The most important element in olive leaf extract is a compound called oleuropein. When enzymes in the body metabolize oleuropein it provides substantial health promoting benefits, such as helping the body battle viruses, bacteria, and fungi, supporting healthy cell replacement.

How does olive leaf extract work?
The active ingredient in olive leaf extract is called oleuropein. Oleuropein is a polyphenolic fraction derived from the fruit, leaves, bark and roots of the olive tree, which help make it strongly resistant to damage from insects and other factors. Oleuropein is known as an iridoid, a type of plant chemical found throughout the olive tree and in olive oil.

Within Oleuropein is a chemical agent called elenolic acid, which has been shown to assist the body's immune defense. Research studies have found that elenolic acid helps the body to balance levels of friendly bacteria and support the immune system.

The energy-boosting benefits of olive leaf extract are believed to be the result of its ability to help fend off fungi, which overtax the immune system, and yeast overgrowth (such as Candida albicans), which cause fatigue.

Olive leaf extract provides nutritional support for detoxification at the cellular level, when the body is under stress. It has been shown to protect RNA structure.

Like the polyphenolic component of red wine, resveratrol, oleuropein imparts some important antioxidant benefits that may help prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and support healthy heart function. The oxidation of LDL cholesterol—the so-called "bad" cholesterol—can severely damage the walls of arteries. Along with resveratrol, oleuropein is high on the list of beneficial components of the acclaimed Mediterranean Diet (which includes olive oil), believed to be responsible for the reduced incidence of heart disease in those who habitually partake in the Diet.