Pycnogenol® Pine Bark Extract Associated with Less Jet Lag

An extract of French maritime pine bark known as Pycnogenol® helped reduce jet lag symptoms, including temporary cognitive impairment, in a study that included pilots, flight attendants, airline staff, frequent flyers, and individuals with hypertension.¹

The term "jet lag" describes the symptoms that occur following long flights that cross at least two time zones and are generally more pronounced after flights that travel from west to east. These symptoms may include:

Fatigue, insomnia and irregular sleep patterns
Loss of appetite, nausea and upset stomach
Headaches and sinus irritation
Dehydration
Disorientation, irritability, irrational behavior
Impaired cognitive performance

In this study, after flying 10-12 hours west to east, participants who took Pycnogenol® had fewer or less severe symptoms and fewer nights of altered sleep compared with those who did not receive it. Additionally, ankle circumference increased to a lesser extent among those who received Pycnogenol®, indicating less fluid retention. The dosage among the 65 participants in the test group was 50 milligrams every eight hours for seven days, beginning 48 hours prior to flying.

Although cognitive function was negatively impacted among most participants, those who used Pycnogenol® had higher average post-flight cognitive function scores than the control group.

The authors concluded that "Pycnogenol® was effective in preventing jet lag-related symptoms and preserving cognitive functions without tolerability problems."

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Apply What You’ve Learned: Jet Lag

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine defines jet lag as a complaint of insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness that occurs within one or two days of travel across two or more time zones, and may include impairment of daytime function, malaise or symptoms such as gastrointestinal problems, and other mental and physical symptoms.²
Jet lag severity and incidence increases with the number of time zones crossed and gradually resolves during a four to six-day period.³
Melatonin, a hormone predominantly produced by the brain’s pineal gland, can be used to encourage sleep when traveling to different time zones. Melatonin taken before bedtime causes phase shifts in the body’s circadian clock so that sleep is likelier to occur at a desired time.⁴
Jet lag is associated with circadian rhythm disruptions. The flavonoid nobiletin, which occurs in citrus peel, may support healthy circadian rhythms.^5,6

References

Belcaro G et al. Minerva Med. 2024 Jan 10.
Morgenthaler TI et al. Sleep. 2007;30(11)1445-59.
Herxheimer A. BMJ Clin Evid. 2014 Apr 29;2014:2303.
Simmons E et al. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2015 Mar-Apr;14(2):123-8.
He B et al. Cell Metab. 2016 Apr 12;23(4):610-21.
Shinozaki A et al. PLoS One. 2017 Feb 2;12(2):e0170904.

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