenol noted a significant decrease in cramping episodes and muscular pain by over 20% compared to those receiving dummy pills.
Pycnogenol is a fascinating nutrient. Believe it or not, it actually comes from a particular pine bark found in French maritime. It's in the class of nutrients known as bioflavonoids. It has incredible antioxidant benefits. There have been other studies suggesting that pycnogenol can also have benefit for sunburn and can promote healthy lung and tissue function. It has also been suggested that it may improve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Speaking of premenstrual syndrome, there was an interesting article in the May 2006 edition of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology2. Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NY collected blood samples from 10 healthy pre-menopausal women during two parts of their menstrual cycle. In addition, they measured blood levels of another 15 pre-menopausal women who had been on birth control pills for at least six months during two parts of their menstrual cycles. Finally, these two groups were compared to 40 women who didn't use oral contraceptives and had blood collected randomly during any part of the menstrual cycle. It was found that serum coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) and vitamin E levels were significantly lower during the follicular phase (which occurs between days 8 and 11 of the menstrual cycle) compared to the luteal phase (occurring between days 18 to 22). In addition, oral contraceptive users were noted to have significantly decreased CoQ10 levels along with vitamin E levels. This information has obvious ramifications since these groups of women could potentially be at increased risk of certain health conditions because of the significant decrease in these important nutrients. Conceivably, these women could be at increased risk of circulatory problems such as heart attack and stroke, especially those women taking birth control pills.
There were a number of other interesting studies recently published. In the June 2006 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers pooled 13 randomized placebo-controlled trials on vitamin K supplementation for bone health3. Six of these trials were subsequently excluded because of lack of information specifically dealing with fractures. In the seven trials included in the meta analysis, it was found that vitamin K supplementation up to 45 mg daily reduced fracture rate between 60% and 81%. The researchers indicated that the benefit behind vitamin K's influence was from modification of a protein called osteocalcin which is required to bind calcium to the bone matrix.
In another study published in NeuroScience Research June 2006, researchers studied the effects of S-allylcysteine (a component of garlic) regarding mitochondrial dysfunction in rats4. Mitochondrial injury was induced by infusion of a particular chemical. Certain blood markers regarding mitochondria were then measured. It was found that pre-treating the rats with S-allylcysteine resulted in significant prevention of all these markers. Authors indicated that the findings suggested that the protective actions of S-allylcysteine are related to its antioxidant properties which, in turn, may be accounting for the preservation of superoxide dismutase activity and primary mitochondrial tasks.
http://www.vitacost.com/newsletter/newsletter.cfm?nl=284&csrc=EM-FYH20060706:main