If you are thinking about buying olive leaf extract, you may have seen the recent report about reducing cholesterol and blood pressure naturally. Many people have relied on the leaves for years. They have been used as medicine since pre-biblical times. Modern research has shown that compounds in the leaves have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-biotic, anti-fungal and anti-viral activity.
Dietary supplements are marketed for immuno-stimulation and anti-aging. It may eventually be a primary component of prescription drugs to treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar and hard to treat infections. It may even be effective for treating some cancer tumors.
It sounds like a miracle drug. Yet it is a naturally occurring substance that has been here forever. Why did it take modern scientists so long to discover it?
Until recently, the mainstream medical community in the Western world viewed olive leaf extract and other natural remedies as "folk medicine". They discouraged people from using these kinds of remedies and instead pushed prescription drugs. Most Western doctors still do.
The validity of using herbal remedies has know been established by scientists. But, there are still some problems. It is those problems that worry medical doctors and make them wary of suggesting any kind of over-the-counter dietary supplement.
The potency and purity of herbs and botanicals vary. While reliable manufacturers test each raw ingredient for purity and potency, most do not. None of the big name supplement manufacturers guarantee the quality of their products or that they provide the best value for your money. Most manufacturers don't even use the right form of basic vitamins, much less, a high quality olive leaf extract.
Consumers often find that the cheap supplements they buy do not work as promised. Rather than complaining to the manufacturer, they push them to the back of the shelf and leave them there, until they eventually decide to throw them away. You may as well skip the whole process and throw your money away instead.
It costs as much, if not more, to make high quality herbal or nutritional supplements, as it does to make prescription drugs. Higher price may not always indicate quality, but in the case of dietary supplements, it usually does.
Dosage is something that often confuses people. They believe that a higher dose of olive leaf extract will be more beneficial that a low does. A high dose could actually be dangerous for some people. It is also unnecessary if other ingredients are included to enhance its activity and work along with it. A tablet with an enteric coating insures that the nutrients end up in the bloodstream, rather than being dissolved by stomach acid.
A dose a 50mg per day can provide all of the benefits, without the risk. Be sure that the manufacturer checks for potency and uses standardized extracts. The best supplements on the market provide all of your basic vitamins and minerals, as well as olive leaf extract. With one supplement, you can reduce your risk of nutritional deficiencies and support the function of your immune system. You just need to shop with care.
