HPS Ingredient Spotlight

Ingredient Spotlight: Olive Leaf Extract (oleuropein)

If you have tried different diet’s in the past, you more than likely have heard of the Mediterranean diet. This diet is rich in Mediterranean style foods such as yogurts, olives, certain breads, fish, and lamb. While all diets really come down to a matter of calories in vs. calories out, the Mediterranean diet does have something that most others can’t offer. Due to the higher amount of olive oil, and olives included in the Mediterranean diet, your body will get a nice little boost of Oleuropein. Oleuropein is an amazing compound with tons of benefits that is found mainly in olive oil and the leaves from olive trees. While the biological mechanisms by which this compound works is still being investigated, we have found a whole host of benefits that stem from increased consumption of Oleuropein. Some of which include anti-inflammatory effects, anti-cancer effects, anti-tumor aids, antioxidant activity, blood glucose benefits, and even neuroprotective benefits! While most of those are great, we are going to focus on a few that make it a star ingredient in GlycoShield.

Antioxidant/Anti-Inflammatory Effects:

Oleuropein has an interesting mechanism that creates an anti-inflammatory effect, neuroprotective, and regenerative effect. In a 2017 study that tested various effects related to oleuropein supplementation, one study suggested that it can reduce oxidative damage in the area of the brain that is most affected by neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease (1). Studies also suggest that oleuropein is the ONLY anti-inflammatory component that can be extracted from olive leaves and be effective at a low concentration (2). Why are the anti-inflammatory properties worth mentioning now, and especially in a product like GlycoShield? Well, it is worth mentioning that the “Western Diet” that so many of us are a part of, is filled with processed food, high carbohydrates, sugars, and trans fats, which isn’t always the healthiest of options. Numerous studies have shown that eating in this way can cause inflammation, both at the muscular level as well as within the joints, gut, and even of the organs such as liver and pancreas. Oleuropein’s ability to cut inflammation makes it a key component of GlycoShield by preventing inflammation from occurring due to poor diet. Not all individuals experience inflammation when eating large amounts of carbohydrates, however following the dosing guide on the label, you can ensure that your body is receiving a clinically tested dose of Oleuropein to prevent any inflammation that may occur, especially when consuming that large cheat meal!

Cardiovascular and Blood Pressure Effects:

Quite possibly the most well-known effect of Oleuropein is its ability to treat high blood pressure and create a positive effect on cardiovascular health. This benefit of Olive Leaf Extract has been one of the top researched and studied benefits of Oleuropein in the last 10 years. As we said before, Oleuropein has some amazing antioxidant and neuroprotective properties but it also contains cardioprotective properties as well. Another 2017 study showed that a dosage of 60mg/kg/day of Oleuropein significantly reduced blood pressure over an 8-week period (3). Having such a profound effect on blood pressure, many individuals suggest supplementing oleuropein or oleuropein containing foods into their diet as a treatment of mild-moderate hypertension before seeking out the use of prescription medication. One of the ways that oleuropein was found to aid in blood pressure regulation was through protection of the hypothalamus. It was found that oleuropein protects the hypothalamus from oxidative stress and improves mitochondrial function in a biological pathway. Because the hypothalamus is the part in the brain that controls homeostatic systems (keeping our bodies regulated properly), the introduction of oleuropein can actually benefit those who are already suffering from hypertension, not just those who are at risk for it! With regards to exercise, oleuropein can play a big role in regulating blood pressure during and after our workouts as well. Let’s face it, the heart is a muscle and if we don’t work it out regularly, we run the risk of having cardiovascular problems at some point in our life. For individuals who may not be physically fit, oleuropein provides some stability with regards to blood pressure when partaking in physical activity and can help blood pressure remain regulated during that time. This is why supplementing with a clinically tested dose of oleuropein such as the amount in a serving of GlycoShield can play a bigger role than you think!

Prevention of weight gain:

As if the other properties of oleuropein weren’t enough, even more studies have been conducted on the ability of this compound to prevent weight gain, specifically fat gain from a high fat diet. A 2014 8-week study suggests that olive leaf extract can prevent high-fat diet induced obesity as well as reduction in visceral fat weight gain and increase in plasma lipid levels (4). Olive leaf extract does this by regulating the expression of genes involved in adipogenesis and thermogenesis in the visceral adipose tissue. By regulating those properties, olive leaf extract can regulate both the amount of fat stored and our body temperature. It is important to note here that while this study did not directly impact weight loss, it prevented weight gain when a high fat diet was consumed. This makes oleuropein an especially important ingredient in GlycoShield when looking at its multi-dimensional use. While we have mentioned that GlycoShield is a great product when it is used for recomposition and weight-loss goals, this facet makes it a great tool to prevent excess fat gain when bulking and trying to put on lean muscle mass! We have all been there; trying to put on a few pounds of muscle before slimming down for the summer. After consuming about 2500 calories of chicken and rice, that new pizza place is looking mighty tasty and before you know it, you’ve been eating everything in sight for the last 2 weeks! This is where oleuropein becomes your ally in your body composition goals. While we don’t recommend you cheat every day, with the Shielded Stack, you can if you want to!