Olive leaf extract contains natural antimicrobials and antioxidants. A 1999 study by the University of Rome assessed the antimicrobial activity of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, two of the most viable ingredients in olive leaf extract. Both of these have showed an ability to fight staphylococcus and salmonella. Olive leaf extract may help battle problems and illnesses affected by overactive immune systems.
Problems With Overactive Immune System
At first glance, an overactive immune system would seem to be a positive development because your immune system attacks potential health problems readily. In reality, the opposite is true. If you have an overactive immune system, your body can attack itself. For example, in the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system is attacking the synovial membrane between joints. In multiple sclerosis, the immune system attacks the myelin sheath.
Olive Leaf Extract
The oleuropein in olive leaf extract may help those suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, according to a 2007 Arizona State University study reported in Nutrition Research. The research involved giving 90 arthritis patients olive leaf extract in the form of “vegetation water” for eight weeks. The patients showed decreases in inflammation and pain, according to the study.