The Modex Journal Issue 01Science edition

Pycnogenol® · Performance · Recovery Do more. Naturally. Every day.

The Pine Bark Papers

**Fig. 01**Maritime pine bark, the raw material of Pycnogenol®.

How the bark of a French coastal pine became one of the most researched natural ingredients in the world, and a daily ritual for athletes.

In this issue

01 The Bark Origins
02 The Evidence Clinical research
03 The Ritual How to use Modex
04 The Water Why HydrationX
05 The Founder Why Modex exists
— Shop the Story Everything in this issue

Origins

Where it begins

Along the Atlantic coast of south-west France grow forests of maritime pine. Their bark holds the ingredient at the heart of every bottle of Modex.

Pycnogenol® is a water-soluble extract of French maritime pine bark, Pinus pinaster. It is a concentrated blend of procyanidins, bioflavonoids and phenolic acids: natural compounds that work as powerful antioxidants and help the body manage inflammation.

What sets it apart is the depth of the science. Over more than 40 years, Pycnogenol® has been studied in more than 160 clinical trials, making it one of the most researched natural ingredients available anywhere.

Among its best-studied effects is its support for nitric oxide, the molecule that helps blood vessels relax and widen. Better flow means more oxygen and nutrients reaching working muscles, which is where the story of Modex begins.

**Fig. 02**Pycnogenol® extract: a fine, rust-red powder concentrated from the bark.

40+ Years of research into Pycnogenol®

160+ Clinical trials, across circulation, recovery, antioxidant capacity and more

What the research shows

Small bark. Big evidence.

Here is what published clinical studies of Pycnogenol® have found, in the systems that matter most when you train.

+46% Forearm blood flow after two weeksNishioka et al., 2007 · 16 healthy volunteers · double-blind, placebo-controlled

+40% Antioxidant capacity of the blood (ORAC)Devaraj et al., 2002

−10% Overall triathlon time after four weeksVinciguerra et al., 2013 · 60 triathletes

Flow

Pycnogenol® supports the body’s production of nitric oxide, helping blood vessels relax so more oxygen and nutrients reach working muscles. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, forearm blood flow rose by up to 46% after two weeks; the placebo group saw no increase.

**Fig. 04**Muscular pain in sport: severity scores after four weeks of Pycnogenol®.

Recovery

In a placebo-controlled study of 66 sports enthusiasts, four weeks of Pycnogenol® cut cramping pain to 13% of starting levels in athletes and 25% in recreational participants. Cramp frequency fell too, and stayed down a week after supplementation stopped.

4.8 → 1.3 Weekly cramps in recreational athletes after four weeksVinciguerra et al., 2006 · 66 sports enthusiasts · placebo-controlled

8.6 → 2.4 Weekly cramps in competitive athletes after four weeksVinciguerra et al., 2006

−11% Two-mile run time after eight weeksVinciguerra et al., 2013 · 74 healthy subjects

Performance

Over eight weeks, 74 healthy adults taking Pycnogenol® ran two miles 11% faster, with sit-ups up 23% and push-ups up 12%. In 60 triathletes, four weeks of supplementation cut overall race time by 10%, limited the rise in oxidative stress from hard efforts, and athletes reported less post-training pain and fatigue.

**Fig. 05**Triathlon split times (swim, bike, run) with Pycnogenol® supplementation.

The next chapter is being written: in 2022, La Trobe University began a three-year clinical trial to study the effects of Modex on muscle strength and endurance.
La Trobe University × Modex

Figures are from published clinical studies of Pycnogenol®, summarised in the Modex Journal. Study designs and doses vary, and individual results vary. Read more: Pycnogenol® for sports nutrition · Muscle cramps and pain relief · The La Trobe University trial

How to use Modex

One shot. Every day.

Pycnogenol® works best with consistency. Modex makes it a ritual you’ll actually keep: no powders, no pills, no mixing.

**Fig. 06**A daily shot, straight from the bottle.

The method

Every day

30–50ml at any time of day to support everyday health and fitness. Drink it straight or mix it into water.

Before you train

100ml, 1–4 hours before training, racing or game day.

Starting out

Load with 100ml a day for your first four weeks, while the effects build.

Wk 1–2 Foundation. Many people notice improved energy and circulation within the first fortnight.

Wk 4–6 Flow. Recovery accelerates, with less soreness between sessions.

Wk 8–12 Ready. Endurance, recovery and focus that compound, session to session.

The daily ritual

Modex 1L

Our 1L bottle: 20 serves of Pycnogenol®-powered support for training, active days and everyday wellbeing.

From $68.00

Shop now

For race day and travel

Modex Shots

Pre-measured 100ml shots. Throw one in your bag and take it 1–4 hours before you start.

From $8.80

Shop now

**Fig. 07**Brownlow Medallist Tom Mitchell, between sessions.

Why we made HydrationX

Hydration, rethought.

Flow is half the story. The other half is fluid, and how efficiently your body absorbs it.

**Fig. 08**Olympian Jack Rayner, co-creator of HydrationX, training after dark.

We created HydrationX with a clear focus: getting the ingredient balance right for rapid hydration.
Modex, on HydrationX

HydrationX was co-created with Jack Rayner, two-time Melbourne Marathon winner and Olympian. The goal was simple: hydration that works as hard as the people drinking it.

Isotonic drinks match the concentration of dissolved particles in your blood. Hypotonic formulas have a lower concentration, which helps support rapid water absorption. Mixed as directed, HydrationX is hypotonic, at 147 mOsm/L.

And because it comes from the same lab as Modex, every sachet also carries 20mg of Pycnogenol®, for antioxidant support alongside your electrolytes.

**Fig. 09**One 4g sachet, 500ml of water.

147 mOsm/L when mixed as directed: hypotonic, for rapid absorption

20mg Pycnogenol® in every sachet

517mg Sodium per serve, with potassium, magnesium and vitamin C

Featured in this chapter

HydrationX

Rapid-delivery hypotonic electrolytes with Pycnogenol®. 30 sachets, Pomegranate Orange.

$65.00

Born from a diagnosis.

Modex didn’t start in a boardroom. It started with a personal question.

Dave McHenry has a background in food science: how ingredients behave, and what they do in the body. Then came an autoimmune diagnosis, and inflammation stopped being a subject and became something personal.

It sparked a determination to find a natural way to tackle inflammation in the body. That search led to Pycnogenol® and its decades of clinical research, and eventually to Modex: a formula built to be taken every day, by anyone who wants to do more.

Today Modex is HASTA certified, with every batch tested for more than 200 banned substances. It is trusted by Olympians and professional athletes, and is the subject of a three-year clinical trial at La Trobe University.

Do more. Naturally. Every day.
The Modex promise