PESCARA, Italy, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Pycnogenol, an extract from the French maritime pine tree, reduces jet lag in passengers by nearly 50 percent, Italian researcher said.
The two-part study, consisting of a brain CT scan and a scoring system, showed Pycnogenol lowered symptoms of jet lag such as fatigue, headaches, insomnia and brain edema --swelling -- in both healthy individuals and hypertensive patients. Passengers also experienced minimal lower leg edema, a common condition associated with long flights, the study said.
The study, conducted Dr. Gianni Belcaro of the G. D'Annunzio University in Pescara, Italy, consisted of 133 passengers who took flights that were seven to nine hours in length. Fifty milligrams of oral Pycnogenol was administered three times daily, for seven days, starting two days prior to the flight.
Results showed 56 percent reduction of jet lag symptoms in the Pycnogenol group for all items rated. Moreover, symptoms lasted only for an average of 18.2 hours in the Pycnogenol group as compared to 39.3 hours in the control group.
Belcaro said Pycnogenol's better circulation and antioxidant potency may account for the improvement.
The study is published in the journal of Minerva Cardioangiologica.
