Humans have enjoyed the many benefits of pine bark extract for centuries. Now dogs can benefit from dietary supplements containing this extract as well.
People take pine bark extract for a number of reasons, including circulation problems, cardiovascular concerns, breathing issues, and more. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) supports the use of this ingredient for humans suffering these maladies and others. NIH also suggests that the active ingredient in pine bark extract can help slow the aging process, maintain healthy skin and even improve athletic endurance.
The active ingredients in pine bark offer a wide range of benefits for humans. As it turns out, these active ingredients are also good for canine health.
Pine Bark Contains Antioxidants and Other Beneficial Compounds for the Health of Your Canine Companion
Extracted from the bark of the French maritime pine tree (Pinus pinaster), pine bark contains naturally occurring chemicals that support canine health in several specific ways.
The active ingredients in pine bark extract can help enhance cell, gland, and organ function. The extract can improve circulation, control immune response, and more. It is no wonder why so many dog owners now prefer a nutritional supplement with pine bark extract for their canine companions.
Free Radicals
The primary active ingredient in pine bark, known as pycnogenol, contains a natural blend of bioflavonoids with immune-building properties. Pycnogenol is a powerful antioxidant, known to control dangerous free radicals that can damage body tissue. Free radicals are molecules that have lost an electron. Loss of an electron often happens as the result of exposure to oxygen, a process known as oxidation. Oxidation can occur as the result of environmental toxins or during the normal course of cellular function.
When a molecule loses an electron, it stops doing its job and spends all its time looking for an electron to steal from another molecule – stealing an electron from another molecule then causes the second molecule to start acting as a free radical. Left unaddressed, large numbers of molecules that make up body tissues can become free radicals and cause health issues. Antioxidants, like Pycnogenol, give electrons to free radicals so that those molecules can resume their normal activity.
Antioxidants
Oxidation and the formation of an overabundance of free radicals can cause poor health. Dogs have natural body systems, but these protective systems sometimes fall short. Pycnogenol and other antioxidants support the animal’s natural body systems to help control its normal levels.
In addition to acting as an antioxidant, pycnogenol promotes joint health, which is helpful for active dogs. Pycnogenol also aids in soft tissue recovery and liver function, which is especially helpful for older dogs.
Pine bark extract supports circulatory health by binding to collagen in blood vessel walls, thereby strengthening arteries, veins and capillaries. The extract also aids in the production of nitric oxide (NO), a component of blood that widens blood vessels to increase blood flow and oxygen supply.
The active ingredients in pine bark extract also have antiviral and antimicrobial effects, which means extracts of the bark can help combat the ravages of free radicals, bacteria and other microbes that can cause health issues.
While agility dogs and older canine companions can find symptom relief from the extract, pups of all types and ages can benefit from dietary supplements containing pine bark extract. No matter the age or breed of your four-legged friend, pine bark extract supports good health and vitality.
NuVet Labs® uses pine bark as one of their unique ingredients in their popular dietary supplements for dogs. For in-depth information on the benefits of pine bark extract for your dog, watch the NuVet Plus informational video on YouTube.