Pine bark may improve exercise endurance

Pine bark extracts may improve exercise endurance according to research done at the California State University which was reported at the 5th Annual Meeting of the Oxygen Society.

The study involved 24 male and female athletes, aged from 15 to 30. Half of the participants received a placebo for 30 days followed by 30 days of pine bark, while the other half received pine bark first. The researchers then tested oxygen consumption and time to exhaustion during exercise in the athletes.

The results showed that endurance improved by nearly 30 per cent in the group that received pine bark first compared to 14 per cent in those who received placebo.

Pine bark contains compounds known as proanthocyanidins, which have antioxidant effects.

5th Annual Meeting of the Oxygen Society, Reuters