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science nutrition <strong>blog</strong>

The Mediterranean diet is heralded for its health benefits supporting anti-aging properties, cardiovascular health, and longevity. A key component of the Mediterranean diet is the humble olive, first cultivated in the region almost 7,000 years ago!

While the olive fruit itself is prized for its pronounced flavor and health benefits, the leaf of the olive tree is less well known, but has been used as an all-natural herbal medicine for thousands of years. Modern research has extensively studied the leaf to see exactly what gives it these healing powers, and you’ll be surprised to see not only does it enhance your health and vitality, but also improves fat loss.

Now, it’s time to dive on in and see what these leaves are packing!

What is Olive Leaf Extract?

As you can guess, Olive leaf extract comes directly from the leaves of olive trees. It’s very different from the olive fruit and its oils. The leaf extract is rich in a number of phenolic compounds, oleuropein in particular, which has been shown to improve cholesterol levels, skin health, and glucose metabolism.

Benefits of Olive Leaf

Researchers attribute the vast majority of olive leaf extract benefits to oleuropein -- one of the most bioactive phenolic compounds present in olive leaves. Several human and animal studies have documented a wide range of benefits including:

  • Lowers Blood Pressure

Numerous studies have shown that oleuropein may reduce or prevent high blood pressure by a number of different methods. Researchers believe olive leaf extract may have a vasodilating (widening or relaxing) effect on blood vessels, as well as potentially preventing the deposition of cholesterol in arteries.

Another interesting study demonstrated that adults given oleuropein reduced the “stickiness” quality of platelets, components of blood that can accumulate with cholesterol in your arteries to form plaque -- leading to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and eventually strokes and heart attack.

  • Regulates Blood Sugar

Oleuropein may also be a powerful weapon in the war against escalating rates of Type 2 Diabetes. One study in particular has shown that oleuropein reduced blood sugar levels in animals diagnosed with the diseased. Researchers attribute this to oleuropein essentially “forcing” the body to use more glucose, rather than store it, which stimulates insulin release.

  • Germ-Fighting Properties

It turns out the humble olive leaf can also ward off infections from certain bacteria and fungus. Clinical research has shown oleuropein demonstrates anti-infective properties including slowing the development of skin fungi and destroying certain types of bacteria.

  • Fat Loss

Here’s the most intriguing benefit of oleuropein -- accelerating fat loss!

Prolonged periods of dieting can result in decreased thyroid function, which subsequently slows your metabolism and stunts your ability to lose weight. However, oleuropein is incredibly thyrogenic, meaning it boosts thyroid function. One study in particular showed that it raised thyroid hormone T3 2.5x above baseline!

Another piece of research noted that oleuropein increased noradrenaline and adrenaline levels, as well as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) concentrations in brown adipose tissue (BAT), leading to greater thermogenesis, i.e. fat burning!

Olive leaf extract reduces the amount and concentration of fat around the abdominal area and it may also help in reducing harmful fat deposits in other areas of the body too. This is one of the primary reasons Olive Leaf extract is in AML Thermo Heat.

Takeaway

Researchers have known for a long time that olives and olive oil can contribute to a healthy body, but now the scientific community is starting to realize just how mighty the humble olive leaf can truly be. The compounds found within olive leaves can improve cardiovascular health, help the fight against diabetes, and most importantly, ramp up fat loss.

For this exact reason, AML has included Olive Leaf Extract (standardized to 15% Oleuropein) in Thermo Heat. Each serving of Thermo Heat provides valuable fat-fighting ingredients specifically chosen for their ability to burn fat fast without sacrificing lean muscle.

Feel healthy, leaner, and more muscular with Thermo Heat and experience the power of Olive Leaf for yourself!

References:

1. Singh I, Mok M, Christensen A-M, Turner AH, Hawley JA. The effects of polyphenols in olive leaves on platelet function. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2008;18(2):127-132. doi:10.1016/j.numecd.2006.09.001. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17346951
2. Sedef N El, Sibel Karakaya; Olive tree (Olea europaea) leaves: potential beneficial effects on human health. Nutr Rev 2009; 67 (11): 632-638. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00248.x https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19906250
3. Liu Y, McKeever LC, Malik NSA. Assessment of the Antimicrobial Activity of Olive Leaf Extract Against Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2017;8:113. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2017.00113. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5288333/
4. Poudyal H, Campbell F, Brown L. Olive leaf extract attenuates cardiac, hepatic, and metabolic changes in high carbohydrate-, high fat-fed rats. J Nutr. 2010;140(5):946-953. doi:10.3945/jn.109.117812. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/140/5/946.long
5. Al-Qarawi, A. A., Al-Damegh, M. A. and ElMougy, S. A. (2002), Effect of freeze dried extract of Olea europaea on the pituitary–thyroid axis in rats. Phytother. Res., 16: 286–287. doi:10.1002/ptr.855. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12164280