A French maritime pine bark extract alleviates cellulite: A double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study

Abstract

Aims and objectives of the research

Cellulite presents with dimpling and denting of the skin surface. It mainly affects women, for whom it often poses a cosmetically unfavorable skin condition. Etiopathological knowledge is scarce, under discussion are, among others, inflammatory processes as well as dermal vascular and metabolic changes as found in chronic venous stasis. Besides topical regimes, there is growing interest in nutritional supplements as a strategy to ameliorate cellulite.

Materials and methodology

The standardized bark extract from the French maritime pine tree Pinus pinaster Aiton, subspecies atlantica (FMPBE), contains 70 ± 5 % procyanidins built from condensed catechin and epicatechin monomers. The extract is a nutritional supplement known for its antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, and vascular endothelium protective capacity. Based on its positive effects on endothelial health, we wanted to test the impact of this proprietary bark extract from the French maritime pine tree on cellulite.

Study design

In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study with no follow-up, we asked if a moderate dose of 150 mg FMPBE a day over 3 months would affect (i) a clinical cellulite score, (ii) the thigh circumference, and (iii) physiological parameters such as roughness, and smoothness in 60 Han Chinese females aged between 25 and 45 years suffering from moderate cellulite. The subjects were recruited in a Beijing study center from November 2021 to February 2022. The occurrence of adverse events or serious adverse events was regularly recorded by phone. Results: No adverse or serious adverse events were observed. The clinical cellulite score significantly improved after 2 and 3 months by 12.2 % and 13.6 % in the verum group, corresponding to approximately 1 score point, whereas no significant effect was seen under placebo treatment. The improvement of the cellulite severity score was associated with clinical remediation shown by photographs and a significant decrease in the upper thighs’ circumference after 3 months. Skin roughness and skin smoothness were significantly ameliorated in the verum group.

Conclusion

FMPBE is suited to ease moderate cellulite and may help to prevent or postpone females against minimally invasive cellulite treatments.