OPC Review - An Anti Aging Miracle?

 I've just recently been introduced to OPC nutritional supplements.  They've been around for over 50 years - why haven't I heard of them before?  From what I've been reading, they sound like the next giant frontier in anti-aging nutritional supplements.

 If you are new to OPCs, here is a short synopsis: OPC stands for oligomeric proanthocyanidins and is a molecular compound that is extracted from pine bark and grape seeds.  Jacques Masquelier from France was granted the patent for the pine bark extraction in 1951 and subsequently from grape seeds in 1970.  In 1985, he got a US patent for his OPC.

 Why should you care about the description of OPCs?  Because whenever a good item is discovered, there are usually new products developed that proport to be the same thing, but really aren't.  More about that later.

 As expected with any exploration on nutritional supplements, there are generally inconsistent reports on what OPCs can do. Here is a list of several claims I read:

• Prevents heart attacks and strokes  
•  Strengthens capillary walls
•  Reduces varicose veins
•  Relieves leg cramps & pains
•  Protects smokers from oxidative stress (lowered risk of heart attacks)
•  Reduces swelling and edema
•  Improves collagen and helps with the accompanying ailments
•  Lupus
•  Liver Cirrhosis
•  Hypertension
•  Cancer prevention
•  Asthma
•  Allergies
•  Diabetes
•  Periodontal disease
•  Impotence
•  Hemorrhoids
•  Impaired vision & macular degeneration
•  ADHD
•  PMS symptoms

Seriously, can it genuinely do all that? How come everyone isn't taking this miracle supplement?

Here's what the sources DO concur on:

OPCs are potent antioxidants.
There is a great deal of controversy on the health benefits of antioxidants. I won't go into that here.  If you find it credible that antioxidants can help the war against free radicals, then OPCs ought to be on your shopping list of nutritional supplements. This is one supplement you'll have to pop the pill for. I doubt you can eat enough pine bark and grape seeds to get the full benefit of OPCs. Or drink enough red wine. It's been said that one capsule of grape seed extract is roughly equal to 4 glasses of red wine. Considering most doses are two capsules a day....

Varicose Veins
They appear to provide relief from problems connected with varicose veins. This was one study that seemed well documented.

Swelling from surgery or injury
OPCs seemed to decrease the swelling from surgery in breast cancer patients, facial surgery patients and sports injuries. You can see the possibilities here.

Gingivitis and plaque formation
They used an OPC gum for this study, but it seemed to work sufficiently on the test subjects.

Blood clots after long plane rides
They found it significantly reduced the risk of blood clots on plane rides roughly 8 hours in duration.

What about all the additional claims?  Although experiments have been done on many of the claims, occasionally the results were in animal studies or evidence SUGGESTS that an advantage may be there but there is no DIRECT proof.  So does that mean it doesn't work on all those other claims?  Not at all. Medical testing is a slow and arduous task.  As with all supplementation, proceed with caution and follow instructions for use.

Are they safe?  Evidently, yes. They are considered non-toxic.  Side effects are pretty unusual and can include digestive distress or an allergic reaction.  One item to note:  if you take a blood-thinning medication, you should consult your doctor first.  High doses of OPCs may have some anticoagulant attributes.

Are all OPCs the same? Apparently not, although that doesn't mean you won't get some benefit from the different brands of OPCs.  Remember that OPCs and grape seed extract are not the same thing. Grape seed extract is a broad spectrum extract of many different compounds.  OPCs are a separated, isolated and standardized active ingredient of grape seed extract. I would suggest you look for OPCs endorsed by or with Masquelier's name on them.  It is a patented product, so you should be using the original patented formula.  Currently there are several places on the internet to find them.  

Who should take OPCs? Anyone over the age of 50 and anyone with heart disease. Because they can bind with collagen, they should be taken on an empty stomach.

 Nature's Way Tru OPC