Pycnogenol supplements with the fewest additives
Pycnogenol can be a useful antioxident, but pycnogenol supplements often contain more than just the active ingredient. For example, silica or silicon dioxide are often added to prevent caking, magnesium stearate or stearic acid for easier manufacturing, and lecithin as an emulsifier.
I try to avoid these additives because they may have questionable health effects. If you want to do the same, my recommendation for the purest pycnogenol supplement is:
Recommended as purest pycnogenol:
- silica-free / silicon-dioxide-free
- stearic acid-free / magnesium stearate-free
- lecithin-free
Pycnogenol (french maritime pine bark extract), vegetable capsule (cellulose, water), l-leucine.
Healthy Origins has confirmed to me that the procyanadin content "ranges between 65-75% depending on the harvest."
Other pycnogenol supplements
The following are other pycnogenol supplements I'm aware of, sorted alphabetically.
| Name | Ingredients |
|---|---|
| Bluebonnet Nutrition Pycnogenol (Veggie Capsules) | Pycnogenol (pine bark extract, 65-75% procyanidins), 100% kosher vegetable capsules, vegetable cellulose, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Country Life Gluten-Free Pycnogenol (Veggie Capsules) | Pycnogenol (pinus maritima) (100% pine bark extract; 85-90% total polyphenols equal to 85-90 mg), cellulose, cellulose (capsule shell), stearic acid, silica, magnesium stearate. |
| Life Extension Pycnogenol French Maritime Pine Bark Extract (Veggie Capsules) | Vitamin C (as ascorbyl palmitate), pycnogenol dried french maritime pine (pinus pinaster) extract (bark) [std. to 65% procyanidins (65 mg)], rice flour, vegetable cellulose (capsule), silica. |
| Natrol Pycnogenol | Pine Bark standardized extract (60% oligomeric proanthocyanidins), cellulose, gelatin; magnesium stearate. |
| Natural Factors Pycnogenol (Capsules) | Pycnogenol, french maritime pine (pinus maritima) powdered extract (bark), procyanidins, gelatin capsule (gelatin, purified water), cellulose, magnesium stearate (vegetable grade). |
| Nature's Bounty Pycnogenol (Capsules) | Pycnogenol (pinus pinaster) (maritime pine bark extract), citrus bioflavonoids complex (citrus sinensis), gelatin, vegetable magnesium stearate, silica. |
| Nature's Way Pycnogenol Pine Bark Extract (Tablets) | Vitamin E (as d-alpha tocopheryl), calcium (as dicalcium phosphate), pine, dried extract (bark) (pycnogenol), rosemary (leaf), cellulose, maltodextrin, modified cellulose gum, stearic acid, silica. |
| Now Foods Pine Bark Extract (Veggie Capsules) | Pine bark extract (pinus massoniana) (min. 95% proanthocyanidins), green tea extract (camellia sinensis) (leaf) (min. 50% EGCg), cellulose (capsule), cellulose powder and silica. |
| Now Foods Pycnogenol (Capsules) | Pycnogenol (french maritime pine bark extract) (pinus pinaster), citrus bioflavonoids (min. 30% hesperidin), gelatin (capsule), rice flour and magnesium stearate (vegetable source). |
| Now Foods Pycnogenol (Veggie Capsules) | Vitamin C (from organic amla extract), pycnogenol (french maritime pine bark extract) (pinus pinaster), organic amla extract (fruit) (phyllanthus emblica) [min. 50% natural ascorbic acid (vitamin C)], cellulose (capsule), cellulose powder, stearic acid (vegetable source) and silica. |
| Rexall Sundown Naturals Fortified Pycnogenol Complex with Phytonutrients (Tablets) | Vitamin A (as beta-carotene), calcium (as calcium carbonate), selenium (as selenium yeast), pycnogenol (pinus pinaster), (maritime pine bark extract), coenzyme q-10, grape seed extract (vitis vinifera), (standardized to contain 50% polyphenols, 50 mcg), whole food phytonutrient proprietary blend (contains: carrot (root), broccoli (flower), tomato (fruit)), vegetable cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, silica, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Solgar Pycnogenol (Veggie Capsules) | Pycnogenol extract (pinus pinaster) (pine bark), microcrystalline cellulose, vegetable cellulose, vegetable stearic acid, vegetable magnesium stearate. |
| Source Naturals Pycnogenol (Tablets) | French maritime pine bark extract (pycnogenol) yielding 90% proanthocyanidins and organic acids, microcrystalline cellulose, dibasic calcium phosphate, stearic acid, magnesium stearate, modified cellulose gum, and colloidal silicon dioxide. |
| Source Naturals Pycnogenol (Tablets) | French maritime pine bark extract (pycnogenol) yielding 90% proanthocyanidins and organic acids, microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid, and magnesium stearate. |
| Source Naturals Pycnogenol Supreme (Tablets) | Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid), sodium, polygonum cuspidatum root ext. (8% total resveratrols), green tea leaf extract (95% polyphenols, 35% EGCG), grape seed extract (proanthodyn), turmeric rhizome, rosemary leaf ext. (5:1), lecithin, bromelain, quercetin, ginkgo leaf ext. (50:1) 24% flavoneglycosides, french maritime pine bark extract (pycnogenol) yielding 90% proanthocyanidins, silymarin (from milk thistle seed extract), hawthorn berry ext. (4:1), citrus bioflavonoids, grape skin extract (20% polyphenols), astragalus root ext. (10:1), cranberry fruit extract (90% solids), sweet cherry fruit ext. (10:1), holy basil leaf extract (2% ursolic acid), rutin, olive leaf extract (15% oleuropein), lycium fruit ext. (4:1), strawberry fruit, acai fruit juice powder, organic amla fruit, pomegranate seed ext. (40% ellagic acid), elderberry fruit ext. Mangosteen fruit rind ext. (standardized to 95% flavonoids and 40% mangostins), white mulberry fruit extract (10:1), raspberry leaf ext. (40% ellagic acid), blueberry leaf ext. (20% chlorogenic and caffeic acids), black pepper fruit ext. (BioPerine), bilberry fruit extract (25% anthocyanidins), silicified microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid, modified cellulose gum, and colloidal silicon dioxide. Contains soy. |