Are OPCs (or, proanthocyanidins) the same as “grape seed extract” or “pine bark extract” products?
A. Yes (in the marketplace) and No (in the scientific context). Because of commercial interests—or by mistake— the terms, OPCs and proanthocyanidins, have truly lost all of their scientific meaning in the marketplace. In most cases, suppliers and retailers confuse grape seed extracts as being synonymous with opcs or proanthocyanidins. However, the terms are not the same in the scientific context. “Grape seed extract” is a nonscientific term that has no specific meaning—other than crushed seeds which can be toxic and oxidizing if not properly manufactured. However, OPCs (short for oligomeric proanthocyanidins) is the active ingredient that was discovered by Dr. Masquelier and proven to have powerful antioxidant properties and other health producing benefits. It’s important to note that independent testing found no active OPCs in a leading American brand of grape seed extract—even though it’s labeled and aggressively marketed as a branded OPC product. More… Top Q. Is Flavay the same as
