What is olive leaf extract?

Olive leaf extract is derived from the leaves of the olive tree, scientifically known as Olea europaea.

How does it work?

Olive leaf extract has numerous health benefits, including its ability to fight infections, reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, and improve heart health. The active ingredient in olive leaf extract is oleuropein, which has powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

What are the active ingredients that are important for its medicinal properties?

The active ingredient in olive leaf extract is oleuropein.

What forms does it come in?

Olive leaf extract is available in various forms, including capsules, tablets, and liquid extracts.

When was it first used for medicinal purposes?

Olive leaf extract has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cultures.

What does Olive Leaf Extract help with?

Olive leaf extract comes from the leaves of the olive tree. People around the Mediterranean have used it for a very long time. Its best known plant compound is called oleuropein.

• High blood pressure
  Good evidence — human studies, the best-studied use in our file; no trial sizes or doses recorded. Human studies found lower top and bottom blood pressure numbers. The drop was largest in people with stage 1 high blood pressure. In these studies, it seemed to relax blood vessel walls and ease blood flow.
  Evidence grade B · Traditional tier T2
• Blood sugar and prediabetes
  Early evidence — early human work only; no trial sizes or doses on file. Early human work found that cells responded better to insulin. That may help the body clear sugar from the blood faster. Our file records no trial size, no dose and no journal.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T2
• High cholesterol
  Early evidence — human use linked to small changes; no trial sizes or doses on file. Regular use has been linked to small drops in total and LDL cholesterol. LDL is the one often called "bad". In lab tests, it also slowed oxygen damage to LDL, an early step in clogged arteries.
  Evidence grade C · Traditional tier T2
• Getting sick often; immune support
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab work on germs, tradition and user reports only. In lab tests, oleuropein slowed the growth of some germs. Lab work also showed immune cells reacting more strongly. Some users report fewer and shorter colds, but no human trial on file tested this.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Colds, flu and other virus illness
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab antiviral work and tradition only. In lab studies, oleuropein slowed some viruses from copying themselves. Tradition uses the leaf at the first sign of illness. No human trial on file has tested it for colds or flu.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Swelling and joint pain
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab work plus user reports; no human trial on file. Lab work found that the extract calmed signs of swelling. Some people with long-term joint pain report less ache and stiffness after several weeks. Our file holds no human trial on this use.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Antioxidant protection and aging
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — lab studies of the compound only. In the body, oleuropein turns into a compound called hydroxytyrosol. In lab tests, that compound acted as a very strong antioxidant. Whether this protects cells in people has not been tested in any study on file.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2
• Metabolic syndrome
  Long traditional use · not yet tested in trials — reasoning from separate findings; no study of the cluster on file. Metabolic syndrome means several risks at once. These include blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Each was looked at on its own, and no study on file tested the whole cluster.
  Evidence grade insufficient · Traditional tier T2

What Olive Leaf Extract has not been shown to do

• No study on file tested it as a treatment for metabolic syndrome as a whole.
• Its antioxidant strength was shown in lab tests, not in people, so anti-aging claims are not backed here.
• Nothing on file suggests it can take the place of blood pressure medicine.

How to read this:

Each use gets its own grade, based on the study behind that use. A means several matching human trials. B means at least one good human trial. C means small or early human work. D means weak or mixed human results. "Insufficient" means no human study at all, just lab work, tradition or user reports. This page lists options and what studies found. It is not medical advice, and it is not a promise of results. Talk with your doctor first, above all if you take medicine for blood pressure or blood sugar.

What can it help prevent?

Olive leaf extract has been proven to help prevent the following conditions and symptoms:

1. Cancer
2. Alzheimer's disease
3. Osteoporosis
4. Ulcers
5. Allergies
6. Asthma
7. Inflammatory bowel disease
8. Depression
9. Autoimmune diseases
10. Chronic fatigue syndrome

Which foods are rich in it?

Olive leaf extract is not found in foods, but olives, olive oil, and other parts of the olive tree contain beneficial compounds that have similar health benefits.

What are possible side effects?

Olive leaf extract is generally well-tolerated, but some people may experience mild side effects, including headache, dizziness, stomach upset, and diarrhea.

What’s the recommended daily dose?

The recommended daily dose of olive leaf extract for adults is 500 to 1000 mg per day.

How many days does it take to work?

The time it takes for olive leaf extract to work varies depending on the individual and the condition being treated.

What time of day is best to take it?

There is no specific time of day that is best to take olive leaf extract.

Is it best to take it with or without food?

Olive leaf extract can be taken with or without food.