Olive Leaf
Olea europaea
Leaves of the olive tree, recognised in Europe as a traditional remedy for mild water retention. In one trial, olive leaf extract lowered blood pressure about as much as a standard medicine.
Safety at a glance
- PregnancyNothing recorded
- BreastfeedingNothing recorded
- MedicinesNothing recorded
- Who should avoid it1 note →
- AllergiesNothing recorded
- ToxicityNothing recorded
Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.
What is Olive Leaf?
- Plant family
- Oleaceae, the olive family
- Parts used
- The dried leaves, as a tea or extract
- Genus
- Olea
- Species
- europaea
Also called
Olive, Oleae Folium
Traditionally used for
- Water retention
- Blood pressure
Traditionally described as
- May increase urination (traditional)
- May lower blood pressure (one trial)
Health topics
Where Olive Leaf appears in symptom search, and why. Being listed doesn't mean it's a proven treatment.
- High Blood Pressure
In an 8-week trial in people with mildly high blood pressure, olive leaf extract lowered it about as much as captopril. Don't replace prescribed medicine without your doctor's advice.
Traditions that use it
- European Folk Medicine
Recognised in Europe as a traditional remedy for mild water retention.
How it's prepared
Common ways Olive Leaf is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.
- Powder
The powdered dried leaves are taken by mouth in tablets or capsules.[1]Health agency
- Tea / Infusion
The dried leaves are made into an herbal tea.[1]Health agency
Safety
Who should avoid it
Don't use olive leaf if you have severe heart or kidney disease and have been told to drink less fluid. It's for adults only.[2]Health agency
How much to use
See a doctor if symptoms last more than 1 week or get worse while you're taking it.[2]Health agency
What does the research say?
Traditional use
These are traditional uses, not proven treatments.
The European Medicines Agency recognises olive leaf as a traditional herbal medicine to help the kidneys remove water in mild water retention, for adults. This is based on long use, not on clinical trials.[2]Health agency
Research in people
In an 8-week trial, people with mildly high blood pressure (stage 1) took olive leaf extract (500 mg twice a day) or captopril, a standard blood pressure medicine. Blood pressure fell by a similar amount in both groups. Triglycerides, a type of blood fat, also fell in the olive leaf group but not in the captopril group.[3]Study
Technical detail: double-blind, randomized, active-controlled; extract EFLA943; systolic −11.5 ± 8.5 vs −13.7 ± 7.6 mmHg and diastolic −4.8 ± 5.5 vs −6.4 ± 5.2 mmHg (olive vs captopril 12.5–25 mg twice daily); difference not significant.
In a 12-week double-blind trial of 60 women after menopause, a daily olive leaf extract improved menopause symptoms and lowered blood triglycerides (a type of blood fat) compared with a placebo. It didn't change body fat or muscle.[4]Study
In short
Don't use it if you have severe heart or kidney disease and have been told to limit fluids.
Sources
- [1] European Union herbal monograph on Olea europaea L., folium — European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC)Government health agency
- [2] Oleae folium (olive leaf): herbal medicinal product summary — European Medicines Agency (EMA), Committee on Herbal Medicinal ProductsGovernment health agency
- [3] Olive (Olea europaea) leaf extract effective in patients with stage-1 hypertension: comparison with Captopril · DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2010.08.016Peer-reviewed study
- [4] Olive Leaf Extract Supplementation Improves Postmenopausal Symptoms: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Parallel Study on Postmenopausal Women · DOI: 10.3390/nu16223879Peer-reviewed study
This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.