Pycnogenol® 50 mg
Standardised maritime pine bark extract
My test focus: vascular health and circulation.
View product on Vitals
Dutch supplement brand with specialized branded raw materials like Pycnogenol®, PeaPure®, Nattokinase-NSK and AHCC® – ingredients hard to find on the German market. I'm testing 13 products over 30 days.
Specialized ingredients like Pycnogenol®, PeaPure® and AHCC®. I'm testing 13 products over 30 days.
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— Why Vitals fits
Vitals adds a piece I was still missing among my partners: particularly specialized ingredients and high-quality branded raw materials that are often not available from German supplement makers. This includes PeaPure®, NSK-SD®, EpiCor®, AHCC® and special extract forms like Curcumin-SLCP™. I want to test exactly these less common products in a structured way and then place them in context transparently.
PeaPure®, AHCC®, EpiCor®, NSK-SD® – rarely found at German suppliers.
Clearly named raw materials instead of anonymous extracts.
I document my 30 days honestly – including limits and tolerability.
— 30-day self-experiment
13 selected Vitals products, from which I test my selection for 30 days. I document experience, tolerability and – where possible – measurable changes transparently afterwards.
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Note: n = 1 self-experiment. Observations are personal and not transferable to others. Not a substitute for medical advice.

— Personal
With Vitals I'm not interested in the usual basics, but especially in less common compounds I haven't systematically tested yet. I want to find out which products I tolerate well, where I notice changes, and whether those show up in my data. I'll add my final assessment after the 30-day test.
Results will follow after the 30-day test.
— Benefits
What sets Vitals apart from generic supplement shops.
Products like AHCC®, PEA, postbiotics and Nattokinase-NSK are rarely found at standard German suppliers.
Many products are based on clearly named, standardized raw materials instead of unspecified extracts.
For example stabilized R-alpha-lipoic acid and Curcumin-SLCP™ (Solid Lipid Curcumin Particles).
Product selection follows compounds that are the subject of scientific research. This does not mean every possible benefit is conclusively proven.
Raw material, amount and specific active form are named on the product cards – no proprietary blends.
Vitals offers me products that I don't or rarely find at my other partners.
— My Vitals selection
Code LONGEVITY applies to the entire Vitals range – 15% off.
Standardised maritime pine bark extract
My test focus: vascular health and circulation.
View product on VitalsPalmitoylethanolamide (PEA-opt® quality standard)
My test focus: physical well-being and recovery.
View product on VitalsNSK-SD®, genuine nattokinase with 2,000 FU
My test focus: blood rheology and vessels. Do not combine with anticoagulants.
View product on Vitals500 mg EpiCor® – dried baker yeast fermentate
My test focus: digestion, gut tolerability and resilience.
View product on VitalsFibre complex including guar bean fibre
My test focus: fibre base, satiety, gut environment.
View product on VitalsBioactive milk protein lactoferrin
My test focus: immune modulation and iron metabolism.
View product on VitalsSolid Lipid Curcumin Particles (lipid curcumin formulation)
My test focus: curcumin in a specialised lipid formulation.
View product on VitalsStabilised sodium R-lipoate, the biologically active R-form
My test focus: energy and glucose metabolism.
View product on VitalsRhodiola extract (adaptogen)
My test focus: stress resilience and mental endurance.
View product on VitalsStandardised cocoa flavanols
My test focus: endothelial function and vessel elasticity.
View product on VitalsAHCC® – standardised shiitake mushroom extract
My test focus: immune modulation and resilience.
View product on VitalsBoswellia serrata extract
My test focus: joints and mobility.
View product on VitalsGinkgo biloba extract
My test focus: micro-circulation, cognition and focus.
View product on VitalsNote: this selection is based on scientifically studied compounds. Statements about individual effects are not medical claims and do not replace consultation with a physician.
— Ingredient deep dive
A short, factual overview of the specialized Vitals raw materials I'm testing in my 30-day experiment – standardized branded materials, no anonymous extracts.
Nattokinase is a fibrinolytic enzyme produced when soybeans are fermented with Bacillus subtilis natto – traditional Japanese natto. It is studied in the context of fibrin breakdown and the flow properties of blood.
The difference to anonymous material is the declared enzyme activity: Vitals uses the branded raw material NSK-SD®, standardized in fibrinolytic units (FU). Most human studies were run with exactly this material. Products that only state milligrams cannot be compared in potency.
Safety note: if you take anticoagulants (aspirin, warfarin, DOACs), have a bleeding tendency or have surgery coming up, nattokinase is not for self-medication – clear it with your doctor first.
Source: Ohsawa et al., Nutrition Research 2007 (NSK-SD® human data).
Pycnogenol® is a patented extract from French maritime pine bark (Pinus pinaster). Research examines it in the context of endothelial function, microcirculation and antioxidant cellular protection.
Not every pine bark extract is Pycnogenol®: the branded material is standardized to 65–75% procyanidins and underpins more than 100 human studies. Cheap non-standardized pine bark extracts can vary considerably in procyanidin content.
Source: Horphag Research monograph; reviews on Pycnogenol® and endothelial function.
Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) is an endogenous fatty acid amide also found in foods such as egg yolk and peanuts. It is studied in the context of inflammation regulation, nerve well-being and sleep quality.
PeaPure® stands for the PEA-opt® standard: unmilled PEA without magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide or other additives. Micronized and ultra-micronized versions from other suppliers differ in particle size and additives – worth checking when comparing.
Note: PeaPure® is not intended for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Source: JP Russell Science product data; reviews on PEA formulations.
AHCC® (Active Hexose Correlated Compound) is a standardized extract from fermented shiitake mycelium (Lentinula edodes) with acetylated alpha-glucans and other polysaccharides. The material is studied for immune function.
AHCC® is a proprietary Japanese raw material with a defined fermentation process – not the same as plain shiitake powder or unspecified mushroom extracts, which vary widely in alpha-glucan content.
Source: Amino Up Co. Ltd. product data; published AHCC® human studies on immune function.
Curcumin-SLCP™ is a lipid-based curcumin preparation (Longvida® technology) designed for improved bioavailability compared to standard curcumin. Research on SLCP curcumin covers topics like oxidative stress and cognitive well-being. Vitals uses the original Longvida® raw material. The Vitals discount code LONGEVITY also applies to Curcumin-SLCP™ (15%).
Alpha-lipoic acid exists as R- and S-enantiomers. The R-form is the naturally occurring, biologically more active variant. Vitals uses stabilized R-alpha-lipoic acid (Na-R-ALA) instead of the racemic standard ALA. R-ALA is studied in the context of insulin sensitivity, mitochondrial function and antioxidant capacity. Code LONGEVITY gives you 15% off.
EpiCor® is a postbiotic branded raw material from fermented baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with beta-glucans, polyphenols and other metabolites. Unlike classic probiotics, EpiCor® does not contain live cultures but the stable metabolic products. The raw material is studied for immune function and gut well-being. Vitals combines EpiCor® in its Postbiol-EC product. Vitals voucher LONGEVITY = 15% off.
Vitals is a Dutch supplement brand known especially for standardized branded raw materials and less common ingredient forms. For the 30-day experiment I chose products that are hard to find on the German market – Pycnogenol®, PeaPure® 400 mg, Nattokinase-NSK, Postbiol-EC (EpiCor®), Curcumin-SLCP™, R-alpha-lipoic acid, AHCC® 500 mg and more.
Background on my longevity approach and biomarker values is on my About page. The Vitals coupon code LONGEVITY – also searched as Vitals discount code or Vitals cupon code – is my partner voucher at vitals.eu and gives you 15% off the entire range.
Direct access to the entire Vitals range with 15% off.
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Tip for your supplement setup
Vitals pairs well with German basic supplements. We combine Vitals Pycnogenol and Nattokinase with edubily discount code BENE – 5% off magnesium, amino acids & Daily Longevity Mix, Made in Germany. For longevity molecules like NMN and Spermidine, DoNotAge offers 10% off pure compounds.
Got another question? DM me on Instagram @bene__longevity.
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Note: Links on this page are partner/affiliate links. There are no extra costs for you. Dietary supplements are not a substitute for a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. Statements about active ingredients are informational and do not constitute medical claims. If you have pre-existing conditions, are pregnant or taking medication, please consult a physician before use.