Last week,we discussed intermittent fasting as a tool for managing blood sugar and weight. Continuing on with blood sugar balance tools, this week, I would like to share some compelling research about a relatively new twist for a popular herb.
Olive leaf extract is well-known for its anti microbial, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and immune system supporting qualities.
Oleuropein is considered to be the active ingredient in olive leaf extract. It is a polyphenol that has been shown to:
- help lower bad cholesterol and blood pressure
- prevent cancer
- protect against oxidative damage
- help guard against cognitive decline
- provides the distinctive flavor found in extra virgin olive oils
- More recently, scientists have shown olive leaf extract to play a role in blood glucose metabolism.
And that's just the beginning of the health benefits of olive leaf extract.
Human studies also show that supplementing with 500 mg of olive leaf extract once daily resulted in significant reductions in hemoglobin A1c levels, a predictable indicator of the average blood glucose over the previous 3-4 months.
Supplementation with Olive Leaf Extract also lowered fasting plasma insulin.
In fact, studies have shown that this herb outperforms Metformin, a common medication for insulin resistance
The mechanism by which olive leaf extract keeps glucose levels down is threefold and works by:
slowing the digestion of starches into simple sugars,
slowing the absorption of sugars in the small intestine,
and increasing the uptake of sugar across insulin receptors.
Olive leaf extract also protects tissues from the oxidative stress and damage from glycation , which occurs when glucose binds to proteins.
Finally, olive leaf extract has been shown to increase levels of other natural antioxidant systems in the body.
Check out the resources list below to further your own study about this amazing medicinal herb.
Resources:
- Wainstein J, Ganz T, Boaz M, et al. Olive leaf extract as a hypoglycemic agent in both human diabetic subjects and in rats. J Med Food. 2012 Jul;15(7):605-10.
- Gonzalez M, Zarzuelo A, Gamez MJ, Utrilla MP, Jimenez J, Osuna I. Hypoglycemic activity of olive leaf. Planta Med. 1992 Dec;58(6):513-5.
- Al-Azzawie HF, Alhamdani MS. Hypoglycemic and antioxidant effect of oleuropein in alloxan-diabetic rabbits. Life Sci. 2006 Feb 16;78(12):1371-7.
- Jemai H, El Feki A, Sayadi S. Antidiabetic and antioxidant effects of hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein from olive leaves in alloxan-diabetic rats. J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Oct 14;57(19):8798-804.
- Eidi A, Eidi M, Darzi R. Antidiabetic effect of Olea europaea L. in normal and diabetic rats. Phytother Res. 2009 Mar;23(3):347-50.
- Simon D, Balkau B. Diabetes mellitus, hyperglycaemia and cancer. Diabetes Metab. 2010 Jun;36(3):182-91.
Olive leaf is just one of the herbs and nutrients that improve insulin resistance. We’ll study them in my newly revised Insulin Resistance Solution Practitioner Training.
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With love and appreciation,
Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo
I have recently decedid to eat lots of seafood now I am in Canada and can’t access grass fed beef as easily as when I was in New Zealand. In NZ grass fed beef is all you can buy. Anyway now I am eating seafood all the time I decedid I don’t need fish omega oils because I should be getting it in my food. I also secretly hope that there is some known/unknown benefit in getting it out of eating fish rather than taking oil tablets.