The proven health benefits of olive leaf extract include contain many bioactive ingredients that have antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory and hypoglycemic properties, and they are quite similar to the benefits of olive oil.
The olive leaf extract was first used medically in ancient Egyptian civilization, where represented a force from heaven. Since then, extract, herbal tea form and powder form have been used therapeutically in human nutrition.
More and more studies are proving that olive leaf extract is a powerful medical tool that supports the immune system, boosts energy and delivers healthy blood pressure.
It is gaining recognition for health benefits because of promising scientific studies supporting medical potential.
What is Olive Leaf Extract?
Olive leaf extract comes from leaves of olive trees called Olea europaea. The olive tree is included in the family Oleaceae, and other species in this family include lilac, forsythia, and ash tree. This tree, which remains green in all seasons, is native to Asia, Africa, and the Mediterranean region. Researchers estimate that the emergence of an olive tree occurred in the Iran-Mesopotamian region 6000-7000 years ago.
This short tree rarely crosses 15 meters, and the flowers it has are small, white and hairy. The leaves range in color from Silver-Green. They gather as the olives move from Green to purple.
In the early 1800s, olive leaves were crushed and used to lower the fever.
A few decades later, they were used to treat malaria in teas. In Moroccan medicine, olive leaves are brewed for balancing blood sugar and controlling diabetes. These medicinal benefits of his extract stem from powerful ingredients of plants.
A bioactive component called the secoiridoid oleuropein, found in olive leaves, accounts for 6-9% of the amount of dry matter in the leaves. Other bioactive components include secoiridoids, flavonoids, and triterpenes. These plant metabolites are useful in cell signaling ways and have antioxidant effects.
Oleuropein, the primary ingredient in the olive leaf extract, has been attracting attention since the early 1900s because it has anti-virus, fungal and bacterial properties.
Studies show that oleuropein, a polyphenol, is a powerful antioxidant that naturally lowers blood pressure and prevents cardiovascular diseases. Oleuropein also shows anti-cancer properties in animals that allow tumors to shrink and disappear.
9 Proven Benefits of Olive Leaf Extract
1. Reduces Blood Pressure
In a 2011 study, the effects of olive leaf extract were compared with the effects of a high blood pressure medication called Captopril. 500 mg olive leaf extract was given twice a day for eight weeks, and major and minor blood pressure dropped dramatically.
Although both olive leaf extract and Captopril were able to prevent high blood pressure, olive leaf treatment also reduced triglyceride levels (in a way that reduced bad cholesterol). There are also some side effects of Captopril that are not found in olive leaves, such as dizziness, loss of taste, dry cough.
2. Improves Cardiovascular Health
Olive leaves have been used as a herbal tonic to support cardiovascular health for thousands of years. High doses of olive leaf extract have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol levels and help maintain normal blood pressure.
Oleuropein, essential glycolytic in the olive leaf extract, and hydroxytyrosol, the primary product of this substance in the olive leaf extract, have been linked to the reduction of certain types of cancer and coronary heart diseases.
A study at the School of Biomedical Sciences in Australia examined mice that were fed plenty of fat and plenty of carbohydrates for 16 weeks. Untreated mice showed increased abdominal and subcutaneous fat stores, collagen calcification in the heart and liver, cardiac stiffness and signs of oxidative stress.
The mice treated with olive leaf extract had improved cardiovascular health, liver function, and metabolic signs. This study shows that olive leaves can help to reverse cardiovascular stress and chronic inflammation that is the cause of disease in humans.
3. Fights With Diabetes
In a study conducted in Greece, the effects of olive leaf extract on the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGE) were observed. These substances play a role in the development of diabetes and many other chronic diseases.
Preventing AGE formation is a preventative and therapeutic target in patients with diabetes, and the 2013 study found that olive leaf extract does not only do this but also naturally improves symptoms of diabetes.
It has hyperglycemic effects, which means it reduces blood sugar levels in the body. The olive leaf extract also controls blood glucose levels. Polyphenols in olive leaves also play a vital role in delaying the production of sugar, which causes inflammatory diseases such as diabetes.
An assessment published in molecules in 2017 found evidence to confirm the interactions and combined benefits of olive polyphenols found in olive leaf extract. These polyphenols have improved blood glucose in prediabetes.
There is also some evidence suggesting that the olive leaf may regulate the interpretation of certain genes that affect weight gain in animals, thereby helping to lose weight. But more research is needed on this issue.
4. Can Reduce Cancer Risk
Olive leaves can play an important role in the battle with cancer because they can stop angiogenic processes, and these processes stimulate tumor development. The component, called Oleuropein, has antioxidant and anti-angiogenic properties, thus preventing advanced tumor cells from multiplying and moving.
In 2009, a study in Greece found for the first time that olive leaves had a strong antioxidant effect and were able to prevent endothelial cell reproduction with cancer. It slowed the development of cells associated with breast cancer, bladder cancer, and brain cancer.
5. Improves Brain Functions
Another benefit of olive leaf extract is positive effects on brain functions. Studies have shown that oleuropein reduces the symptoms and frequency of age-related disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Research shows that there is a link between free radicals and Alzheimer’s. Olive leaf is an antioxidant that helps combat damage caused by free radicals and protects the brain from memory loss. Using olive leaf infusion or extract is a safe and effective way to treat Alzheimer’s disease naturally.
In a live tissue experiment published in Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, oleuropein was found to induce autophagy, thereby resulting in a reduction in accumulated proteins and a decrease in cognitive decline. So what this means is that because of this component, olive leaf extract supports the regular destruction and recycling of our cellular components.
6. Cures Arthritis
Arthritis is a joint disease that causes swelling and pain in the joints. The main point here is bloating because that means inflammation. Because of olive leaf extract has anti-inflammatory properties, it can become a natural arthritis solution.
In a 2012 study, olive leaf extract severely reduced claw bulge in mice with arthritis because the extract was able to reduce inflammation found in joints.
Osteoarthritis, on the other hand, is one of the most common forms of arthritis, affecting more than 33 million people in the United States alone. The cartilage between the bones and the joint is formed by the wear of the tissue and as a result, the bones rub against each other without the protection of the cartilage.
Studies show that olive leaf extract reduces chronic pain associated with osteoarthritis and reduces the production of enzymes and cytokines, which are signs of inflammatory processes.
7. Kills Bacteria And Fungi
An important feature of olive leaf Candida infections, meningitis, pneumonia, chronic fatigue, hepatitis B, malaria, herpes, shingles and ability to fight infections such as tuberculosis. It also treats ear, tooth and urinary tract infections naturally.
A 2003 study found that olive leaf extract harbors anti-germ properties against bacteria and fungi. This suggests that the olive leaf is a natural antibiotic because of its ability to fight bacterial infections. In the study, olive leaf extract killed almost every bacterium tested.
8. Strengthens Immune System
It has anti-virus properties, which suggests it provides the ability to fight the common cold and other dangerous viruses. Research has shown that olive leaf extract is effective against disease-causing microbes and against viruses that cause flu and respiratory infections.
The powerful components found in olive leaves destroy invasive organisms, thus preventing infection by not allowing viruses to multiply. The olive leaf is so beneficial to our health that many changes in treatment with extracts due to HIV-1 infection have also been reversed in studies conducted by New York Medical School.
9. Protects Skin
It has the effect of reversing damage seen by my skin and reducing the signs of aging. Because of antioxidant properties, it prevents certain types of cell damage, especially those based on oxidation. Food and plants containing antioxidants are good tools for the health of the skin and cells.
The Biochemical Pharmacology Department in Japan found that if olive leaf extract was given to mice with UV radiation damage, the skin thickness and skin elasticity, which is a sign of skin damage, decreased. The treatment also hindered skin carcinogenesis and tumor development.
Other Benefits
- More energy.
- Removal of toothache.
- Reduction in food cravings.
- Joint pain relief.
- Improvement of the heartbeat pattern.
- Acceleration in wound healing.
Side Effects
- Generally, a safe product when used in direct amounts. However, it can sometimes cause drowsiness in some people with low blood pressure because it lowers blood pressure even more.
- Olive leaf can also irritate the stomach if the dose is too high or if tea is too hard. if this happens, dilute the extract with coconut oil or add more water to the tea. Some other side effects include diarrhea, reflux, headaches, stomach pain, and burning.
- If you are pregnant and breastfeeding, do not take olive leaf extract unless the doctor recommends it. There is not enough work to show that it is safe in these conditions.
- Do not take olive leaves with blood pressure medications because it can lower blood pressure further. Shows hypoglycemic and antidiabetic effects, and therefore, if you are taking diabetes medications, ensure that you will not react with your doctor, starting with small doses. If you are diabetic and you are going to try olive leaf for the first time, it is important to talk to your doctor in advance.
- It can increase the effects of blood thinners. Because it prevents the blood clots from sticking together.
- If you are taking blood thinners, consult your doctor before taking the extract.
If you are receiving chemotherapy, see a healthcare professional before using the olive leaf, as it may reduce the effectiveness of some chemotherapy drugs.
