Olive Leaf Extract Benefits

What Is Olive Leaf Extract?

The olive tree is strikingly beautiful. It probably reminds you of carefree, sun-drenched holidays in the Mediterranean.

But beyond being pretty to look at – the olive tree is also a multi-purpose culinary aid, which offers myriad health benefits.

As well as providing you with monounsaturated-rich olives, and the amazing longevity ingredient olive oil – the olive tree has an additional offering.

The leaves of the olive tree are so nutrient-dense that they are concentrated down into an extract which is used to support health and well-being in a number of ways.

Although it’s only really risen in popularity in more modern times, olive leaf extract has actually been used medicinally for thousands of years.

It’s commonly found in Mediterranean countries such as Greece and Italy, but it’s also used in places such as Syria and Morocco.

Benefits Of Olive Leaf Extract

Olive leaf extract hosts a wide range of health benefits.

Below are some of the main ones.

It Can Lower Blood Pressure

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for both heart disease and stroke. And many people end up on medication to manage theirs.

Helpfully, olive leaf extract has been shown to naturally lower blood pressure – without any annoying side effects.

Impressively, olive leaf extract can lower both your systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings. This means it can reduce the pressure that your blood is pumped at when your heart is both contracting and relaxing.

A key study showing these benefits concluded that olive leaf extract can lower your blood pressure whether you already have full-blown hypertension (high blood pressure) or if you are still in the pre-hypertensive range.

This means it may be worth taking olive leaf extract as a preventative as well as a treatment for high blood pressure.

Of course, if you are already on blood pressure medication, don’t stop these without the advice of your doctor – but it’s great to know that some dietary interventions can make a real difference too.

It Can Reduce Insulin Resistance

Metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes are unfortunately very prevalent in today’s world.

And they arise when you become insulin resistant. Insulin is required to take the excess glucose into the cells for storage – thus avoiding high blood glucose levels and the slew of health risks that comes with it.

Essentially, if you expose the body to too much sugar, again and again – then the body gets fed up with producing insulin – and insulin resistance occurs.

This sadly leads to diabetes if not reversed. But, help is at hand.

Olive leaf extract can actually encourage the cells in the pancreas to secrete more insulin. This means that glucose can be transported out of the bloodstream -reducing harmfully high blood glucose levels.

It’s important to note that several of the studies showing these benefits have been conducted on animals. This can show a potentially helpful mechanism, but more human studies are needed to confirm these effects.

But, in one human study blood sugar levels did decrease following olive leaf extract consumption – which is a positive sign.

It Can Help With Weight Loss

Many of us struggle to maintain a healthy weight.

This is partly due to the fact that we live in an obesogenic environment. This means there is an over availability of calorie-dense and highly palatable foods.

So, aside from moving more and reducing your intake of these ultra-processed foods, it can help to have a little extra support.

A study looking into the effect of olive leaf extract on weight loss had an interesting outcome. Although based on animals, it showed that olive leaf extract can reduce obesity.

It’s thought that the mechanism behind this is actually olive leaf extract’s ability to alter the genes which are responsible for weight gain.

It’s an exciting development within the world of nutritional science – and hopefully, studies in humans will replicate these results soon.

It May Reduce Cancer Risk

With up to 1 in 2 of us likely to face cancer in a lifetime it’s important to do anything we can to reduce this chance.

Aside from stopping smoking, reducing alcohol, exercising, and eating well – it may be worth adding in some special supplements to support our bodies’ ability to reduce cancer.

We know that olive oil itself may help to reduce cancer – as people consuming the mediterranean diet which is rich in this healthful oil tend to have lower cancer rates.

This led to a study looking at whether olive leaf extract could have similar effects.  The study looked at the effects of olive leaf extract on cells rather than humans – but it’s a good starting point at least.

It’s thought that some of the potent phytochemicals within olive leaf extract may be able to stop cancer cell proliferation.

Many of the compounds in olive leaf extract are anti-inflammatory and antioxidative – which could also explain its role in cancer growth prevention.

It Could Protect The Brain

It’s natural to be worried about brain health as you start to get older.  We hear a lot about alzheimers in the media and can feel a bit powerless against it.

But, we can take steps to improve our brain health in a number of ways. We can get good restorative sleep, eat a brightly colored diet, and keep active.

We can also give ourselves extra protection by taking some specially selected supplements which science suggests can make a positive difference.

It’s likely that the unique blend of antioxidants in olive leaf extract may help to prevent damage from occurring within the brain. This in turn may help to reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline and alzheimers.

And it’s not just alzheimers that olive leaf extract may help to prevent.

It also seems to play a role in reducing the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease too.

This seems to be because it can prevent you from losing crucial dopamine neurons. Without these, parkinsons can ensue.

It Might Prevent Herpes

Herpes is not a particularly pleasant topic to talk about. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid looking for natural solutions to it.

Another positive attribute of olive leaf extract is that it can be applied directly to the skin – as it acts topically as well as internally.

Because olive leaf extract offers antiviral and antimicrobial benefits when applied directly – one study found it may be able to stop the herpes virus from spreading.

This can avoid you needing to use stronger topical medications with harsher chemicals in – ideal if you prefer the more natural approach.

It Could Improve Your Heart Health

The Mediterranean diet has been heralded as the ultimate option for a healthy heart. The reason for this is that it‘s naturally rich in oily fish, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

But also, it tends to favor olive oil instead of butter or animal-based fats. There have been a ton of studies looking into olive oil as a longevity aid.

In particular, olive oil appears to reduce inflammation, improve lipid profiles, and reduce free radicals. Helpfully, olive leaf extract also appears to offer a wide range of heart health benefits.

We already mentioned that it helps to lower your blood pressure which can in turn improve your heart health. And that by lowering your risk of insulin resistance can in turn help you to reduce your risk.

But also, there’s now an evidence base to show that it may reduce the narrowing of the arteries which can lead to blockages and potential heart attacks.

And as if that wasn’t enough a study conducted on rodents found that olive leaf extract also has the capacity to lower your cholesterol.

There have been links between having high total cholesterol and heart disease – so managing your cholesterol is always a good idea.

It Supports Immunity

Do you find that you’re bouncing from one cold to another? When we’re chronically stressed, overworked, and underslept, it’s not surprising that we can fall prey to passing bugs.

Your immune system is amazing at doing its job – and despite some of the health claims out there, there are no foods, drinks, or supplements which can ‘boost’ your immunity.

Instead, these things can support your immune system to function well and do its job effectively.

Olive leaf extract is an ideal choice for this. One reason for this is that it’s naturally high in antioxidants. These have been shown to support your immune function and prevent cellular damage.

Also, olive leaf extract also contains a powerful polyphenol called oleuropein. This provides anti-microbial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

This unique trio of benefits means that adding a daily dose of olive leaf extract into your health routine can help you to keep those coughs and colds at bay.

Also, if you are prone to getting stomach illnesses when traveling or out and about – olive leaf extract could also be of assistance to you with this.

This is because one study has shown it may be able to counteract the type of bacteria which can cause upset stomachs – such as E Coli and Salmonella.

You are more likely to encounter these types of bacteria when food hygiene standards are lower – so it might be worth packing in your travel bag for your next foreign jaunt.

It Can Reduce Your Risk Of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a particular risk to women after menopause. This is because a decline in estrogen can lead to a reduction in bone density.

And if you lose bone density, you are more at risk of fractures and falls. So, as well as prioritizing a diet rich in Vitamin D, Calcium, and Magnesium (and resistance exercise), taking some olive leaf extract regularly could help too.

One promising study showed that after a 12-month period of olive leaf extract supplementation, women produced more of the chemicals which help to regenerate their bones (osteocalcin).

Whilst this was only a preliminary study and more evidence is needed to confirm these benefits – it may well be worth considering olive leaf extract if you are approaching menopause.

Are There Any Side Effects?

It’s natural to be worried about the side effects of taking a new supplement.

But remember that olive leaf extract has been used medicinally for thousands of years – and it derives from the same source as olives and olive oil – which are both used daily for their unique health profile.

For most people – there should be no noticeable side effects from taking olive leaf extract.

There have been a few reports of people experiencing headaches or stomach pains but this is more likely if you take excessive amounts.

Which is another good reason to err on the side of caution and start with a lower dosage, to begin with – split over the day.

Whilst rare, it’s important to be aware that a few people may have an allergic reaction to olive leaf extract. Take notice if you experience any unusual symptoms.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding then it’s best to avoid taking olive leaf extract as there’s simply not enough evidence to guarantee it’s safe right now.

And if you’re currently on blood pressure-lowering medication it’s a good idea to avoid taking olive leaf extract too.

This is because it does such a good job at lowering blood pressure that it may end up reducing it too much if you’re already on medication for it.

Dosages Of Olive Leaf Extract

So, if you’re keen to start taking olive leaf extract for its wide range of potential health benefits, how much is enough?

Well, the science says that the ideal amount to supplement with is around 500-1000 mg. 

This might sound like a lot, but remember that you can split this dose during the day if you prefer, taking for example, 250mg in the morning and the same in the evening.

You might also prefer to start with a much lower dose and slowly adjust as your body adjusts to the new supplement.

How To Consume Olive Leaf Extract?

You can either take olive leaf extract as a standalone supplement or you might prefer to take it as part of a nutrient blend for convenience and ease.

You can often find olive leaf extract as a tincture, tea, or supplement. You may also find it in several skincare products as it has impressive properties when applied topically to the skin.

An easy way to start taking olive leaf extract is to take it as part of super green tonik.  It’s a key ingredient within this high-quality, super greens blend for a reason.

It’s been added to Super Green Tonik as part of its carefully created immune blend. Here, you can gain the additional assistance of garlic bulb, dandelion, and black pepper extract.

When each individual supplement can be pricey and can be yet another thing to remember, there’s something to be said for making life easy.

With super greens tonik you can get a valuable top of much-needed nutrients, a special stress-supportive adaptogenic boost, and unsung health heroes such as olive leaf extract.

Whether your health goals are weight management, cancer prevention, blood sugar control, or increased immunity – super greens tonik can help.

And with super greens tonik you know what you’re getting – a product free from heavy metal contamination, free from harmful pesticides such as glyphosates and other nasties. 

Remember that it’s always important to ensure you don’t skip the basics when supplementing.

So this means you still need to continue eating a nutrient-dense diet, prioritize rest and relaxation, and find enjoyable ways to move more.

And then, you can start to optimize and fine-tune your health for even better results. 

So if you want to make life simple and try something new – Check out super greens tonik to help you on your way to better health.

Julia Ebbens, MSc

Julia is a health content editor and nutritionist from Norwich, UK. She has worked as a health coach in private practice and for the national health service. She undertook an MSc in nutritional medicine to deepen her knowledge.

She enjoys producing evidence-based content which inspires people to become healthier and happier.