New Study Shows Daily Supplementation with Pycnogenol® May Provide Relief from Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

Recurrent urinary tract infections are the result of a bacterial infection and are defined as three episodes in the previous year or two episodes in the last six months. About 50 percent of women worldwide contract at least one urinary tract infection in their lifetime and 25–30 percent of women have at least one episode of recurrent urinary infections. Around 12 percent of men1 will experience urinary tract infections in their lifetime. Urinary tract infections cause up to 10 million visits2 to health care providers each year.

Similar to UTI, interstitial cystitis (IC) is a painful, often chronic disorder of the bladder, typically indicated by serious sensory lower urinary tract symptoms and pelvic pain but without bacterial occurrence in the urinalysis, estimated to impact between 3 and 6 percent of adult women.

“Patients who suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections often experience painful, disruptive symptoms including pain, burning and itching in the pelvic area, and a constant need to go to the bathroom. This study shows, Pycnogenol®, a natural ingredient, may reduce those symptoms,” says Dr. Steven Lamm, MD, researcher, internist, and a leading expert on sexual health.

“It is important that we reduce the use of antibiotics in the management of recurrent urinary tract disorders. This study presents a potential natural alternative to antibiotic use. Pycnogenol® is known as an effective anti-inflammation agent. Important findings here that require further research” said Dr. Lamm.

Published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the study encompassed 64 participants between the ages of 35 and 41. The test group was comprised of patients who reported at least three symptomatic urinary tract infections in the past year, reported at least two urinary tract infections in the past six months or reported symptoms of urinary tract infections without bacterial occurrence in the urinalysis, such as interstitial cystitis.

Three groups were tested in the study: a control group, a Pycnogenol® group, and a cranberry group. Each group was tested for 60 days and followed a standard management routine. The control group only followed the standard management routine, which consisted of accurate hygiene, improved bladder care, avoiding too much caffeine, spices, and alcohol, careful hydration, and mild exercise.

The Pycnogenol® group was supplemented with 150mg of Pycnogenol® per day. The cranberry group was supplemented with 400mg (two 200mg capsules) of dried cranberry extract (19 mg proanthocyanidins each) per day.

After 60 days of daily oral supplementation with 150mg of Pycnogenol®, results included:

62% reduction in the number of urinary tract infection/interstitial cystitis episodes (vs. 45% reduction in the cranberry group and 29% reduction in the control group)
100% of participants showed infection-free urine (vs. 35% of participants in the cranberry group and 36% of participants in the control group. At study start, 40-50% of the patients showed infection-free urine.)

91% of participants were symptom-free (vs. 80% of participants in the cranberry group and 82% of participants in the control group)

11% decrease in oxidative stress (vs. 4% decrease in the cranberry group and 2% decrease in the control group)

The high impact of Pycnogenol® on the reduction of urinary tract infections/interstitial cystitis in patients compared to the effect of cranberry and standard management in this study corroborates with previous research demonstrating Pycnogenol®’s high antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.