Beyond the vitamin alphabet...A look at pine bark...

When we think about the multivitamin and health supplements we take, we generally focus on what I call the "vitamin alphabet."

You know what I mean. A, B and the whole B-series, C, D, etc.

All of those vitamins are absolutely necessary and great for us, but you might not think a lot about some of the other good stuff that's found in top-notch supplements.

Take, for instance, pine bark. Pine bark isn't found in every available multivitamin, but it is in some of the better ones. There's pine bark, for instance, in my personal favorite--The Greatest Vitamin in the World.

Now, pine bark might not compare to Vitamin C in terms of its fan following, but it is pretty amazing stuff. According to Drug Digest:

"Pine bark extract helps to control chronic venous insufficiency in two ways. First, chemicals called proanthocyanidins (or polyphenols) in pine bark extract help keep veins and other blood vessels from leaking. In addition, pine bark extract has anti-inflammatory effects. Inflammation is often a response to irritation, injury, or infection and it usually includes pain, redness, and swelling in the area of the damage. Inflammation, which can occur within body tissues as well as on the surface of the skin, contributes to chronic venous insufficiency.

Because it strengthens the walls of all blood vessels, pine bark extract may also be effective for slowing retinopathy, which is the gradual break down of the retina in the eyes. Individuals with arteriosclerosis (a build up of fatty deposits in the arteries), diabetes, or other conditions that increase the likelihood for damage to the small blood vessels in the eyes are more likely to have serious vision problems as a result of blood vessel damage."

It also has some fascinating possibilities in terms of anti-oxidant value.

If you're taking a great supplement, you're ingesting some very helpful stuff. That includes the full "vitamin alphabet," but it goes beyond that to things like pine bark!