Fall is a great time to start building up your immune health with olive leaf complex
Biochemist Arnold Takemoto, talking to the Townsend Newsletter for Doctors and Patients put it this way when discussing the olive leaf: “Olive leaf extract is not a single magic-bullet. There are very few such things, especially in non-pharmaceutical medicine. In many cases it takes a whole lot more than just one ingredient to get over a particular condition. Yet I find it a very valuable addition against chronic fatigue syndrome and many other viral conditions, especially those that are more tenacious. It fills a hole we haven’t been able to fill before”.
Takemoto went on to say that “he has yet to discover another herbal substance that accomplishes antimicrobially what this substance achieves.”So what’s the deal with Bacteria and Viruses?
Bacteria are tiny one-celled organisms that have the power to divide and multiply by themselves. They exist everywhere, in virtually every nook and cranny on the planet. They live in (and on) plants and animals. Some are inside our bodies and some are on our bodies. For the most part they’re pretty harmless, and some of them- like lactobaccilis acidopholus, found in yogurt and also inside our gut- are actually very beneficial. But many are not so friendly.
Bacteria can end up in the wrong place in our body and have the power to cause disease. They cause an infection by entering the body and then finding a nice hospitable place to reproduce in large numbers, preferably before the body’s immune system is able to do a “search and destroy” operation. “As their numbers rise into the billions, these bacteria damage the body by damaging its tissues and producing a variety of microtoxins that inflict even more damage,” explains natuorpath Jack Ritchason, ND.
And there’s no effective way to keep from being exposed- they can be passed on by touching, shaking hands, or hanging out with a person with a cold. Bacteria–(but not viruses)–can be knocked out with antibiotics, but the overuse of antibiotics has a set of problems that’s just now being recognized for the serious health problems it presents.
Viruses on the other hand, are a whole different “animal.” They can’t multiply on their own; instead, they invade a “host” cell and take over the cellular machinery that allows them to reproduce and make more virus particles. The cells of the mucous membranes–like those that line the respiratory passages–are particularly susceptible to virus attacks since they’re not covered by protective skin.
You can instantly see that your best defense against the potential damage of these little buggers is to have a strong, robust immune system that will prevent them from taking root and doing harm in the first place.
Olive leaf extract can be a powerful weapon in the battle between your immune system and invading microbes.
Compounds in the olive leaf have long been used to help fight illnesses brought on by microbes. According to James R. Privitera, MD, the first formal mention of the olive leaf- an account describing its ability to cure severe cases of fever and malaria- occurred in 1854 when the Pharmaceutical Journal carried a report by one Daniel Hanbury. The report contained the following simple healing recipe:
Boil a handful of (olive) leaves in a quart of water down to half its original volume. Then administer the liquid in the amount of a wineglass every 3 or 4 hours until the fever is cured.
According to the author of the report, this method became popular in England for treating sick Englishmen returning from the tropical colonies. The author believed that a bitter substance in the leaves was the healing ingredient.
Oleuropein, anyone?
Yes, the bitter substance in olive leaf extract–since identified as oleuropein–has been found to be particularly helpful in resisting bacterial damage. In fact, early research by the drug company UpJohn found olive leaf extract to be effective in treating infection by a large number of viruses as well as bacteria and parasitic protozoans.
According to Privitera, these are some of the unique properties possessed by the olive leaf compound for the broad killing power:
- Olive leaf extract has an ability to interfere with critical amino acid production essential for viruses.
- Olive leaf extract has an ability to contain viral infection and/or spread by inactivating viruses or by preventing virus shedding, budding or assembly at the cell membrane.
- Olive leaf extract has the ability to directly penetrate infected cells and stop viral replication.
- Olive leaf extract can stimulate a process called phagocytosis, an immune system response in which cells act like little “PacMen,” ingesting harmful microorganisms and foreign matter.
Privitera is not the only health expert who has taken note of the amazing anti-microbal properties of olive leaf extract. Naturopath Jack Ritchason in his excellent book on olive leaf extract writes that compounds of olive leaf extract can “directly penetrate infected cells and inhibit further microbial reproduction.” Ritchason also points out that olive leaf extract may also directly stimulate the formation of immune system cells that combat various types of microbes.
Studies have shown that olive leaf extract is effective in delaying the growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus. However a recent study involving over 500 patients conducted at the ‘R’ Clinic of Budapest in Hungary has found that it was extremely effective in treating a wide variety of infections and illnesses. In an uncontrolled trial by Dr Robert Lyons O.M.D., M.S., Eden extract, which contains extract from olive leaves, resulted in 115 out of 119 patients with respiratory tract infections fully recovering; 60 out of 67 patients with dental infections (pulpitis, leukoplakia, stomatitis); 120 out of 172 patients with viral skin conditions (e.g. herpes); and 30 out of 37 patients with skin infections (e.g. pyoderma and injuries).
The report concluded that the rate of improvement and recovery from all bacterial and viral infections was approximately 98 per cent, and for all patients involved in the study, the body’s immune system was found to be strengthened. No patients experienced any adverse side effects.
Further in vitro studies have found that olive leaf extract is effective against over 50 common disease causing organisms including viruses, bacteria, fungi and protozoa such as herpes, influenza A, Polio 1, 2, and 3; Salmonella typhimurium, Candida krusei and coxsackie A 21.
But not just any old olive leaf extract…
So does olive leaf extract belong on the short list of daily supplements to take for health and protection? You betcha. But as with anything else, the devil is in the details. To get the real benefits of this amazing supplement, you have to be sure that it comes from only the finest olive trees in the world, grown under ideal conditions in a rich soil and chock full of the polyphenols that are so beneficial.
When Barlean’s decided that the research was strong enough to support adding this terrific product to our line, we combed the world to find the very best source of olive leaf extract. And we found it: Australia.
With more than 550,000 trees, Olive Leaf Australia operates the world’s largest specialized olive leaf grove and has what is arguably the most rigorous, medicinal olive leaf testing program on earth. Barlean’s Olive Leaf Complex uses only the finest olive leaf extract imported directly from this wonderful supplier.
Barlean’s Olive Leaf Complex is 100% from fresh leaves; it’s never reconstituted, it has no artifical preservatives and it comes in a fast acting, good tasting liquid.
Each of the extracts has been analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography, the global standard to scientifically identify and measure the healing compounds in herbal medicines. In Australia, where consumers spend approximately a million dollars a month on olive leaf extract, our supplier sells over 16,000 bottles every single month, chiefly to the Australian market but also to Taiwan and Korea where it is used as a medicinal agent and an ingredient in functional foods. The company’s extracts are manufactured under strict GMPs (Good Manufacturing Practices) and are listed on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG).
Barlean’s Olive Leaf Complex comes from trees that have been farmed naturally on virgin land. Our supplier uses vermiculture (worm created) fertilizers and pristine irrigation water and couples early morning harvesting with immediate transfer of freshly harvested trees to the processing plant. From the growing of the trees in Australia to the bottling of Barlean’s Olive Leaf Complex extract at our plant in Washington, we have total control over the entire production. This trademarked process is called EnvirOlea ® and it is your international quality guarantee- you can buy Barlean’s Barlean’s Olive Leaf Complex with the same confidence that you buy all of Barlean’s Organic Oils products, knowing that it is of the highest quality and provides the highest value of any product in its class.
People have been using Australian Olive Leaf extract for years.
Here’s what some of them are saying about Barlean’s Olive Leaf Complex:
“I am delighted with the great improvement in my health and wellbeing. I have much more energy.”—Lorraine Brine
“My energy level is especially greatly improved as is my general well-being.”—Patricia Ellis
“I feel wonderful. I am 68 years old and haven’t felt so healthy in years. Keep up the good work!”—Melva J. Husband
“After about two weeks on the Olive Leaf Extract I felt so much better- it was like winning lotto to be able to lead a normal life once more.”—Joy Sterling
“After taking your Olive Leaf Extract for a few weeks, my breathing is much improved and I’m sleeping very well. I have a way to go, but at 81 I’m very happy with the improvement!”—Herb Zischke
“I have lots of energy and only feel half my age! Bravo the olive leaf!”—Iris Jahnke
“I have been using Olive Leaf Extract now for more than two years and have had great relief from my aches and pains. I tried various other products and was not making progress until discovering Barlean’s Olive Leaf Extract.”—Shirley Jenkins
“You manufacture my favorite health care product of all time! I have had so much good success with it for all sorts of problems!”—Beverly Bloxham
“My general health has improved tremendously… I can definitely recommend your Olive Leaf to anyone who wants to experience improved general health. I feel so much better!”—Prisicilla Diedricks
This quality Australian Olive Leaf Extract has never been available before in the United States. Now it is.
What dosage is best?
Though there is really no “official” recommended dose for taking olive leaf extract, many experts recommend a basic maintenance dose for general use and a “therapeutic” dose for special cases. Generally, the consensus is that one capful one to two times a day taken right before eating is ideal for maintenance.
For conditions such as the common cold, flu, sinus infections and basic respiratory tract infections, the recommended dose is 2 5ml teaspoons every six hours,” says Ritchason. For acute infections such as sore throat, swollen glands or fever, Ritchason recommends three teaspoons every six hours.
Experts agree that taking this wonderful supplement can be a valuable part of anyone’s health regimine. Says Ritchason:
“From all indications—research, case studies and widespread use—olive leaf extract appears to be an extremely safe supplement that can effectively aid the body in improving immune function and fighting infection by various microbes.”
Resources
References
H.S. Tranter, Soula C, Tassou, G.L. Nychas. The effect of the olive phenolic compound oleuropein on growth and enterotoxin B production by Staphococcus aureus. Journal of Applied Bacteriology 1993. 74. 253-259.
Chrvsoula, Tassou, et al. Effect of Phenolic Compounds and Oleuropein on the germination of Bacillus cereus spoes. Biotech-nologv andApplied Biochemistry (1991) 13,231-237.
Lyons R. The use of Eden extract against pathological organisms—viruses, bacteria and fungi. Explore 1996, 4.
Renis HE. In vitro anti viral activity of Calcium elenolate Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy 1969 167-172.
Elliot G, Buthala D, DeYoung F. Preliminary safety studies with calcium elenolate, an anti viral agent. Antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy 1975; 8:173-199.
Ritchason, Jack “Olive Leaf Extract: Potent Antibacterial, Antiviral and Antifungal Agent” (Woodland Health Series, Spectrum Marketing, 2000)
