So, you've heard about olive leaf extract and the benefits to be gained from taking it, and you think that it sounds like it might do you a great deal of good…but you have a few questions before giving it a go.
What's the best way to take it? What's the recommended dosage? How much? How often? And, what's it going to cost you?
Well there are a couple of elements to keep in mind - in fact, there are six of them - that will help you decide on the best dose for you, or whoever you plan to give it to.
#1 Are you human or animal? Just kidding…although olive leaf extract can be given to pets. (There will soon be more information about this on my website)
#1 Child Or Adult This is fairly basic. All of the olive leaf products that I've seen, including the sprays, recommend giving half the adult dose to children. You will need to consult your healthcare professional before giving any of the extract to children under 2 years.
#2 What Product Do You Want To Use - Capsules, Liquids, Powder, Tea Or Sprays? The type of product that you choose will depend on what you want to use it for, and what is most convenient for you and your budget. Some products are developed for specific problems, like the sinus, throat and vaginal sprays. The others are all ingested, so they will affect the whole body.
Different olive leaf products vary in: ease of consumption, strength, and time it takes for them to enter the blood stream. Your choice of product will, in part, determine the olive leaf extract dosage, so always follow the guidelines on the packaging.
But to give you a rough idea:
Nasal spray: 1 to 3 sprays in each nostril, every 2 to 4 hours
Throat spray:: 2 to 3 sprays, 1 to 4 times a day, or more for some brands.
Liquid extract: 1 to 3 times a day with a total adult dose of 15ml (1/2 fluid ounce) per day.
Capsules: dose varies enormously from 1 per day to 8 or more.
Tea: 1 to 5 cups a day, with varied brewing times to affect the strength and taste.
Tinctures: 1 to 3 drops a day.
Powder: 1 to 2 tablespoons per day, mixed with food or drink.
#3 The Quality Of The Product That You Want To Use? Individual brands and different olive leaf products vary in the amount of active ingredients that they contain. Many of them will list a percentage of oleuropein, which is considered to be the main healing ingredient in olive leaves, although it's only one of many. A higher amount of this phytochemical does not necessarily mean that a product is superior to one with a lower value. The level of oleuropein can be artificially boosted by adding powdered product. This might seem to be a good thing, but it does mean that the chemical mix is out of balance compared with the source, i.e the fresh leaf.
Fresh-leaf products are best in that they will contain the maximum amount of the leaf's healing chemicals, but they may not be the most convenient for you or the most appropriate.
Such factors as: when the leaves are picked; the length of time between picking and processing the leaves; how the leaves are processed; the drying methods used; how long the product sits around before it is packaged; and shelf storage time, will all impact on the final quality. There are also factors such as the growing conditions for the trees - namely the quality of the air, soil and water; and what fertilisers or sprays are used.
And there is, of course, the starting point…the tree itself. Not all cultivars have leaves of medicinal quality, and not all olive leaf products come from the best quality leaves.
#4 Why Are You Taking Olive Leaf Extract? In other words, how sick are you and what results are you looking for? Are you already in good health and you want to stay that way; or do you have a chronic health condition? Are you seriously ill or have you caught the latest cold that's doing the rounds? You will probably need a stronger dose for a severe illness than for a mild infection. Likewise, a health condition that you have had for a long time is likely to need a higher dose than an acute one.
It may be helpful to think in terms of three dosage levels.
A low or minimum dose is usually all that's required to maintain good health and to give your immune system a boost. This level is safe to continue for months or years.
A medium dose will serve for short-term treatment of a cold, flu or mild infection; or for a chronic condition.
A high dose is recommended for short-term treatment of acute, severe illness and for chronic conditions that don't respond to the lower dose.
You may wish to consult your healthcare professional regarding what your maximum dose should be. If you are unsure, or have never had olive leaf products before, always start low and gradually increase the level.
#5 Your Personal Biochemistry – How You React To Olive Leaf Extract. Everyone is different, so the same dose cannot affect everyone in the same way. It depends on your individual biology; your weight; your height; your general health; what toxins you've been exposed to; and the state of your immune system.
There are no reported negative side effects from taking olive leaf extract; nor is there an established toxicity level. However some people experience symptoms from the detoxification process.
This is referred to as the "die-off " or Herxheimer Reaction, and it happens when the olive leaf extract kills harmful microbes in the body, releasing their toxic contents into the blood stream. The more "bugs" you have, the more likely you are to experience the detox symptoms. They usually last from 3 to 7 days and may include diarrhea, headache and joint or muscle aches. These symptoms may be mild but if they trouble you a lot, you can reduce your dose for a day or two, or even stop for 1 or 2 days.
Of course, if you are at all concerned, visit your healthcare professional immediately.
#6 Prescription Drugs And Other Considerations. Check with your doctor first if you are on any prescription drugs. This is particularly important if you are on medication for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, or to thin your blood. This is because olive leaf extract can lower your blood sugar, your cholesterol and your blood pressure; and it can reduce the clumping of platelets, thereby thinning the blood.
Pregnant or breast feeding ladies should NOT take olive leaf extract unless you have checked with your healthcare professional first, as there is some question as to whether the extract would affect the baby's immune system development.
The cost of olive leaf extract may be a factor in determining which quality and type of product you are able to take. In the long run, though, poor quality products are a waste of money, because they are unlikely to help you. That's not to say that cost directly equates with quality.
In summary, you can see that the correct olive leaf extract dosage is a very individual thing, dependent on personal as well as product factors. It is impossible to state a specific dose that would suit everyone, but I hope that this information has helped you to make some wise choices for yourself.
This information is not meant to replace diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional. It is for educational purposes only.
C) Copyright Angela Lamb All Rights Reserved Worldwide
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Angela Lamb is a health writer who loves to empower people to help themselves. She enjoys sharing her knowledge so that others can make informed choices. You are invited to visit her Olive Leaf Extract website, to discover more about how to determine the best Olive Leaf Extract Dosage for you and for those you care about.
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