Flavay® helps protect hepatic capillaries (the smallest blood vessels in the liver) from free radical damage and activates liver antioxidant enzyme systems. A study of twenty patients with cirrhosis of the liver showed that a daily intake of 300 mg of Flavay® can help to decrease capillary fragility of the liver.

No, Flavay® has no known contraindications (conditions under which it should not be used). Flavay® is completely safe and nontoxic. In fact, clinical trials have been conducted in which pregnant women (troubled by varicose veins and other circulatory problems in the legs) safely used Flavay®. [More...]

If you are taking anticoagulant medication, you should ask your doctor whether you may also use Flavay® as it will also decrease the reactivity ("stickiness") of blood platelets. [More...]

Yes, please consult your doctor before starting any course of supplementation or diet change, particularly if you are currently under medical care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your doctor.

If you are taking anticoagulant medication, you should ask your doctor whether you may also use Flavay® as it will also decrease the reactivity ("stickiness") of blood platelets. [More...]

Yes and No.

The active flavan-3-ol molecules in Flavay® can be found especially in the fibrous and woody parts of naturally-ripened, raw fruits and vegetables, and in the skins of seeds, nuts and fruits. Unfortunately, our fruits and vegetables are typically deficient of these active polyphenol molecules due to our modern methods of distributing food—which result in fruits and vegetables that have been harvested while unripe. Another cause for deficiency is cooking, which destroys the active polyphenols. What's more, the skins of seeds, nuts and fruits are the parts of our food that we generally discard or spit out.

Actually, the best "food" source is red wine. The active principles in Flavay® are at the center of the curious phenomenon known as the "French Paradox." Red wine is a carrier of these healthy polyphenols. So, why not just drink red wine to get your daily dose of flavan-3-ol? Alcoholic beverages are not ideal as dietary supplements due to potential abuse, dependency and toxicity as a result of over consumption. And, while alcohol can compromise liver function, Flavay® actually helps protect hepatic capillaries (the smallest blood vessels in the liver) from free radical damage and activates liver antioxidant enzyme systems. The point is that Flavay® provides specific protection to the liver, and red wine does not.

So, while drinking some red wine is a reasonably healthy for most adults, the best way to guarantee a consistent daily intake of flavan-3-ol polyphenols is in its pure, concentrated form—Flavay®.

Yes, there are many patents. In 1948 Dr. Jack Masquelier received a French Patent which described a method to extract the active principles in Flavay® from the bark of the pinus Maritima. In 1970 Dr. Masquelier received another French Patent which described an even more efficient extraction method of the active principles from the seeds of the vitis vinifera grapes. On October 6, 1987 Dr. Masquelier was awarded U.S. Patent No. 4,698,360 to describe the proanthocyanidins in Flavay® for use as a powerful antioxidant, "which has a radical scavenger effect."

Flavay® is the actual product—used in the experiments—by which Dr. Jack Masquelier established and patented the "radical scavenger effect."

However, consumers need to know that the marketplace is full of imitations, various “extracts” and derivative forms of Dr. Masquelier’s scientifically proven and patented complex. Unfortunately, many have used Dr. Masquelier’s name and research in unauthorized ways to promote a myriad of derivations. In fact, the other "leading brand" pine bark extract, compared to Flavay® below, is an offshoot derived from Dr. Masquelier's authentic work and products. But, independent comparative testing demonstrates that the initial qualifying research conducted on the authentic products may not be automatically transferred to other commercial products. [More...]

It's confusing because these terms are used inaccurately in the marketplace. "95% polyphenols" is a meaningless expression in a scientific context. However, it does illustrate a problem: In most cases, the following terms are used interchangeably for commercial interests—or by mistake—and their differences have truly lost all scientific meaning in the marketplace:

bioflavonoids and flavonoids,
oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs or PCOs), and
polyphenols.

Therefore, when reading product labels, magazine articles and many popular books, these scientific terms should be considered as generic words and not scientific whatsoever.

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...]

No.

"Grape seed extract" is a vague, nonspecific term that really has no scientific value. In fact, crude "grape seed extract" (and "pine bark extract") imitations are virtually worthless to the consumer without active and naturally-derived oligomeric proanthocyanidins with antioxidant capacity. Some of these extract products contain nothing more than grape seeds or other plant parts which have been pulverized in a food processor.

Flavay®, on the other hand, is a very specific molecular complex which is scientifically defined and manufactured according to the original process developed and patented by Dr. Jack Masquelier in France, approved as an over-the-counter medicine in France and manufactured under the control of French Pharmaceutical inspection.

Dr. Masquelier's original and only industrial manufacturing plant, located in Gardonne, France.

Independent laboratory testing demonstrates that Flavay® scores the highest as an antioxidant and as a free radical scavenger, which is precisely the free radical scavenging effect that Dr. Masquelier invented and claimed in U.S. Patent 4,698,360. [More...]

No.

OPCs (short for oligomeric proanthocyanidins) is a term that covers many different and complex molecules. However, due to commercial interests—or by mistake—the terms "OPCs" and "proanthocyanidins" are often abused and misunderstood and have therefore lost all of their scientific meaning in the marketplace.

It's true that "OPCs" is the group of active principles that is responsible for bringing the "grape seed extract" category of products to fame. However, 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...]

Consumers should also be aware that some manufacturers of grape seed and pine bark extracts have devised ways to artificially boost the proanthocyanidin numbers for their extracts in a test tube (in vitro, which is outside the living body and in an artificial environment ). However, there is no scientific research to show whether the human body benefits from this artificial boost.

Flavay® is unique. Flavay® is derived from the original manufacturing process developed and patented by Dr. Jack Masquelier in France, which captures the naturally-derived oligomeric proanthocyanidins from their plant sources. For well over 50 years, each batch has been routinely and extensively tested and analyzed to guarantee consistency, potency and purity.

Independent laboratory testing demonstrated that Flavay® scores the highest as an antioxidant and as a free radical scavenger, which is precisely the free radical scavenging effect that Dr. Masquelier invented and claimed in U.S. Patent 4,698,360. [More...]

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