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A recent study has demonstrated that an extract from a marine pine found along the coast of France can improve blood flow to the inner ear, thus relieving symptoms of tinnitus. In a study conducted by the Chieti-Pescara University in Italy on participants whose tinnitus was due to restricted blood flow to the inner ear, as shown by high resolution ultrasonography imaging, patients were divided into three groups. All 82 participants had tinnitus in only one ear and were aged from 35-55 years in this four-week study. Group A consisted of 24 patients given 150mg per day of Pycnogenol®*, Group B had 34 patients given 100mg a day of the same patented pine bark extract, and Group C consisted of 24 patients who were administered none at all. None of the 82 had previously taken any medication for their symptoms. Before the study began the patients average initial systolic and diastolic blood flow velocities to the inner ear were 14.3 and 4.22 cm/sec in Group B and 13.2 and 3.2 cm/sec in Group A, which is indicative of insufficient blood perfusion. After four weeks of treatment, Group B had increased to 21.2 and 8.23 cm/sec and Group A had increased to 24.3 and 12.5cm/sec, and both groups reported a reduced intensity of the symptoms of tinnitus, which are classically hissing, ringing and rushing noises. There were no significant changes in Group C. These results show that the marine pine bark extract dramatically improves blood flow to the ear, which relieves the symptoms of tinnitus, and also the improvement brought with increased dosage. The research also shows that Pycnogenol may improve vascular function in general. "The study clearly indicates Pycnogenol®'s ability to improve vascular function and restore cochlear blood perfusion, which in turn relieves the severity of tinnitus symptoms" said Dr. Gianni Belcaro, a lead researcher on the study along with his team from Irvine3 Vascular labs. "The results provide further evidence of the supplement's natural efficacy for a variety of vascular health symptoms." About Pycnogenol®
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