Scientific studies or research conducted on olive leaf extract.

(Grants Pass, OR)

Question:

Have there been any scientific studies conducted on the effectiveness of olive leaf extract for treating fungal infections such as Candida? If so can you list them for me. Also does Dr. Morton Walker's book contain references to such tests or studies conducted for fungal infections?
Thanks and regards,
Robert Kruger

Answer:

Dr. Walker in his book includes the Yeast Syndrome (Polysystemic Chronic Candidiasis), Thrush (Oral Candidiasis) and Vaginal Yeast infections on page 68 under Infectious diseases for which Olive Leaf Extract acts as an antimicrobial agent.
The whole list references some 25 different sources such as the Journal of Applied Microbiology, Lancet, Biochem Pharmacology etc. Without accessing all the references I couldn't say which ones applied to the Candida listing.
On page 150 Candida Krusei NRRL Y-105 is listed as a strain of Candida that Olive Leaf Extract is effective against. The study showing this was an in Vitro Disk Bioassay conducted by the Upjohn company.

Other than that, there is continual ongoing scientific research into the different properties of olive leaf extract. This is a huge subject. A good place to look is Pubmed, the U.S. National Library of Medicine. An example of the abstract (brief summary) of a study is the following.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17873849.

As far as registered clinical trials are concerned, I'm not aware of any that have been done on Candida Albicans sufferers. The cost is prohibitive and the result would not be a patent that someone could use to recoup the expense.
Some health clinics have done trials for their own information but these would not likely be published in any medical journals, possibly in alternative health publications.
I have supplied some C.Albicans sufferers and have had good feedback.

A serious Candida Albicans infection requires more than just olive leaf extract to fix it. It involves a lifestyle change to improve your immune system and eliminate the cause of the overgrowth.

Dr. Walker writes, "each Candida strain - C. Albicans being just one among eighty one strains, - has about thirty-five antigens...
Antigens are potentially dangerous foreign substances in the body against which you produce antibodies. When too much pathogenic yeast has colonised your tissues, the antibodies produced become insufficient to ward off the disease symptoms".

Here's a comprehensive guide book to help deal with Candida Albicans through diet and supplements. Dr. Walker who co-authored this book now recommends adding olive leaf extract as a priority to this treatment.

The Yeast Syndrome: How to Help Your Doctor Identify & Treat the Real Cause of Your Yeast-Related Illness