The marriage of medicine and nature (Renal Function)

[HysteryDiagnosis]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/181235.php

The randomized, controlled study conducted by the G D'Annunzio University in Italy investigated 55 hypertensive patients who showed early signs of impaired kidney function, as judged by elevated amounts of proteins found in their urine. The patients were divided into two groups. Both groups were treated with anti-hypertensive medication Ramipril and one group of 29 patients took Pycnogenol in addition to the Ramipril. Urine was collected during a 24 hour period for quantification of protein (albumin) at baseline and again after six months of treatment.

All patients included in the study had an average urinary protein level of 89 mg per 24-hour period, significantly exceeding the 30 mg measure, up to which kidney function is considered sufficient. After six months of treatment with Ramipril, average protein levels decreased to 64 mg per 24-hour period, remaining well above an acceptable level. Conversely, the group taking Pycnogenol® as an adjunct to Ramipril had an average of only 39 mg per 24-hour period, a decrease of nearly double compared with anti-hypertensive medication taken alone.

The study also found a statistically significant decrease in patients' blood pressure when taking Pycnogenol® in conjunction with Ramipril. When treated exclusively with Ramipril, systolic blood pressure values dropped by more than 30 percent and diastolic blood pressure values dropped approximately eight percent. The addition of Pycnogenol® decreased both systolic and diastolic pressures by an additional three to six percent. Pycnogenol® was also found to lower the patients' elevated levels of inflammatory marker CRP, a blood protein associated with the risk for acute cardiovascular events such as heart attack, reducing values to a healthy level.

[TygrBright]

1. Since French Maritime Pine Bark is a natural substance...

...self-renewing, and the pycnogenal extract is relatively easy to process from it, I predict that Big Pharma will go all out to prove there is something TERRIBLE about it, and that the actual active proanthocyanadin that potentiates the beneficial effects have to be synthesized by an expensive, patented, proprietary process in order to be safe.

Just sayin'...

But I'd be willing to put a decent bet on it playing out that way over the next few years.

cynically,
Bright

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. When it becomes mainstream enough perhaps, however Lipoic Acid has been used in

Germany for perhaps 35 years for various purposes, prescribed by physicians.... and they haven't gone after it YET.

http://www.americandiabetes.com/living-diabetes/diabetes-nutrition-articles/effect-lipoic-acid-diabetes

In Germany, lipoic acid has been used for decades as an approved treatment for the symptoms and pain of diabetic neuropathy. Some studies have indicated that intravenous doses of alpha lipoic acid can help reduce the pain and symptoms of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, although more conclusive research about oral doses of the antioxidant still needs to be conducted.

[Iwasthere]

3. Yep

Nothing natural allowed... we are killing ourselves with junk, SUGAR AND PROCESSED FOODS KILLING US ON A GLOBAL SCALE! Ironically their solution to to the cancer that is caused by this junk is chemo. CHEMO KILLS!! Even Lance Armstrong, who is held up as a poster child for chemo, went to alternative methods in Germany where the heat therapy he recieved worked wonders (most don't know that, they theink the chemo alone saved him, not true). Alternative methods have a much greater chance of saving your life.