- Pycnogenol and probiotics improve female health
- Pycnogenol increases hair density
During and after menopause, hormonal changes shrink hair follicles, thinning and reducing hair. In this study, 76 menopausal women took a placebo or 50 mg of Pycnogenol® three times per day.
After two months, women taking Pycnogenol saw hair density increase 30 percent per square centimeter of scalp. After six months, hair density had increased 23 percent. Blood microcirculation to the scalp also increased, with a measure of scalp skin blood flow improving 21 percent at two months, and 44 percent at six months.
The ability of the scalp to retain water, measured as trans-epidermal water loss, also increased for Pycnogenol. The placebo group did not improve in any of these measures.
REFERENCE: NUTRIENTS; 2022, VOL. 14, NO. 6, 1190
- Probiotics improve vaginal microbiota
A balanced microbiome in the vagina is important for reproductive health, but can become imbalanced as lactic acid decreases and harmful bacteria multiply, leading to bacterial vaginosis. In this study, 76 women of reproductive age with imbalanced vaginal microbiota took a placebo or a multi-strain probiotic once per day.
After 12 weeks, twice as many taking probiotics vs. placebo saw the vaginal microbiome normalize. Doctors used the Nugent score, which had improved from a range of 4-6 to 3 or lower, signaling normal vaginal microbiota. The probiotics group also reported less vaginal discharge, urinary pain and burning, while these measures increased for placebo.
In the lab, doctors confirmed an increase in beneficial vaginal lactobacilli and a decrease in harmful bacteria.
REFERENCE: HEALTH SCIENCE REPORTS; 2023, VOL. 6, NO. 1, E1045
