The Broad Immune Support Actions of Olive Leaf Extract

Olive leaf extract has gained wide attention for its broad immune support characteristics.  It has demonstrated the ability to help with various bacteria¹, Candida albicans², and viral infection. 

Olive leaf extract is highly supportive of promoting digestive balance, not only by helping to keep Candida in a friendly balance, but by also helping to keep H. Pylori in a friendly balance.  Test tube studies show it can even help combat the MRSA superbug³ (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).

There are currently no studies done with olive leaf extract and the flu or the H1N1 swine flu.  However, one study shows that olive leaf extract⁴ can interact with a virus and inhibit its transmission between cells.  A detailed gene analysis study with HIV infection⁵ and olive leaf extract showed that olive leaf extract helped reverse many of the gene signals HIV was using to infect and spread.  The results showed that olive leaf extract inhibited acute infection and cell-to-cell transmission.  Another advanced gene study proved that olive leaf extract binds directly to the HIV virus⁶.

The active immune support component of olive leaf extract is called oleuropein, which also exists in other plants.  Oleuropein has demonstrated significant anti-viral activity⁷.  A study published last month shows that oleuropein inhibited hepatitis B viral replication⁸.  Oleuropein has been shown to enhance antioxidant status⁹ and reduce inflammation during an experimental infection challenge, significantly improving the host response to infection.

Olive leaf extract and its active component, oleuropein, are yet another example of a natural substance that demonstrates broad immune support for a wide range of potential infection problems while at the same time demonstrating that it is helpful and protective to antioxidant and anti-inflammatory systems that are so important to mounting a proper immune response.