Dietary supplement of olive leaf extract tested against cholesterol

Olive Leaf Extract is a natural formula in vegetarian capsules produced from olive leaves, designed to control lipidemia. It is supported by three clinical studies which have confirmed its ability to lower LDL-cholesterol and triglyceride levels, increase HDL-cholesterol and fight lipid peroxidation, now available to buy at Supersmart.

What compounds are in Olive Leaf Extract?

The beneficial effects of the olive tree are attributed to its exceptionally high content in phenolic compounds, molecules known for their antioxidant potency. In the olive tree, these compounds play a part in defending the tree from insects, infection, multiple microbial attacks and UV radiation (1-2), but they are also biologically active when ingested by humans. They are known to reduce the risk of a number of diseases by combatting free radicals and improving enzymatic balance.

Oleuropein is the most abundant phenolic compound in the olive tree (3) (accounting for around 25% of the extract). It is oleuropein that gives extra virgin olive oil its characteristic bitterness, but there are many other such compounds found in Olive Leaf Extract: apigenin, caffeic acid, catechins, coumaric acid, diosmetin, ferulic acid, gallic acid, hesperidin, hydroxytyrosol, luteolin, oleoside, quercetin, rutin, tyrosol, vanillin, verbascoside…

As the oleuropein in olive leaves has been scientifically shown to be responsible for the plant’s benefits, Olive Leaf Extract is formulated to contain an optimum amount of this compound.

What are the mechanisms of action of Olive Leaf Extract?

Olive leaves have been used in phytotherapy since antiquity apparently for their antilipidemic, antiseptic and antiviral properties.

Scientific research has since confirmed these applications and identified new properties: antimicrobial (4-5), antiviral (6), antifungal (7), gastro-protective (8), blood glucose-lowering (9), blood pressure-lowering (10), antioxidant (11-12), antiatherogenic (13), hypolipidemic (14), anti-inflammatory (15), neuro-protective (16), vasodilatory (17) and anti-ageing (18).

There are three precise mechanisms of action which are responsible for the majority of Olive Leaf Extract’s effects on the cardiovascular system:

1) Cholesterol-lowering action

The olive tree’s polyphenols, particularly oleuropein, act on cholesterol excretion (19). They promote the elimination of excess cholesterol via the bile ducts, duodenum and finally faeces.

2) Antioxidant action

The antioxidant potential of oleuropein is exceptional. When elderly institutionalised individuals followed a diet enriched with an extract of oleuropein and its derivatives for six weeks, their antioxidant capacity was shown to improve (20). It is a natural solution to combatting oxidative stress and inhibiting LDL oxidation (21).

3) Action on sugar absorption

By binding to sucrase and maltase, two digestive enzymes, oleuropein limits sugar absorption and thus reduces spikes in blood glucose. It also does this by slowing down the activity of the sugar transporter, GLUT2.

Five good reasons to choose Olive Leaf Extract to maintain healthy blood vessels

1) The antioxidant content of olives depends to a large extent on variety, maturity and preservation. Therefore, if you live a long way away from the Mediterranean region where they’re grown, you can’t really rely on eating olives all year round to boost your cardiovascular health. With its exceptional and stable content in olive tree polyphenols, Olive Leaf Extract provides a solution to this problem, offering populations the world over the opportunity to fully benefit from the advantages of a Mediterranean diet.

2) Eating a Mediterranean diet is associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality (25). Scientific studies have in large part attributed these protective effects to the role played by the olive tree (26).

3) The bioavailability of oleuropein in humans is very high – between 55% and 60% (27). Maximal plasma concentration occurs two hours after oral administration. Studies have also shown that oleuropein crosses the blood-brain barrier easily.

4) The Mediterranean diet was recognized by UNESCO in 2010 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

5) Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality across the world, claiming more than 17 million lives each year.