Olive Leaf Extract

Nature’s Antibiotic
By Peter O’Hara BA (Hons) Dip Hom

Olive Leaf Extract is rapidly being recognized as a natural alternative to antibiotics. It is also extremely
beneficial for people with viral and fungal infections. It is a non-toxic way to strengthen the immune system.
Recently scientific research has shown that the active ingredient in olive leaf extract, oleuropein, has powerful
healing properties and can fight bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that cause infection and disease.

Olive leaf extract has been used as a natural antibiotic for thousands of years, but after the active components
were isolated in 1969, an upsurge of research has resulted in dramatic discoveries. Research at the Upjohn
Company, published by the American Society for Microbiology, found that the active components, elenol acid
and calcium elenolate, inhibited the growth of every virus, bacteria, fungi and protozoa they were tested against
(they tested over 30 microorganisms). Dr Renis proved that oleuropein could kill the herpes virus. In 1992
French biologists found that all of the herpes viruses were inhibited or killed by extract from olive leaf. They
included 28 references to the anti-viral action of oleuropein in their report.

The anti-viral activity of olive leaf extract is due to the action of oleuropein on the protein coat of the virus. It is
thought to inactivate bacteria by dissolving the outer lining of the microbe. Research conducted in Hungary has
demonstrated such positive results against a range of infections that olive leaf extract has become an official
anti-infectious disease remedy. Olive leaf extract acts to prevent the onset of colds, flu, and a range of viruses;
yeast, fungal and mould problems; bacterial infections; parasites.

Olive leaf extract’s anti-viral activity has resulted in it gaining attention from practitioners working with people
suffering from chronic fatigue. Dr Martin, head of molecular immunopathology at the University of Southern
California Medical Center has discovered unusual retroviruses in a high percentage of patients with chronic
fatigue. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is associated with immune dysfunction which allows infection with a
variety of opportunistic micro-organisms. Research into the efficacy of using olive leaf extract for Chronic
Fatigue Syndrome patients is continuing and hopeful as recognition of olive leaf extract’s anti-microbial action
continues to grow.

As an increasing number of positive results using olive leaf extract are reported, excitement is growing about its
application in many infectious conditions and with people with compromised immune systems. Research
indicates the use of olive leaf extract could be useful in conditions such as chronic or recurrent viral or bacterial
infections (eg. Colds, flus, sore throat, etc); candida, tinea, and other yeast and fungal problems; and parasitic
infestation. It can be helpful in conditions of gut dysbiosis (leaky gut).

Interest in the use of olive leaf extract for people with compromised immune systems is also high. It has been
shown to reduce cholesterol and inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, lowers blood pressure in hypertensive
patients, benefit the heart and arteries due to its high antioxidant qualities, and build the immune system by
stimulating phagocyte production.

In animal studies scientist have discovered that no toxic or other adverse side effects appeared, even in doses
several hundred times higher than recommended. Olive leaf extract is a natural, non-toxic immune system
builder. It is a safe, highly effective food supplement with potent and proven anti-microbial action.

Antibiotic Resistance Seen As Risk In Food Supply

The increased use of antibiotics in food animals is boosting the risk that dangerous "superbugs" resistant to drug
treatment could be passed along to humans, scientists suspect. "It's not just a single pig or a single cow. It's a
whole food commodity issue," Michael Osterholm, CEO of the Infection Control Advisory Network, told a
news conference at a scientific meeting in San Francisco. "Red meat, white meat, produce -- any commodity
stream can play a role."

Scientists both in Europe and the United States have raised questions over the treatment of food animals with
antibiotics, which farmers use widely both to fight animal illness and as part of animal feed to promote growth.
Here in Australia, more than half of all anti-biotics consumed are used in livestock feed and can be bought for
this over the counter.

The European Union banned four antibiotics used in animal feed last December, hitting multinational drug
companies Rhone Poulec, Pfizer, Eli Lilly's Elanco Animal Health and Alpharma - potentially costing them
hundreds of millions of dollars in lost sales.

In the United States, authorities have moved more slowly, with the Food and Drug Administration monitoring
the veterinary use of antimicrobial drugs with an eye toward regulating those drugs seen most likely to create
resistant bacteria which could lead to human illness.
A draft report in Australia which has not yet been made public, says drug resistant bacteria have been found in
fish and crustaceans. The report also recommends that the use of antibiotics to promote growth be reviewed and
phased out if it does not meet strict criteria.

A Medical Journal of Australia report said there was evidence that the use of Avoparcin in animals had fuelled
resistance to a similar human antibiotic, vancomycin, which was a last line of defence in serious infections.
And bacteria which shrugs off vancomycin has been found in some U.S. chicken feed, and research on pigs,
cows and chickens has revealed signs that drug-resistant strains of salmonella, campylobacter and other bacteria
are also spreading through animal populations.

In a series of reports at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) ,
scientists presented new findings indicating that the problem is growing more complex as governments try to
assess how much of a threat dinner may really pose to public health.

In a study at the University of Antwerp, researchers found that samples of chickens, pigs and turkeys turned up
"alarmingly high" anti-microbial resistance rates among strains of campylobacter bacteria, which are a major
cause of human gastroenteritis and diarrhoea.

"There is growing scientific evidence that the use of antibiotics in food animals leads to the development of
resistant pathogenic bacteria that can reach humans through the food chain," the study's authors concluded.

Another study at the University de la Rioja in Spain found a relatively high rate of antibiotic resistance in E.coli
bacteria strains obtained from broiler chickens compared with those found in humans or their pets -- a difference
the researchers said could be associated with the more widespread use of antibiotics in farm chickens.

This year, U.S. researchers in Minnesota reported a rise in human gastrointestinal illness caused by antibiotic-
resistant campylobacter bacteria which they tied directly to the increase in quinolone-type antibiotics given to
chickens.

Food scientists say the 10 worst food poisoning bugs today are mutant strains that were not around 20 years ago.
The Aust-N.Z. Food Authority estimates 11,500 Australians suffer from some form of food poisoning each day –
and some of these ‘superbugs’ could cause serious illness and even death.