Pycnogenol Supported Improvements in Quality of Life Measures in Osteopenia/Osteoporosis Patients: Study

New clinical research suggests Pycnogenol French maritime pine bark extract may provide a natural, non-hormonal approach to support quality of life measures in women with osteopenia and clinically stable osteoporosis, conditions associated with reduced bone mass, increased fracture risk, and decreased quality of life. Approximately 10 million Americans are living with osteoporosis, while another 44 million have low bone mass and an increased risk of developing osteoporosis and fractures.

Published in Frontiers (part 1 and part 2), the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study included 67 post-menopausal women, with osteopenia or clinically stable osteoporosis, who received either 200 mg of Pycnogenol daily or placebo for three months in part one, followed by an additional three months of Pycnogenol for all participants in part two. The study evaluated quality of life, safety indicators, and markers related to mineral metabolism and bone resorption.

After three months, women taking Pycnogenol showed significantly greater improvements than the placebo group in several patient-reported measures, including:

• Vitality: increased by 15.2% with Pycnogenol vs 1.2% with placebo, for a 14.0-percentage-point difference between groups.
• Physical Comfort: Scores improved by 18.5% with Pycnogenol, versus a 6.2% decline with placebo, representing a 24.7-percentage-point difference.
• Bone Resorption Markers: CTX-1 decreased by approximately 10.6% after three months of Pycnogenol supplementation, a statistically significant change from baseline. Serum phosphate levels also decreased while remaining within the reference range.

During the additional three-month phase, women who continued taking Pycnogenol maintained the improvement in physical comfort scores observed at month three. Safety monitoring through month six showed no clinically relevant laboratory abnormalities.

“We’re at a moment when women are thinking about their health very differently. Menopause is finally getting the attention it deserves, millions of people are experiencing significant weight loss with GLP-1 medications, and both conversations raise important questions about protecting bone health as we age,” said Dr. Fred Pescatore, natural health physician, best-selling author, and spokesperson for the company. “Bone health isn’t just about a number on a scan; it can affect how you feel and function every day. That’s why these findings are so interesting. Pycnogenol was associated not only with favorable changes in a marker of bone resorption, but also improvements in vitality and physical comfort.”

Pycnogenol contains a unique blend of polyphenols with demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These benefits may help address oxidative stress and inflammation associated with bone remodeling and physical discomfort, offering a potential explanation for the improvements in quality of life and bone-resorption markers observed in the new study.

Bone loss often accelerates during and after menopause as estrogen levels decline, making bone health an important consideration for women as they age. Previous research has also demonstrated Pycnogenol’s benefits for menopausal symptoms, including hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbances and mood-related concerns. Earlier preclinical studies of estrogen-deficiency-related bone loss have also shown favorable effects on bone mineral density, bone resorption and bone strength.