Olive Leaf to Treat Hypertension?

Membership NO : 1 Posts : 1672 Join date : 2011-03-27

Olive Leaf to Treat Hypertension?

The
drinking of olive leaf tea has been a way for many centuries by Middle
Eastern cultures to treat disorders such as coughs, sore throat,
cystitis, fever and gout.

The effect that olive leaf extract has
on the body has been researched and looked at for some time, and has
become a much talked about ingredient used in the treatment of fevers
and infections.

Although olive leaf extract is classed as an
alternative herbal remedy, it can be helpful in the treatment of the
common cold, flu, cold sores (herpes), ear infections, eye infections,
nose and throat infections, impetigo, pink eye, parasites, and a host of
bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

Many major health claims
are being made about olive leaf extract, but since they involve
unverified clinical trials we prefer not to list the claimed pathogens
that it is said to destroy.

The main constituent of olive leaf is
the phytochemical oleuropein, which has broken down to elenolic acid,
which have a powerful anti-bacterial effect, and has the ability to
interfere with critical amino acid production essential for viruses.

Oleuropein
is a bitter monoterpene glycoside of the class known as secoiridoids
and is also one of the major components found in the polyphenolic
portion of olive oil

Other ingredients include esters, multiple iridoids, rutin, apigenin, luteolin etc.

Animal
studies have proven the effectiveness of olive leaf extract to lower
blood pressure, but this needs to be verified by human studies.

It
further seems helpful in containing viral infections and the spreading
of these viruses by inactivating them, and the ability to directly
penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.

In the case
of retroviruses, it seems to be able to neutralize the production of
reverse transcriptase and protease and also seems to be helpful in
stimulating phagocytosis, which is an immune system response in which
cells ingest harmful microorganisms and foreign matter.

Some
research suggests that olive leaf extract may be a "true anti-viral"
compound, as it appears to selectively block an entire virus-specific
system.

Because of the above, it may be useful when looking to
fight influenza, the common cold, Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and other
viral infections.

Olive leaf extract also seems to be indicated
as useful in boosting the energy levels, assisting with chronic fatigue
as well as helping with allergies.

Olive leaf extract has been
reported by leading clinicians to offer significant benefit when
included as part of an immune system enhancement program designed to
combat microorganisms - such as our BodyGuard immune boost supplement.

Contra-indications
Olive
Leaf Extract is non-toxic, but when killing too many pathogens too
quickly (detoxifying), a "die off" or Herxheimer's reaction may occur -
which is experienced as flu-like symptoms or allergic attacks. This
however only happens with high dosage and normally passes quickly.

Olive leaf extract may inactivate antibiotics and should not be taken while taking antibiotics

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Olive Leaf to Treat Hypertension?

Membership NO : 1 Posts : 1672 Join date : 2011-03-27

Study Shows Olive Leaf Extract Is Effective in Lowering Blood Pressure

Olive Leaf to Treat Hypertension? Photo276820081227

People have been using olive leaf medicinally for millennia.

The
ancient Egyptians revered the leaves. Ancient Greeks used them to clean
wounds, and the original Olympic athletes were crowned with a wreath of
olive leaves. The olive leaf is even mentioned in the The Holy Quran
for its purported healing properties.

So it's no wonder that
scientists today are looking at ways to use olive leaf, specifically for
one of modern society's biggest and sneakiest health problems -- high
blood pressure.

High blood pressure (hypertension) often develops
quietly and without symptoms. Ways to curb it include lifestyle and
diet changes -- cutting salt and fat and getting the body moving.

An earlier study showed that when rats were given olive leaf extract, their blood pressure dropped.

Now
researchers in Germany and Switzerland have looked at how sets of
identical human twins with borderline hypertension responded to taking
olive leaf extract. Identical twins were used to help keep the data
consistent, because genetic differences can make people respond
differently to the same treatments.

The extract was obtained from dry olive leaves and put into capsule form.

Two
experiments were carried out. One compared twins who took 500
milligrams of olive leaf extract a day at breakfast with a comparison
group of their siblings who didn't. A second compared a group who took
500 milligrams a day to those who took 1,000 milligrams a day. A total
of 40 people participated, aged 18 to 60; 28 women and 12 men.

Here are the results:

Those
who took the highest daily dosage of olive leaf extract (1,000
milligrams) received the highest benefits -- "significantly" lowering
their cholesterol and blood pressure when compared to the group that
took 500 milligrams.

At the end of the eight-week study, the
group that took 1,000 milligrams per day had dropped their systolic
blood pressure (the "top" number) by an average of 11 points.

The
participants who received 500 milligrams of olive leaf extract dropped
their systolic blood pressure by five points, and those who took no
supplements saw their blood pressure edge up by two points. Neither one
of these changes was felt to be statistically significant.

Researchers,
led by lead author Tania Perrinjaquet-Moccetti of Frutarom (a Swiss
manufacturer of the olive leaf extract), note that they were not looking
for what dosage might be most effective, but rather whether there was a
blood pressure lowering effect at all.

The authors also note a
"significant" reduction in LDL ("bad") cholesterol in those twins who
took the olive leaf extract, but the specific data regarding these
results was not presented in the paper.

The authors call for more
investigation into the possible benefits of olive leaf extract on both
blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Results are published in the September issue of Phytotherapy Research. The research was funded by Frutarom