Pine Bark Shortens Cold Duration

Coughing, sneezing, a runny nose, and a sore throat – no one likes having a cold. On average, the common cold lasts about seven days – far too long, if you ask us.

With cold season in full swing, your risk for coming down with one increases significantly. Hopefully, you’re taking some preventive measures.

On a related note, a new study shows that pine bark extract, may actually shorten a cold’s duration. The results were published in the December 2014 issue of Panminerva Medica.

Pine Bark Extract Shortened Cold Duration by One Day

A total of 146 participants were recruited for the study, with 70 receiving 50 mg of a standardized pine bark extract twice daily and the remaining 76 serving as controls. Treatment began at the onset of a cold.

Participants taking the extract experienced fewer cold symptoms and complications. In particular, it was effective at reducing nasal congestion and a runny nose, an effect which may be due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-edema (edema is the swelling of tissues) effects.

An alleviation of sneezing, headache, and coughing, was also observed, along with a reduction in the number of lost work days. Cold duration lasted three days in the treatment group compared to four days in the control group.¹

This isn’t the first study to demonstrate the benefits of pine bark extract. A study conducted in 2013 showed a combination of pine bark extract along with zinc, and vitamin C shortened the duration of the cold to two days, compared to eight days in the control group.²

The Bottom Line

Your local drug store offers a variety of cold remedies, but a number of them can actually be harmful to your health.

If you come down with a cold yourself, consider giving pine bark extract a shot. Not only is it a time-tested supplement with hundreds of scientific publications and decades of research, it may just help you feel better faster. ³

References:

1. 1. Panminerva Med. 2014 Dec;56(4):301-8.
2. 2. Available at: http://www.minervamedica.it/en/journals/otorinolaringologia/article.php?cod=R27Y2013N03A0151. Accessed January 6, 2015.

3. 3. Available at: http://www.pycnogenol.com/science/overview/. Accessed January 6, 2015.

Article extracted from Life Extension Blog ‎February ‎2015