Vitamin Trader - Healthy Discounts on Quality Vitamins

By James R. Privitera, M.D. Following a Clinical Fellowship in allergy, immunology and rheumatolgy at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, Dr. Privitera entered private practice in allergy and nutrition.

Among the many phytochemicals that have interested me, as a clinician, is oleuropein (pronounced ohlee- or-oh-pin), a substance found in the olive leaf. I, as well as other health practitioners, have found that a natural supplement of olive leaf extract contains substantial medicinal benefits: boosting the energy among patients and aiding in the treatment of herpes and other viral conditions, flu and colds, fungal infections, chronic fatigue and allergies.

Research and interest in olive leaf extracts has revealed that:

• In a series of experiments, oleuropein was found to inactivate bacteria by apparently dissolving the outer lining of microbes.

• At the University of Milan Pharmacological Sciences, researchers found that oleuropein inhibited oxidation of low-density lipoproteins, the so-called "bad cholesterol" involved in heart and arterial disease. Studies have shown that some phytochemicals can reduce the harmful oxidation of cholesterol as well as slow down the accelerated clumping of blood platelets that can lead to dangerous clots.

• At Spain's University of Granada, pharmacologists determined that olive leaf extract causes relaxation of arterial walls in laboratory animals. Such results suggest a possible benefit for hypertension, an effect first mentioned by researchers more than 30 years ago.

• In Tunis, researchers found that an aqueous extract of olive leaves reduced hypertension, blood sugar, and the level of uric acid in rodents.

Olive Leaf Firepower

Researchers credit a number of unique properties possessed by the olive leaf compound for its broad killing power:

• An ability to interfere with critical amino acid production essential for viruses.

• An ability to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating viruses or by preventing virus shedding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane.

• The ability to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.

• In the case of retroviruses, it is able to neutralize the production of reverse transcriptase and protease. These enzymes are essential for a retrovirus, such as HIV, to alter the RNA of a healthy cell.

• It can stimulate phagocytosis, an immune system response in which cells ingest harmful microorganisms and foreign matter.

Potential Against Infectious Diseases

With the emergence, for instance, of antibioticresistant bacterial strains, natural products such as olive leaf extract take on greater importance. Even if new antibiotics are developed, new infectious bacteria would emerge that are resistant to new drugs. In the case of herbal medicinals, their complex chemistry may often render them potentially more effective against a wide variety of microorganisms for which pharmaceutical drugs prove to be ineffective.

Clinical Perspective

From research and clinical experience to date, we can say that supplemental olive leaf extract may be beneficial in the treatment for conditions caused by, or associated with, a virus, retrovirus, bacterium, or protozoan. In our clinic, we use olive leaf extract for a variety of infectious and chronic conditions.

We are perhaps just scratching the surface in our understanding of phytochemical benefits. Patients have told me about improved psoriasis, normalization of arrhythmias (heart beat irregularities), and less pain from hemorrhoids, toothaches and chronically achy joints.

Currently, we are learning much about the cardiovascular benefits of the phytochemical compounds found in grape seeds, onions, kale, green beans, broccoli, and other vegetables. It will be interesting to see what benefits the particular phytochemicals in olive leaf extract produce for heart and arterial health.

For some very sick individuals, including people with chronic fatigue syndrome or particularly heavy loads of virus or bacteria in their bodies, olive leaf extract may possibly generate detoxification symptoms. This "die-off effect" -- or Herxheimer Reaction as it is medically called, refers to symptoms generated by a detoxification process. If you are sick and use this product, you should be aware of the possibility. For this reason it may be advisable to consult first with a holistic health practitioner before using it.

As of now, no clinical trials have been conducted on the possible side effects of olive leaf extract on children and pregnant women. Hence, on a safety note, children, pregnant women and lactating mothers should not take this extract without medical supervision. It is also not recommended for those who have low blood pressure and low blood glucose. Scientific evidences are lacking regarding the interaction of olive leaf extract with other pharmaceutical medications.