Are there olive leaf extract benefits for blood pressure?
Olive leaf extract is a natural remedy that has been used for over 7,000 years in folk medicine yet has only recently acquired a clinical appreciation. The medicine works to fortify your immune system and fight off harmful microbial pathogens. Its immunological health benefits make this product a versatile solution for countless conditions, one of which is high blood pressure. In this article, we will review the effects of olive leaf extract for blood pressure and how the product can help reduce one of the most detrimental health risk factors.
Why Does It Matter?
Let’s discuss the basics first and examine why high blood pressure is such a detrimental health risk. High blood pressure is essentially the result of making our blood and heart vessels work less efficiently, which causes small tears in the tissue in your artery walls. Over time, LDL (bad) cholesterol, can begin to form plaque inside your artery walls and may lead to atherosclerosis and other heart diseases. As plaque continues to form inside your arteries, the passageway for blood cells becomes thinner, which heightens your blood pressure even more and can lead to arrhythmia, stroke and heart attack. This can become a harmful cycle that many struggle to break out of.
According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure or Hypertension begins at 130mm Hg, which is the first stage of the disease. Many begin to develop high blood pressure around age 30 and many even as early as childhood due to poor nutrition and lack of exercise. It most commonly develops at age 40 or 50, when hardening of the arteries is normal with age. However, olive leaf extract can help combat high blood pressure so that as you age, its effects are not as detrimental.
Does the Olive Leaf Extract Benefits Include Lowering Blood Pressure?
Studies show that olive leaf extract can help combat the effects of high blood pressure. Olive leaf extract contains a high concentration of oleuropein, which is a bioactive compound and antihypertensive nutrient.
In a 2008 study conducted by Swiss and German scientists, researchers found that olive leaf extract had antihypertensive effects on pre-hypertensive monozygotic twins. One of the twins received a low dosage 500mg pill and the other twin received a high dosage 1,000mg pill of olive leaf extract. After two months, the average blood pressure of the high dosage group decreased significantly. Their systolic blood pressure decreased from 137 mmHg to 126mmHg and their diastolic blood pressure decreased from 80 mmHg to 76 mmHg. Furthermore, the study observed that LDL cholesterol levels also dropped in all of the participants.
Another study conducted in 2012 by the Journal of Medical Food found that, when compared to Captopril, an ACE inhibitor, olive leaf extract pills are just as effective in reducing blood pressure. In fact, they are more advantageous as they also reduce triglyceride levels by 7.8 percent and LDL cholesterol by 2.9 percent, unlike Captopril.
What Is The Right Olive Leaf Extract Dosage For High Blood Pressure?
According to several studies, including the two mentioned above, the recommended dosage of olive leaf extract is 1,000mg per day. You may take this in the form of two 500mg capsules or one 1,000mg capsule, however you prefer. At East Park Research we offer many options for taking olive leaf extract and even offer pills that are designed to address a specific health conditions such as high blood pressure, blood sugar balance, immune health, anti-aging, cold/flu and more.
Is Olive Leaf Extract a Blood Thinner?
It is important that you consult with, your doctor before taking olive leaf extract capsules when you are already taking blood thinners as it can enhance its effects. However, olive leaf extract itself is not a blood thinner.
Can You Take Olive Leaf Extract With Blood Pressure Medication?
Be extremely careful! Since olive leaf extract lowers blood pressure, it is crucial that you check with your doctor before taking olive leaf extract if you are on blood pressure medication. You may need to decrease your dosage or eliminate it altogether, which is good since you are substituting a pharmaceutical for a natural remedy.
Like every other natural remedy, olive leaf extract is not meant to replace a healthy lifestyle. You should still be mindful of your lifestyle choices and make a conscious effort to eat well, exercise regularly and manage stress in order to reduce your blood pressure. There are measures you can take in tandem with natural supplements like D’Lenolate in order to boost your immune system and improve your health substantially. D’Lenolate serves as a booster and not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle.
For more information about olive leaf extract benefits for other conditions check out East Park Research’s Resource Library! Here, you’ll find valuable information on topics related to boosting your immune system and living a healthier life. They’ll be adding to this resource over time, so be sure to check back here for answers to your questions. And feel free to reach out to us if there’s something specific you’d like us to cover.
About Our Guest Blogger Geoff Melcher
Geoff Melcher is the Vice President at East Park Research, in Las Vegas, NV. East Park Research has studied the healing properties of olive leaf resulting in development of a unique olive leaf extract formulation – d-Lenolate.
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The Mind Body Spirit Network is an affiliate partner of East Park Research, and welcomes their dedication and research into olive leaf extract benefits for blood pressure and other health issues like diabetes, HIV, preventing and treating arthritis and more here.
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