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Olive Leaf Extract Dosage
Laboratory testing has shown that Olea europaea leaves contain phytochemicals. These are naturally occurring, plant chemical compounds, that are not considered to be essential to our survival, even though they have reported health benefits. The Food and Drug Administration do not determine a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for non-essential nutrients.
Olive leaf extract is not a drug, nor is it claiming to be a cure. There is no established toxicity level and it appears to be safe for an adult to take a maintenance dose indefinitely. For children, however, this is probably not such a good idea, but it will obviously depend on how sick they are. You will need to consult your health care professional about this.
Unlike prescription antibiotics, Olive leaf extract encourages the development of a healthy immune system; and does not destroy the "good bacteria" along with the "bad". That does not mean, however, that we should neglect common sense in taking it.
THE AMOUNT REQUIRED, FOR EFFECTIVE TREATMENT, DEPENDS ON THESE 7 FACTORS
1. AGE - WHETHER THE PERSON IS A CHILD OR ADULT
The adult dosage will be influenced by the other factors below. In general, children over the age of two years can be safely given up to one half of the adult dose.
Do NOT give olive leaf extract to children under the age of two years, without seeking professional medical advice first.
2. THE NATURE AND SEVERITY OF THE HEALTH
CONDITION BEING TREATED
Basically this depends on how much of your body is affected and how bad you feel. Have you got a small skin infection, like an insect bite, or is your body trying to fight off some super-bug? Have you got a raging chest infection and you're coughing up nasty green stuff, or have you got a small mouth ulcer? I'm sure you get the idea.
If the infected area is a small spot on your skin, and you feel well otherwise, then a topical application of the liquid may be all that's required.
If the infection is making you feel ill or exhausted and weak (such as chronic fatigue syndrome) or if it's an ongoing low-grade inflammation such as arthritis or heart problems, then you will definitely need to ingest the extract. Conditions like bladder and urinary tract infections; and colds and flu, will naturally require the whole body to be treated by swallowing the olive leaf extract in one or more of its forms.
If the health condition is acute and, or severe, it is likely to require a stronger dose than, for example, a mild infection or cold. (see Required Benefit below)
3. THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT BEING USED
Not all Olea europaea cultivars are equal, even when the plants look the same. Only a handful of olive tree varieties have the best leaves for creating a high strength, medicinal quality extract, and you can't tell which ones they are just by looking at them. Laboratory testing, for DNA and for chemical composition, is needed to ascertain which leaves are the most beneficial.
If you want to be sure that you are getting the best olive leaf extract, look for companies that either grow their own researched and tested cultivars, or for products that come from leaves sourced from these quality-controlled companies.
Also, fresh-leaf products are usually of a higher quality than dried-leaf or powdered-leaf products, since the excess processing can damage the healing compounds in the leaves.
Be aware that some companies add powdered dried leaf to their liquids as a cheaper way to increase the concentration of oleuropein (pronounced oh-lee-ah-ro-pin). This means they can advertise their product as extra strength or high potency but it is likely to result in an unbalanced and less effective remedy.
4. THE TYPE OF PRODUCT BEING USED
Olive leaf products vary in potency and recommended dosage.
Tinctures are the most concentrated but may have other herbal products added to them. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but it will affect the amount of olive leaf extract you receive per dose. They may also include alcohol. The drops can be added to food or drink.
The dosage is usually 1-3 drops per day. Check the label
Capsules are more convenient for travelling. They come in similar or higher concentrations as the liquid extract but they will take a little longer to be digested and assimilated into the blood stream.
The capsule will, of course, keep the liquid from contacting your tongue, mouth, throat and oesophagus, so if you have infected gums or a sore throat, for example, the liquid would obviously be better, unless you can't cope with the taste.
Olive leaf capsules contain either liquid extract or powder (this can be powdered dried leaves or freeze-dried extract). Vegetarian capsules are available.
The average maintenance dose is 1 – 4 capsules per day.
Liquid Extracts are the most easily processed by the body and, if the quality is high, the taste is pretty reasonable. If the bitter taste bothers you, the extract dose can be followed up, or blended with juice, or preferably water. (alkaline water is the best) Peppermint and berry-flavoured liquids are available from some companies.
Although the liquid can be taken with food, there is some thought that the benefit is increased by taking it 30 to 60 minutes before a meal or at least an hour after eating. This is because of a possible conflict with some amino acids present in the food.
The usual adult dose is 15mls per day, divided into two 7½ ml doses; or three 5 ml doses. This is a maintenance amount that is supposedly safe to take for years. However, I have seen some naturapathic advice that recommends taking the extract for 5 days out of 7; or for 3 or 4 months out of 5. The reason for having a break from taking the olive leaf extract was not mentioned.
However, if your condition is severe or stubbornly chronic, or if the extract is of a lesser quality, you can increase the dose to between 15 and 45 mls per day. (Some practitioners have reportedly used double this amount as a short-term dose). If in doubt, check with the manufacturers or your health professional.
Whole-Leaf Teas Or Dried, Crushed Leaf Teas. I've only found three suppliers of tea bags. Olivus has both bags and whole-leaf tea; Seagate has olive leaf tea bags with peppermint; and Dr Red has olive leaf and purple carrot sachets.
There are a few more companies that advertise dried leaf tea (whole or crushed) for brewing at home.
Olive leaf tea is a little like green tea and quite pleasant to drink. The recommended daily maintenance dose is 1 – 3 cups, but for a serious illness, more would be required. Brewing time will affect the tea's potency since the healing compounds in olive leaves are water soluble. The longer you brew it, the stronger it will taste. Use hot water, not boiling, to minimize the destruction of heat-sensitive compounds in the leaf.
Olive leaf tea will not be as strong as the fresh-leaf extract but it does provide a pleasant, and gentler alternative.
Go here to buy olive leaf tea
Powder This can come from crushed dried leaf, or freeze-dried extract. Both of these powdered forms have undergone a great deal of processing, so they are likely to be the least beneficial of all the olive leaf products. However, the powder is easy to sprinkle over food or add to drinks (for example, smoothies). Some people even suggest feeding it to pets. (See the end of this article)
5. THE REQUIRED BENEFIT
Some health practitioners have suggested three levels of dosage, depending on the severity of the health condition being treated and whether it is acute or chronic. Many products only list one dosage amount but if there is a range of doses suggested on the product that you purchase then you can work out a low, middle and high dose.
Level 1: (lowest dose) is for general health maintenance for colds and flu or to maintain cardiovascular health.
Level 2: (mid range dose) is for short-term treatment at times of greater stress; when there is an infection; or for chronic (long-term) illness or disease.
Level 3: (Highest dose) is for a short duration, for support of the immune system during an acute severe illness or for stubborn chronic ill-health.
6. ANY ADVERSE REACTIONS
There are no known side effects from taking olive leaf extract but some people may experience what's referred to as the "Herxheimer reaction" or "die off" effect. As harmful microbes in the body are killed, they break down, releasing their contents into the blood stream and surrounding tissues. This can cause a temporary allergic reaction or heightening of your symptoms.
This detoxification process may present as nausea, diarrhoea, achy joints, headaches and other cold or flu-like symptoms. They usually last from somewhere between 4 and 7 days; and they are an indication that the product is working!
This is where you must make your own decision about whether to maintain the same olive leaf extract dosage; or to reduce it for a few days, or stop it for a day or two. It is better to continue if you can, but the severity of your symptoms will determine that for you. It will also help to drink plenty of good quality water, filtered if possible. Alkaline water would be great!
I must stress that YOU are in charge of the way in which you use the olive leaf extract.
BE KIND TO YOURSELF
If you've been sick for a while, or you are weak and frail, it may be better to start slowly, with a smaller than recommended dose. This way any "die-off" effect that you have will be minimised.
If you are at all concerned, please consult your healthcare professional for advice.
Make sure that you drink plenty of water
while you are taking olive leaf extract.
This will help to flush out harmful toxins.
A GLASS OF CLEAN WATER
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7. A WORD OF WARNING AND SOME COMMON SENSE
If you are taking prescription medicine, then you must check with your medical professional, or your doctor, before taking olive leaf extract.
Just because something is "natural" doesn't mean that it will mix well with the drug you are taking. It is possible that olive leaf extract could enhance or reduce the impact of any drug you are on.
For example: if you are on insulin, blood thinners, or drugs to lower your blood pressure, you may find that taking olive leaf extract alters the amount of the prescription drug that you need to take.
If you have any serious condition being monitored by a health professional, even if you are not on any medication, please check with them before using olive leaf extract.
If you are pregnant or breast feeding, do NOT take olive leaf extract in any form, unless your obstetrician or doctor tells you it is safe to do so.
To make sure that you take the best, olive leaf extract dosage for you, follow the guidelines on the product that you purchase, and if you have any questions regarding use, direct them to the product manufacturers, and/or your doctor.
A Note Regarding Olive Leaf Extract And Pets.
Always check with your veterinary surgeon first, but there are many anecdotal records of people using olive leaf powder and liquid extract (that's free of alcohol) to help their domestic pets.
Examples we've seen are with cats, dogs, and horses. We came across one company that sells capsules for cats and dogs.
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