Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the Unites States. Our study tests the efficacy of pine bark extract in improving a number of cardiovascular disease risk factors. We are conducting a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel trial that will investigate the efficacy and safety of Flavangenol® (Toyo Shinyaku, Japan), a pine bark extract, among 130 study participants. These participants will be individuals at mildly or moderately elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) because of having prehypertension, excess body weight, and insulin insensitivity. We aim to determine (in order of priority):
1. The efficacy of Flavangenol in lowering blood pressure.
2. The efficacy of Flavangenol in improving glycemic control and plasma lipoprotein profile.
3. Changes in body weight, antioxidative capacity, anti-inflammatory markers, blood coagulation factors, and liver function tests in response to Flavangenol.
4. The safety of Flavangenol, as confirmation of past studies.
