Type 1 diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which the body stops making insulin, the hormone that moves glucose into your cells where it is used as an energy source. As a result, blood glucose is too high and cells become starved for energy. Olive leaf extract is an herbal remedy that may help stimulate insulin production and lower blood glucose, improving symptoms of type 1 diabetes. Talk to your doctor to decide if olive leaf extract might be helpful for you.
Causes and Symptoms
Although the cause of type 1 diabetes is not completely understood, it may involve an autoimmune reaction triggered by an environmental factor that appears during childhood or adolescence The factor, possibly a viral infection or a nutritional compound, stimulates the immune system to attack and destroy cells in the pancreas that normally produce insulin. A genetic factor may be cause this sequence of events in some people. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes appear suddenly and include excessive thirst, frequent urination, fatigue, weight loss and nausea. If untreated, type 1 diabetes may cause breathing problems, abdominal pain and serious illness that could become life-threatening.
Olive Leaf Extract
The olive tree is native to arid portions of the Mediterranean region and has small, leathery, gray-green leaves. Olive leaves have a long history as an herbal remedy and were used in ancient Greece as a topical treatment for wounds and skin infections. Practitioners recommend consuming the leaves or their extract for inflammation, diabetes and high blood pressure. Olive leaves contain several natural compounds with medicinal activity, including oleuropein, a natural antioxidant, and other potentially beneficial chemicals.
Research
A number of laboratory research studies have investigated the potential use of compounds from olive leaves as a treatment for diabetes. In one study published in 2009 in the "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry," diabetic animals fed two compounds from olive leaves for four weeks had lowered blood levels of glucose and cholesterol, and showed improvement in other markers of diabetes. Experts at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center suggest that two mechanisms help olive leaf extract to lower blood glucose: first, it increases release of insulin in response to elevated blood glucose and, second, it increases uptake of glucose by the body's cells. However, clinical trials of olive leaf extract with diabetic human subjects are still needed to confirm its usefulness.
Recommendations
Olive leaf extract is available from most health food stores in capsules. Although generally considered safe and without significant side effects, the safety of the extract during pregnancy or breast-feeding has not been confirmed. If you are diabetic, do not self-treat with olive leaf extract until you have discussed its possible use in detail with your doctor.
References
- Merck Manual Home Health Handbook: Diabetes Mellitus
- Drugs.com: Olive Leaf
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Olive Leaf
- "Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry"; Antidiabetic and Antioxidant Effects of Hydroxytyrosol and Oleuropein from Olive Leaves in Alloxan-Diabetic Rats; H. Jemai, et al.; October 2009
- "Scientia Pharmaceutica"; Oleuropein in Olive and Its Pharmacological Effects; S. Omar; June 2010
