Pycnogenol: putting an end to endometriosis pain?

Women suffering from endometriosis, a condition associated with pelvic pain and sometimes infertility, may have a natural option for relief. Results of a new study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine show that Pycnogenol, a potent antioxidant extracted from French maritime pine bark, significantly reduced symptoms associated with endometriosis.

In the study, 58 women ages 21 to 38 who had already undergone surgery for endometriosis were given either 30mg of Pycnogenol twice daily for 48 weeks, or hormone treatments. Pycnogenol reduced symptoms by 33 percent, although the reduction occurred on a slow, steady basis. Although initially effective, the hormone therapy was ultimately associated with a relapse of symptoms. Unlike the hormone treatments, Pycnogenol did not suppress normal menstruation and five of the women taking the antioxidant became pregnant during the trial. Pycnogenol supplements are available at health food stores.

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