The power of OPC

9 July 2025

The Power of OPC

By Rosemary Chng

What is OPC?

I hope you enjoyed yesterday’s pine bark story so let’s continue today with lesson 2.

Someone asked, ‘what is OPC?’

I know many of you already know but hey, it’s always nice to revisit an old friend.

So here goes.

What Are OPCs – and Why Are They So Important?

OPC stands for Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins — a group of powerful plant-based antioxidants found in pine bark, grape seed, berries, and certain fruits.

But not all antioxidants are equal. OPCs are among the most potent and bioavailable natural antioxidants known to science.

Why Are OPCs So Critical for Health?

OPCs protect your body at the cellular level, especially where damage from oxidation, inflammation, and poor circulation starts.

(Just fyi, EB Pine Bark was exactly what my health partner recommended when he detected high viscosity in his patients’ blood especially after Covid mRNA vaccination and infection.)

Here’s why OPCs matter:

1. They Neutralise Free Radicals

Every second, your cells are attacked by unstable molecules called free radicals. OPCs “quench” these radicals before they can cause DNA damage, premature ageing, or chronic disease.

2. They Protect Blood Vessels and the Heart

OPCs strengthen capillaries, veins, and arteries, improving blood flow and reducing the risk of heart attacks, strokes, varicose veins, and diabetic complications.

3. They Support the Brain and Nerves

By improving circulation and reducing inflammation in the brain, OPCs can support focus, memory, and protection against age-related cognitive decline.

4. They Reduce Inflammation and Boost Healing

Whether it’s joint pain, skin flare-ups, or internal inflammation, OPCs help calm the immune response and speed up tissue repair.

5. They Enhance Cellular Regeneration

OPCs work synergistically with other antioxidants (like vitamins C and E, lipoic acid, and glutathione) to regenerate tissues and delay cellular ageing.

OPCs in Pine Bark – A Rich, Bioavailable Source

French maritime pine bark extract contains some of the highest concentrations of OPCs available in any natural source — up to 70% in purified extracts like the one used by Elixir Botanica.

Because OPCs are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier, they can offer full-body protection — from your skin to your brain, heart, kidneys, and even your eyes.

Most People Are Deficient in OPCs

Modern diets are low in natural OPCs due to poor-quality food, pesticides, and soil depletion.

Supplementing with a pure source like pine bark extract helps restore what your body urgently needs.

So this is why I decided to invest in manufacturing the best pine bark extract I could do, in order to obtain my “Batman” network antioxidants in VigourCells and my “Robin” Pine Bark side kick for the complete experience.

Pine bark extract helps to boost the lifespan and protective properties of network antioxidants longer.

Now do you get it and why these 2 should always be taken together?

But why didn’t I just easily combine Pine Bark into VigourCells?

Truth is I did and that was the first approved NPN licence from Health Canada.

But a scientist girlfriend spoke to me and asked if there is anyone who can’t take pine bark extract? Or are there any cautions going with it. Like age?

I thought about this and hence, in order to ensure that VigourCells will be available to 100% of people, kids, fur and aquatic kids included, I decided to put in a lot more financial resources and do them separately. This is the real story of the birth of Elixir Botanica VigourCells and PineBark.

Nice to finally be able to tell of their genesis.