French maritime pine bark research: what 30 years of studies actually show

By The Krevie Team  |  Last reviewed: May 2026

What pine bark is

pine bark is the trade name for a patented extract derived from the bark of Pinus pinaster Ait. ssp. Atlantica — the French maritime pine, cultivated in the Les Landes de Gascogne forest in south-west France. It is manufactured by Horphag Research and licensed to ingredient suppliers worldwide. The extract contains a mixture of procyanidins (oligomeric chain compounds built from catechin and epicatechin units), bioflavonoids, and organic acids. The specific polyphenol composition is standardised to a defined profile, which is what distinguishes it from generic pine bark powder.

This standardisation point is critical to understanding the research. More than 160 published clinical trials have tested pine bark. Those trials used the standardised branded extract — meaning a consistent, controlled compound. A generic pine bark supplement from an unspecified source does not have the same standardised polyphenol fingerprint and therefore does not inherit the pine bark research base, regardless of what is stated on the label.

pine bark operates across several biological mechanisms simultaneously. Its four primary documented modes of action are antioxidant free radical scavenging, anti-inflammatory activity (including inhibition of NF-κB signalling), endothelial function improvement (via stimulation of nitric oxide synthase, which increases blood vessel dilation), and reinforcement of the extracellular matrix. The cognitive and vascular effects seen in human trials are thought to result from the combined action of these pathways rather than a single isolated mechanism.

What the research shows

Yang et al. (2007) — 200 mg in 155 perimenopausal women, 6 months

Yang, Liao, Zhu, Liao and Rohdewald (2007) conducted a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 200 enrolled perimenopausal women, with 155 completing the study. Participants received 200 mg pine bark daily. Outcomes were measured using the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) — a validated multi-domain questionnaire covering a wide range of outcomes in this population — plus blood markers including antioxidative status and lipid profile. At the end of the trial period, all measured climacteric outcomes improved in the pine bark group compared to placebo. Antioxidative status was significantly increased. The LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio was favourably altered — LDL cholesterol decreased by 9.9% and HDL increased by 4.6% in the pine bark group. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were also significantly reduced (by 3.9% and 3.5% respectively) versus the placebo (1.7% and 1.0%). No side effects were reported. This remains the largest and longest pine bark trial specifically in perimenopausal women. PubMed 17653885

Errichi et al. (2011) — 100 mg in 38 women in menopausal transition, 8 weeks

Errichi, Bottari, Belcaro, Cesarone, Hosoi, Cornelli, Dugall, Ledda and Feragalli (2011) enrolled 70 women in menopausal transition: 38 received 100 mg pine bark daily, and 32 served as a control group. Symptom scoring used a validated system covering 33 common outcomes, each rated 0–4 in severity. After eight weeks, the six most commonly measured outcomes showed a mean decrease in the pine bark group from 2.67/4 to 1.45/4, while the control group showed no meaningful change (2.72/4 to 2.73/4) — a difference that was statistically significant between groups. Oxidative stress (measured by capillary blood plasma free radicals) was significantly lower in the pine bark group at both four weeks (p<0.05) and eight weeks (p=0.022), with no change in controls. Compliance was 98.6%. PubMed 22108479

Kohama and Negami (2013) — 60 mg in 170 perimenopausal women, 12 weeks

Takafumi Kohama and Masako Negami recruited 170 perimenopausal women for a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial at Keiju Medical Center in Japan. Participants received either 60 mg pine bark daily or placebo for 12 weeks. Outcomes were assessed using both the Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and the Kupperman Index — the most widely used Japanese-validated menopause symptom scoring tool. The pine bark group exhibited significant improvements across measured outcomes compared to baseline. The total symptom improvement measured by the Kupperman Index was statistically significant versus the placebo group. Notably, hormone levels (estradiol, FSH, IGF, DHEA) were not changed compared to baseline or placebo — confirming that pine bark's measured effects occur through non-hormonal mechanisms. Published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine, 2013;58:39–46.

Ryan et al. (2008) — 150 mg in 101 elderly participants, 3 months (cognitive outcomes)

Ryan and colleagues at Swinburne University, Melbourne, conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, matched-pairs study in 101 participants aged 60–85. Participants received 150 mg pine bark daily or placebo for three months. The primary cognitive outcome was working memory assessed using the CDR computerised battery. At three months, the pine bark group showed statistically significant improvement in spatial working memory and numerical working memory compared to the control group. Plasma F2-isoprostane levels — a biomarker of lipid peroxidation in nerve cell membranes — decreased significantly in the pine bark group but not in controls, pointing to the antioxidant mechanism as a driver of cognitive outcomes. Significance was not reached until month three, indicating that at least 12 weeks of supplementation was required in this population. Published in Journal of Psychopharmacology, 2008;22(5):553–562. PubMed 18701642

Study	Population	Dose	Duration	Primary measured outcomes
Yang et al. 2007	155 perimenopausal women	200 mg/day	6 months	WHQ scores, lipid profile, blood pressure, antioxidative status
Errichi et al. 2011	38 women in menopausal transition	100 mg/day	8 weeks	33-item symptom score, oxidative stress markers
Kohama & Negami 2013	170 perimenopausal women	60 mg/day	12 weeks	WHQ scores, Kupperman Index, hormone levels
Ryan et al. 2008	101 healthy elderly (60–85)	150 mg/day	3 months	Working memory, F2-isoprostane (oxidative stress)

The dose question: 60 mg vs 100 mg vs 200 mg

The three perimenopause-specific trials used three different doses: 60 mg (Kohama and Negami), 100 mg (Errichi et al.), and 200 mg (Yang et al.). All three produced statistically significant results on their measured outcomes. This suggests that pine bark has a reasonably wide effective dose range, rather than a narrow dose-response cliff. However, the trials are not directly comparable: they ran for different durations (12 weeks, 8 weeks, 6 months), in different populations, with different primary outcome measures. Direct dose comparisons within a single study are therefore not available from the perimenopause literature.

The cognitive research in elderly populations used 150 mg (Ryan et al. 2008). Given that cognitive outcomes require addressing nerve membrane oxidative stress — and that this mechanism likely requires higher plasma polyphenol concentrations than primarily vascular effects — a higher dose is plausible for cognitive endpoints specifically.

The research in the broadest review of pine bark RCTs (39 randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trials covering 2,009 subjects, as summarised in Frontiers in Nutrition 2024) covered doses from 50 mg to 360 mg across different health domains, with the cognitive and women's health trials clustering in the 100–200 mg range.

Why standardisation matters — the generic pine bark question

Several supplement brands sell "pine bark extract" or "maritime pine bark" at lower price points than pine bark-licensed products. The marketing of these generics often implies equivalence. It does not exist.

pine bark's research base was built on a standardised extract with a defined polyphenol composition verified at the point of manufacture. The clinical trials cited above — including those in perimenopausal women — used this specific extract. A generic pine bark product from a different tree source, a different extraction method, or a different supplier does not have the same polyphenol profile and has not been studied in the same trials. Citing pine bark research to support a generic pine bark supplement is not scientifically accurate.

How pine bark is used in The Foundation

The Foundation contains pine bark at 200 mg per daily serving — the dose used in Yang et al. (2007), the largest and longest trial in perimenopausal women. The extract is the standardised, licensed pine bark ingredient, not generic pine bark. The 200 mg dose is the highest dose used in a perimenopause-specific RCT and aligns with the cognitive research range studied in Ryan et al. (2008).

Frequently asked questions

Further reading

• What happens to your body during perimenopause: a system-by-system guide
• Best supplements for perimenopause in the UK: a science-first guide
• How to read a supplement label

References

1. Yang HM, Liao MF, Zhu SY, Liao MN, Rohdewald P. A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial on the effect of pine bark on the climacteric syndrome in peri-menopausal women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2007;86(8):978–85. PubMed 17653885
2. Errichi S, Bottari A, Belcaro G, et al. Supplementation with French maritime pine bark extract improves signs and symptoms of menopausal transition. Panminerva Med. 2011;53(3 Suppl 1):65–70. PubMed 22108479
3. Kohama T, Negami M. Effect of low-dose French maritime pine bark extract on climacteric syndrome in 170 perimenopausal women. J Reprod Med. 2013;58(1–2):39–46.
4. Ryan J, Croft K, Mori T, et al. An examination of the effects of the antioxidant pine bark on cognitive performance, serum lipid profile, endocrinological and oxidative stress biomarkers in an elderly population. J Psychopharmacol. 2008;22(5):553–62. PubMed 18701642
5. Weichmann F, Rohdewald P. French maritime pine bark extract French maritime pine bark extract in randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled human clinical trials. Front Nutr. 2024;11:1354421. PubMed 38757130

Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Always speak to your GP if you are taking medication or have a medical condition.