The numerous health benefits linked to extra virgin olive oil a vital ingredient in the Mediterranean diet are well known, especially in relation to its heart-protective properties. You may remember that HSI featured a health update on olive oil back in your January issue, after researchers attributed a greater intake of olive oil in Southern European countries as being responsible for the lower rates of cancer observed among individuals living there, in comparison with their Northern European neighbours .

Given that it has such an impressive list of health-giving properties, you can imagine that HSI was more that a little excited to learn about a related substance that contains up to 40 times more antioxidant polyphenols than conventional extra virgin olive oil.

Olive Leaf Extract: Making waves like no other antioxidant

If that wasn’t enough, it also has an antioxidant capacity that is almost twice as potent as grape seed extract and five times more powerful than vitamin C. Plus it is far more powerful than green tea and the majority of popular antioxidant juices currently on the market, including noni, goji, mangosteen, cranberry, blueberry and pomegranate.

As regular readers of HSI will know by now, antioxidants are vital as they help neutralize harmful, cancer-causing free radicals that are produced in the body through stress, pollution, smoking, alcohol and excessive exposure to the sun.. Antioxidants also help prevent advanced ageing and cell damage and a number of degenerative diseases, including arthritis and cardiovascular disease.

So what is this extraordinary formula that is such a potent source of antioxidants? Its called liquid olive leaf extract and it is produced from the fresh leaves of more than 500,000 olive trees in Queensland, Australia the largest specialized olive grove in the world.

Taken regularly, olive leaf extract has been found to promote healthier joints, skin and muscles, increase energy levels and improve general well-being. Not only that but it is also linked to reducing cold and flu symptoms, and offering much-needed relief from painful sinus congestion

You don’t need to be a doctor to know that a product with super-antioxidant power is likely to have a significant place in the treatment of disease and keeping people healthy.

Commenting on liquid olive leaf extract, Dr David Colquhoun, a leading Brisbane cardiologist and Mediterranean diet specialist, said: The findings about the antioxidant capacity of olive leaf extract are truly significant. There are already many studies on the extracts health-giving benefits which show enormous promise.

He also believes that in the future liquid olive leaf extract may become a first-line treatment for blood pressure, cholesterol and respiratory problems You dont need to be a doctor to know that a product with hundreds of times the antioxidant power of extra virgin olive oil is likely to have a significant place in the treatment of disease and keeping people healthy.

Recent laboratory research findings conducted by scientists at the Australian Centre for Complementary Medicine Education and Research (ACCMER), a joint venture involving the University of Queensland and Southern Cross University, showed that, as well as the liquid extract having 400 per cent more antioxidant power than vitamin C, it also killed breast and prostate cancer cells. The study also revealed that olive leaf extract possesses potent anti-inflammatory properties, which backs up mounting anecdotal evidence that supports its use for alleviating arthritis.

Further trials are due to take place soon to confirm these findings and also assess olive leaf extracts effectiveness in the areas of cholesterol management and blood pressure reduction. Obviously HSI will keep you fully informed on any developments in this exciting area.

As Dr Colquhoun explains: We already know from previous studies that the fresh liquid olive leaf extracts are extremely powerful antioxidants and, due to their very high levels of plant phenols, we expect that they will also give very good results in cardiovascular and heart-related conditions.

Olive Leaf Extract: Promise for promoting heart health

Olive leaf extract has recently gained additional support for its role in heart health. The American Heart Association and the medical journal Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases have both recently reported promising results with liquid olive leaf extracts.

Commenting on the findings the researchers said: We demonstrated that polyphenols from olive leaf extract significantly inhibited platelet aggregation in vitro, possibly via their H2O2 scavenging properties. This has important benefits for the food industry as the anti-platelet effects in olive leaves may offer a degree of protection from thrombosis and other cardiovascular diseases. Follow-up in vivo studies will be undertaken to validate the results of the current study and to establish the bioavailability of these polyphenols

On a separate note, a recent survey involving nearly 1,000 people who took liquid olive extract revealed that 88 per cent experienced a variety of health benefits, including improved energy, reduced cold and flu symptoms, and relief from sinus congestion. Other benefits reported over the 20-day trial period included improvements in general well being and in joint, skin and muscle health.

What to take for best results

Liquid olive leaf extract is available in a product called MediOlive Olive Leaf Complex. The recommended dosage for MediOlive Olive Leaf Complex is 5ml (one teaspoon) taken two to three times a day. It can be taken straight or diluted with water or juice to taste.

There are no known side effects or contraindications associated with its use. However, because olive leaf extract has a vasodilatory effect (relaxing of the artery walls), those on blood-thinning medications such as Warfarin should consult their doctor before using it as a precautionary measure.

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** The article was first published 17/09/2009 and last updated 16/03/2011 

Sources:

The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, January 2007

Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC), Brunswick Laboratories, USA.

Stevenson, L and Hunter, D, Natural Products Pharmacology Unit, Southern Cross University, July 2005.

Benavente-Garcia, O, Castillo, J, Lorente, J, Ortuno, A, and Del-Rio, JA, Antioxidant activity of phenolics extracted from Olea europaea L. leaves, Food Chemistry, 2000.

Pugliese P. Physiology of the skin II. Allured Publishing Corporation, 2001:109-37.

Australian Centre for Complementary Medicine Education and Research, July 2006.

Indu Singh et al, School of Medical Sciences, RMIT University , Melbourne, The effects of polyphenols in olive leaves on platelet function, 2007.

Olive Leaf Australia, public trial, October 2006.

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Disclaimer: Bear in mind the material contained in this article is provided for information purposes only. We are not addressing anyone’s personal situation. Please consult with your own physician before acting on any recommendations contained herein.

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