Julie

by Julie
(NSW)

Question:

My mother is on blood pressure tablets= Plendil & Avapro & also blood thinner= Pradaxa.
Is she able to take olive leaf extract to build her immunity & to prevent flu at the beginning of winter months?

Are you able to take olive leaf extract while breast feeding?

Thank you


Answer:

I get many queries such as this concerning a wide variety of medicines.
As a doctor will prescribe different medication and dosages based on the particular circumstances of each patient, it is always best to check with him/her before taking Olive Leaf Extract.

In this case, as it does have blood-pressure lowering properties and may augment the blood thinning properties of the Pradaxa, it would be wise to check with the doctor before using Olive Leaf Extract. He may adjust the medicine dosage or wish to monitor the effect, or advise against it.

If the doctor is agreeable, it would probably be the best for her to start with Olive Leaf tea, and then progress onto pure Olive Leaf capsules or liquid starting on low preventative dosages and monitor blood pressure.

As for taking Olive Leaf while breast feeding, I know people who have done so with no obvious ill-effects, however, that is no guarantee that it is safe. It may have a variety of effects on the mother, including Herxheimers reaction which could affect the breast milk and the baby.
Olive leaf components will pass into the breast milk and no one really knows what this will do to the infant.
If you need to take it for some reason, rather discuss this with a health care professional first who can weigh up all the risks.

The legal product-labelling requirement on this issue is "Not to be taken while pregnant or breast feeding".

Breastfeeding

by Mischelle
(TEXAS)

Question:
Can you take olive leaf tinctures
while nursing?

Answer:
The standard answer is no, because no one can prove it safe or otherwise.
It will most likely get into the breast milk so unless your child is about 2 years old it is best to weigh up the risk to benefit ratio with your health care professional.