Olive Leaf Extract - Patient Reports

Portions of the following were excerpted from a report written by Richard L. Hall
and published by Ameriden International

The accounts appearing here, however, are intended as information only and should not be construed by readers to mean that the supplement will be effective or provide relief in all such cases.

Dr. James R. Privitera, M.D., a physician in Covina, California, began using Olive Leaf Extract early in 1995. He believes that all historical knowledge of the health benefits of the Olive Leaf has only just scratched the surface of its potential. “We continually hear from patients about new and unexpected benefits. Although we do not have long term perspectives as yet, preliminary clinical results are very positive,” he says. 

One of Dr. Privitera’s patients is a 17-year-old professional ice skater who says that one or two capsules a day helps sustain the high energy level she requires for practice and performance.

“In my clinic, as in many others, fatigue is the number one complaint,” says Privitera. “I am not speaking of the serious chronic fatigue situation but just day-in and day-out tiredness, a result, I believe, of average non exercising Americans eating their standard American diet of dead food. The average person, of course, is not going to change eating habits and is not going to go on a regular exercise program. Based on my experience, I suggest that Olive Leaf Extract offers something safe, effective and energizing for the malaise of the masses.”

Dr. Privitera says he is continually surprised by some of the reported benefits from Olive Leaf Extract, such as improved psoriasis, normalization of arrhythmias (heart beat irregularities), and less pain from hemorrhoids, toothaches and chronically achy joints.

One woman with bad allergies reported significant improvement and a level of energy she hadn’t felt for years.

One elderly male with severe arrhythmia reported that his condition had vastly improved in about eight days just from taking Olive Leaf Extract alone. A woman with mild arrhythmia said her condition improved substantially when she took Olive Leaf Extract and then slowly returned to its irregular state after she ran out of the product.

“Given what we know about the protective cardiovascular effects of proanthocyanadins and flavinoids, the phytochemical compounds found in grape seeds, onions, kale, green beans, broccoli and other vegetables, it will be interesting to see what benefits Olive Leaf

Extract and its special array of phytochemicals prove to offer for heart and arterial health,” says Dr. Privitera.

Another dramatic development involved a 15-year-old girl with juvenile diabetes. The teenager had been regularly taking 350 units of insulin daily to control her condition. After one month on the standard recommended dose of Olive Leaf Extract (one capsule every six hours or the equivalent of four a day), she was able to maintain similar control with just 220 units.

Years ago, researchers found that the natural olive leaf compounds from which Olive Leaf Extract is derived could lower blood sugar. Dr. Privitera hopes to study the supplement’s effects on other diabetics to determine whether it might indeed reduce insulin requirements.

Biochemist Arnold Takemoto, who designs patient nutritional programs for physicians in Arizona, has found Olive Leaf Extract to be an effective addition to his arsenal of natural healing. He also says it has helped some patients rapidly rid themselves of stubborn viral infections they have had for years. As an example, he cites the case of a patient who had suffered from shingles (herpes zoster) for nine years. Within two days of starting Olive Leaf Extract and other supplements, the condition cleared up.

Reports from patients dramatically reveal some of the many potential uses of Olive Leaf Extract. The accounts appearing here, however, are intended as information only and should not be construed by readers to mean that the supplement will be effective or provide relief in all such cases.

Chronic Fatigue

“Chronic fatigue patients are often helped by Olive Leaf Extract,” says Dr. Privitera. “It is not a cure-all, but the results are substantive enough so that many individuals want to continue taking the supplement.”

Many chronic fatigue patients suffer from an associated depression. Privitera reports a number of cases where patients went through the “die-off” period and came out highly energized and no longer depressed.

One female patient described to Dr Privitera what she called a “really quite unbelievable” recovery within one month of taking the supplement. “For the last few years, I have not been feeling like myself,” she wrote. “I’ve had little energy and enthusiasm for anything. This is not my usual nature. I attributed it to weight, unemployment and just being down. My head was always somewhat achy and I couldn’t figure out why. The only way I could describe it would be as a constant low degree headache which never left. I started taking Olive Leaf Extract and noticed an immediate elevation of my spirits. What I liked about the product was that it was effective but gentle and didn’t make me hyper or unable to sleep. Quite the contrary, I slept better.

“After a few days, I began to notice more energy and a stronger sense of well-being. The cobwebs in my brain started to diminish. I also noticed a bad shoulder and a bad knee started to get better. The pain associated with these joints remarkably improved. The only side effects I had were a couple of headaches in the beginning which disappeared with some aspirin. (Editor’s note: A possible symptom of detoxification.) I started to feel much, much better. It was amazing to see the fatigue disappear and my general health improve. I couldn’t believe I felt so well. “I stopped taking the product after thirty days and experienced no withdrawal or anything. I simply felt better and that has stayed the same for the last sixty days without the product.”

A female patient diagnosed with Epstein-Barr Virus reported that the supplement “has helped me very much in overcoming the tiredness I feel. It has given me energy.”

Flu and Colds

Olive Leaf Extract may offer a potent tool against the common cold and flu. Consider the following letter written on August 1, 1995, by a female patient with persistent flu symptoms: “I became ill with the flu in February and had several immune boosters, extra vitamins and three antibiotics. My fever was 102-103 every afternoon and this continued even after the antibiotics. I developed paralyzing chest and abdominal pain, being confined to the couch for weeks, not able to hardly walk. My weight dropped to 84 pounds. Medical tests revealed nothing specifically wrong.

“I started taking Olive Leaf Extract on July 18. Within a few days, my temperature started dropping and it is slowly and steadily going down so that some days I haven’t needed to take Tylenol to reduce it. The pain is subsiding gradually and my appetite and strength are returning.” At the time of her next medical examination, on August 15, the patient’s temperature had been normal for a week and she had taken no painkillers for two weeks.

An elementary school teacher with a history of asthma and super-susceptibility to colds and flu believes that Olive Leaf Extract has armor-plated her against the legion of germs that run rampant throughout her classroom. “I used to get sick all the time,” she says. “One school year, I got strep throat eight times. If you sneezed at me, the chances are I would get sick. Not anymore. When many kids in my class were coughing, sneezing and blowing their noses before Christmas, I caught a slight cold and that’s it.”

“The product,” says Dr. Privitera, “may be a true antiviral, inasmuch as it selectively blocks an entire virus-specific system in the infected host. It appears, moreover, to offer us healing effects that are not covered by pharmaceutical antibiotics. We believe that many people who lead stressful lives or who may be particularly susceptible to colds and viruses may benefit from long term use of Olive Leaf Extract as a preventive agent.” Herpes

Dr. Privitera has given Olive Leaf Extract to many herpes patients. One male patient in his early 40’s experienced frequent lesions along with fatigue. In a week his lesions disappeared and his energy increased. He wrote to Dr. Privitera to say that Olive Leaf Extract was the only medicine that ever eliminated his herpes. “Even the most minute blisters are gone,” he wrote.

A female patient had an unusually stubborn herpetic cold sore in the mouth for four months. The woman also suffers from cancer, thus there may be some significant immune exhaustion involved. After one week on Olive Leaf Extract, the sore disappeared.

These type of clinical experiences are consistent with a private 1993 herpes study in humans using an earlier, weaker and ethanol (alcohol-based) form of Olive Leaf Extract. Of the six subjects involved, all reported symptomatic relief. Three said their lesions disappeared in 36 to 48 hours. The remaining three were placed on a stronger dose. One of them said that three days later most of the lesions were gone. The other two individuals were newly infected with the virus and were likely experiencing a much higher level of virus shedding. On the stronger dose, they reported also doing better. All six subjects said this procedure produced better results than Acyclovir, a medication they had previously used.

HIV

In reference to HIV, Positive Health News (m) reports that a man from Oakland, CA, who after taking Olive Leaf Extract 4 times a day for 3-1/2 months, without any other medications, lowered his HIV viral load 47%, his CD4 and CD8 count rose 24% and 27%, his WBC was increased 38% and his absolute Lymphocyte count rose 40%. I’d say Olive Leaf Extract made a difference!

Multiple Symptoms

One woman with chronic fatigue, colds, asthma and vaginal yeast infections had excellent results. Five weeks after starting Olive Leaf Extract, she returned to see Dr. Privitera. She told the physician that all her symptoms had virtually cleared up! The woman, a teacher, was able to take on new projects she couldn’t consider before.

A male patient with multiple symptoms wrote as follows: “I became ill in December 1993 and was diagnosed with a stomach and prostate infection. I was treated with high doses of antibiotics, but never fully recovered. I was troubled with multiple symptoms, some of which were back and neck pain, fatigue, flulike symptoms, swollen glands, sinus and digestive problems. I was subsequently diagnosed with fibromyalgia (chronic fatigue syndrome) and the physicians-recommended  Prozac-type antidepressants and anti-inflammatory drugs. But I refused them.

“I began taking Olive Leaf Extract along with my regular vitamin and mineral supplements in August of 1995 at the rate of one capsule every six hours. I increased the dosage after five days and began feeling better. I tried different dosages for a number of days until I found the optimum amount for me. Today I take three capsules four times a day. My overall health has greatly improved and so has my energy and disposition. “One very interesting thing has occurred. My fingernails were infected by whatever infection I had, leaving them wrinkled-looking. Now they are slowly returning to their normal shape.”

“The product,” says Dr. Privitera, “may be a true antiviral, inasmuch as it selectively blocks an entire virus-specific system in the infected host. It appears, moreover, to offer us healing effects that are not covered by pharmaceutical antibiotics. We believe that many people who lead stressful lives or who may be particularly susceptible to colds and viruses may benefit from long term use of Olive Leaf Extract as a preventive agent.”

Rheumatoid Arthritis

A male patient wrote the following letter: “Five years ago, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. After taking all the medicines I could stand with no real results, I was informed about some nutritional supplements. One of them was Olive Leaf Extract.

After taking it for three weeks, I noticed more flexibility in my fingers, elbows and neck. There was marked relief of muscle tension surrounding joints. Overall, I am enjoying Olive Leaf Extract with my daily routine.”

A number of other patients have reported significant relief of joint pain. It is unclear at this time what healing mechanism is being triggered by the olive leaf compound.

Fungus and Yeast Infections

Improvement of fungal infections has been reported by a number of patients. A woman with an infection of the large toenail reported that within two months after starting Olive Leaf Extract, the condition was about three-quarters healed. She had the infection for more than five years previous and no medication or natural agent had helped. Dr. Privitera himself reported a toenail fungal infection he had cleared up as a result of his using Olive Leaf Extract.

More than 10 million Americans are estimated to have disfiguring fungal nail infections, a widely under-recognized medical problem. It is common among athletes, elderly individuals, people who stand a lot or wear the same shoes every day, who wear artificial fingernails and patients with AIDS, cancer and diabetes. Drugs taken for cancer and AIDS lower resistance and are believed to make people more susceptible to infection.

Recently, a new drug was approved - the first in 35 years - for the condition. The drug is called Sporanox and is said to be more effective than older antifungal medications.

According to an article by Patricia Anstett of the Knight-Ridder Newspapers, two 100 milligram pills are taken daily for about three months at a cost of $900. Older drugs, taken for twelve months or more, cost double or more that amount over the longer duration. Even with the new drug, the condition can return once the medication is discontinued.

Results to date suggest that Olive Leaf Extract offers a natural and much less expensive avenue of self-treatment.

One male patient reported amazing results for a fungus infection of the tongue he had for 30 years. “All kinds of diets, treatments and regimes were tried but to no avail,” he reported. “Within three weeks on EDEN(TM), the fungus disappeared.”

More than a dozen of Privitera’s patients with candidiasis have reported significant improvements with Olive Leaf Extract. They speak of less infections, allergies, fatigue, dullness and more energy One woman said she was able to clean out her garage, whic  was full of dust, and before Olive Leaf Extract, that would have been impossible for her.

Bacterial Infections

The bactericidal effect of Olive Leaf Extract was dramatically evident in the case of a 64- year-old physician bedridden for four years since suffering a major stroke. He also had recurrent bladder infections which would cause considerable pain, smelly urine and fever. All efforts to control the condition had failed, including a $1,000 antibiotic specially prepared for him. The patient experienced constant discomfort. His urine was cloudy and “looked like soup.” Often, it contained blood. After one month on Olive Leaf Extract, the infections had vanished and after six months, the condition has not recurred. He has been taking a standard dose of four capsules daily.

The patient also used to suffer from frequent allergies and colds and took medication frequently to keep these in check. The incidence and severity have been significantly minimized with Olive Leaf Extract and he requires considerably less medicine.

Skin Conditions

After two months with Olive Leaf Extract, a male patient reported “significant” improvement for a chronic scalp infection he had suffered with for more than ten years. “It had flared up causing very painful eruptions and lesions in my scalp which, over time, have killed quite a few hair follicles,” he said. “Modern medical doctors and dermatologists have been unable to eradicate (the condition). I had resolved myself to the fact that there was no cure.

I am satisfied that I am getting some significant results from using Olive Leaf Extract. My scalp remains a little tender, but the eruptions have all but ceased. I am continuing to use the product about twice a day, and the skin color is much healthier than it has been in recent time. “No matter what drug therapy my doctors have prescribed in the past, none has provided me with the level of relief I am currently experiencing. I would gladly recommend this product to others suffering chronic skin ailments.”

A female patient reported better energy and disappearance of a rash in thirty days. The rash occurred in winter, or during times of extreme cold.

Tropical Illnesses

Olive Leaf Extract may have considerable therapeutic potential in the treatment of tropical infections such as malaria and dengue. Malaria is caused by protozoans carried by infected mosquitoes. In 1906, olive leaf extracts were found to be far superior to quinine in the treatment of malarial infections. Quinine was preferred, however, because it was easier to administer. Now in capsule form, the olive leaf may make a strong comeback. Preliminary reports from Latin America are promising. A full blown case of malaria at a clinic in Mexico was reported 100 percent better with a dosage schedule of two Olive Leaf Extract capsules every six hours.

According to the clinic report, the 34-year-old female patient recovered progressively over a six month period. At the end of that time, the report said, “she was without any of the malaria symptoms, not even anemia or shivers. Her breath is good, her state of mind excellent and she does not show any signs of chronic or contagious disease.”

There have been recent reports of cases of malaria in Texas. According to Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports, “malaria continues to be a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly because of the development of drug-resistant strains, and is a continuing concern in the United States because of increased international migration, travel and commerce.

In 1995, large outbreaks of dengue were reported by health authorities in twelve Latin American and Caribbean countries. Research is under way to develop a vaccine but as of yet there is no specific treatment available.

In light of the alarming rise in the number of deaths from infectious diseases in this country, the advent of a natural healing compound such as Olive Leaf Extract may be a timely development for individuals interested in natural, alternative approaches.

According to federal researchers, deaths from infectious diseases, formerly on the decline, rose 58 percent from 1980 to 1992, elevating this category of illness from number five to number three among the killer diseases, behind heart disease and cancer.