Olive leaves are an essential part of the Mediterranean diet, and a scientific study is investigating their potential to prevent chronic diseases.

Studies show that populations following this diet have a lower incidence of cancer-related illnesses and fatalities.

The positive result can be partially attributed to the olive leaf’s powerful and health-promoting qualities.

Olive leaf extract is a concentrated form of the nutrients present in the leaves of olive trees.

Antioxidants, which are abundant in it, support a stronger immune system.

Antioxidants stop the cell damage that causes disease and reduce the risk of many ailments.

However, research indicates that olive leaf extract may offer additional health advantages.

Many people swear that olive leaf extract cures everything from diabetes to weariness to colds, but are these claims really credible?

Let’s find out as I dissect the facts and myths.

Advantages to Health

Polyphenols make up the bulk of the antioxidants found in olive leaf extract.

According to studies, these nutrients from plants may be able to fend off conditions including osteoporosis, cancer, and cognitive decline.

Olive leaves also contain oleeuropein, a powerful polyphenol.

Studies reveal that oleuropein has not only antioxidant activity but also anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial characteristics.

These traits imply health advantages that have been proven by studies, including:

Better Heart Health

Studies have shown that olive leaf extract prevents LDL (bad) cholesterol from building up in your arteries.

This impact, which also helps to lower blood pressure and increase blood flow, lowers your risk of heart disease.

Olive leaf extract may be helpful in helping people with arrhythmias resume a regular heartbeat.

However, further evidence from human subjects would be ideal.

Diminished Chance of Diabetes

Blood sugar levels can be lowered and stabilized by the antioxidants included in olive leaves, keeping them within safe ranges.

This effect may help prevent diabetes or treat individuals who currently have it, according to research.

Furthermore, research indicates that olive leaf extract may reduce the body’s insulin resistance.

Boosts Immune Reaction

A Mediterranean diet has been associated with a lower incidence of chronic illnesses, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, and heart disease.

By using oleuropein to combat and neutralize germs and viruses, olive leaf extract supports this tendency.

Some Possible Adverse Reactions

Excessive use of olive leaf extract has been linked to adverse effects such as dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea.

Additionally, some individuals may experience an allergic reaction to the pollen from the olive trees. Additional adverse consequences consist of:

Medication interactions

Because it might conflict with certain prescription drugs, use caution and consult your physician before adding olive oil extract to your diet.

Particularly notable are medications for kidney illness, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Complications during pregnancy

The safety of taking olive oil extract during pregnancy or breastfeeding has not been thoroughly studied or documented.

If you are or plan to become pregnant, speak with your healthcare professional.

Olive Leaf Extract Debunked

According to pharmacytoday.com, preparations of olive leaf extract standardized to contain 51–136 mg of oleuropein daily have been used.

The formulations used in the research with beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system contain at least 100 mg of oleuropein daily.

Both customers and healthcare experts usually focus their selections when selecting an olive leaf extract product on the attributes listed on the label.

It may be difficult to compare products or find significant quality indications, though, as not all products have the same information printed on the packaging.

It can be difficult to decide which aspects of the product and label would best set apart a strong, high-end brand of olive leaf extract.

This study, which examines the phytochemical profiles of olive leaf extract, which is recommended by doctors and sold over-the-counter, is the first to be published in Australia.

It provides some crucial advice on how to choose a high-quality and suitably powerful brand of olive leaf extract.

Ten olive leaf extract liquids distributed in Australia were tested for total biophenols, maslinic acid, oleeuropein, oleacein, oleocanthal, and oleanolic acid.

Five of the liquids were intended for over-the-counter use, and the other five were for delivery by professional practitioners.

Fresh vs Dry Leaves

Only two products—both available over-the-counter—of the ten olive leaf extracts that were assessed offered a daily intake of more than 100 mg of oleuropein.

Surprisingly, none of the highly praised practitioner-only medications with higher strength provided more than 51 mg of oleuropein per day at the highest recommended dosage.

Most over-the-counter items had fresh olive leaves, resulting in an average oleuropein level that was 3.5 times higher than that of products that were professionally dispensed.

Fresh leaf extracts are usually produced in a more organic manner.

On the other hand, dried leaf extracts require alcohol and solvents in order to extract the bioactive ingredients.

The products with olive leaf extract that were assessed have considerably different phytochemical profiles, according to lead researcher Ian Breakspear of Endeavour College of Natural Health.

Products prepared from fresh olive leaves were shown to have higher quantities of oleuropein and lower levels of hydroxytyrosol when compared to extracts made from dried leaves.

This suggests that a significant amount of the oleuropein had broken down in the dry leaf products.

If consumers and healthcare providers are looking for an olive leaf extract with high levels of oleuropein to support heart health and the immune system.

They should select products that clearly declare they are made from fresh olive leaves.

Results of This Study

Not every OLE (olive leaf extract) product has the same ingredients.

• All over-the-counter product labels had a quantitative declaration of oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, or both.

Since the practitioner-only drugs made no such claims, doctors were unable to determine the appropriate dosage using the information from the existing scientific trials.

• OLE formulations with standardized doses of 51–136 mg of oleuropein daily have been utilized in human trials for respiratory infections, insulin sensitivity, and blood pressure management.

At the maximum recommended daily dosage of 51 mg of oleuropein, not a single practitioner-only product met this requirement.

However, 4 out of 5 over-the-counter medications provided more than 51 mg of oleuropein daily at the maximum recommended dosage, and 2 out of 5 products provided more than 100 mg.

Medication or Dietary Supplement

It is significant to remember that because olive leaf extract is a food supplement rather than an approved pharmaceutical, the definition of “clinical proof” for it is softer.

To be considered a drug, it would have to undergo extensive, multiphase studies for a specific indication.

It does, however, fall into a bit of a murky area as a nutraceutical since, despite the fact that its health benefits have been clinically and anecdotally established, regulatory rules classify it as an alternative medicine.

Even in this instance, a manufacturer’s words are limited by strict standards.

The European Food Safety Authority concluded in 2014 that Comvita’s (the researchers’) assertion that olive leaf water extract enhances glucose tolerance was not adequately supported by the available data.

The proposition is clear to consumers: a traditional wisdom-based natural remedy backed by science.

As more data accumulates, it will be fascinating to see how this traditional remedy fits into a modern paradigm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does olive leaf extract have proof from any research studies?

Research indicates that oleuropein may prevent cancer cells from proliferating.

Furthermore, olive leaf extract may reduce the duration and severity of upper respiratory infections.

Preliminary research suggests that the oleuropein in olive leaf extract reduces the risk of obesity.

It prevents unintentional weight gain, but more human investigation is needed.

Does artery-plaque removal benefit from olive leaf extract?

Known by its chemical name, oleuropein, this powerful polyphenol helps to alleviate endothelial dysfunction, lower blood pressure.

It prevents the formation of arterial plaque, as reviewed scientifically by Dr. Carol Campi, RN, DC, in August, 2023.

What is the duration of action for olive leaf extract?

The results will not be the same.

The results will vary based on your health goals, but studies on olive leaf suggest that it starts to work after around eight weeks.

What differentiates an actual olive leaf from an extract made from one?

Rich in bioactive compounds, olive leaf extract is a herbal medicine prepared from olive leaves.

While the main constituents of olive leaf are hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, there are several other biophenols present as well, including luteolin, p-coumaric acid, and oleacein.

Olive oil or olive leaf extract: which is superior?

Olive tree leaves contain polyphenols similar to those found in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) or the fruit itself, albeit in much higher amounts.

Therefore, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) may not have as much potential to improve health outcomes as olive leaf extract (OLE).

What opens the arteries quickly?

Although there are no quick fixes for plaque accumulation, people can enhance their heart health and stop further plaque accumulation by adopting substantial lifestyle modifications.

In extreme cases, arterial obstructions might be surgically removed.

Does consuming too much olive oil damage the arteries?

It is important to keep in mind that there is some validity to the claim that olive oil is less harmful than saturated animal fats.

There is no doubt in scientific studies that olive oil plays a role in the development of blood vessel damage and atherosclerotic plaques.

Is it beneficial to take olive leaf extract?

Olive leaf extract contains antioxidants that protect our body’s cells from DNA damage caused by the pressures of daily life.

Antioxidants have the potential to prevent or combat cancer.

Is the olive leaf extract superior to vitamin C?

Oleeuropein is the primary phenolic found in olive oils, fruits, and leaves.

When it comes to antioxidant capability, oleeuropein is 400% more potent than vitamin C and twice as potent as green tea or grape seed extract.

What is a stronger substance than vitamin C?

Astaxanthin is frequently referred to as the “king of carotenoids.” Research indicates that it’s one of nature’s most powerful antioxidants.

Astaxanthin is 6000 times more potent (550 times) against free radicals than vitamin C.

Is liquid olive leaf extract better than capsules?

Research conducted in New Zealand previously confirms efficient bioavailability.

Olive leaf extract in liquid formulation resulted in higher plasma levels of oleuropein peak compared to capsule formulation.

Is olive oil an immune booster?

Extra Virgin Olive Leaf Extract is made from the leaves of the olive tree and contains a wealth of immune-stimulating and antioxidant-rich ingredients.

When should I not take an olive leaf?

If you use any of the following medications, discuss consuming olive leaf extract with your healthcare provider:

Medication for blood pressure, low blood pressure, or hypotension, medication for diabetes, such as insulin.

Olive leaf extract could result in low blood sugar.

What happens if you take olive leaf extract in excess?

If you already have low blood pressure or are taking medication for it, you should avoid OLE, as it can lower blood pressure even more.

In certain people, OLE’s detoxifying actions have been linked to mild symptoms, including headaches.

Does olive leaf extract help fight infections?

Olive leaf extract can boost the immune system’s ability to fight infections by encouraging phagocytosis.

The precise mechanism by which olive leaf extract inhibits viruses is now unknown.

Does olive leaf extract go bad?

Shelf life: 12 months when stored properly in a sealed container.

Is it okay to take an extract of olive leaves without food?

If you use this herb without food, you can get a mildly upset stomach.

Olive leaf may interact with anti-diabetic medications and increase the effects of blood pressure-lowering medications because of its capacity to change glucose levels.

 

Disclaimer

This information is not meant to replace medical care by a licensed healthcare or beauty expert; rather, it is meant for educational and self awareness purposes.