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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2017 Jun;56(4):1421-1432.
doi: 10.1007/s00394-016-1188-y. Epub 2016 Mar 7.

Impact of phenolic-rich olive leaf extract on blood pressure, plasma lipids and inflammatory markers: a randomised controlled trial

Stacey Lockyer  1 , Ian Rowland  1 , Jeremy Paul Edward Spencer  2 , Parveen Yaqoob  1 , Welma Stonehouse  3   4
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Impact of phenolic-rich olive leaf extract on blood pressure, plasma lipids and inflammatory markers: a randomised controlled trial

Stacey Lockyer et al. Eur J Nutr. 2017 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: Dietary polyphenols have been demonstrated to favourably modify a number of cardiovascular risk markers such as blood pressure (BP), endothelial function and plasma lipids. We conducted a randomised, double-blind, controlled, crossover trial to investigate the effects of a phenolic-rich olive leaf extract (OLE) on BP and a number of associated vascular and metabolic measures.

Methods: A total of 60 pre-hypertensive [systolic blood pressure (SBP): 121-140 mmHg; diastolic blood pressure (DBP): 81-90 mmHg] males [mean age 45 (±SD 12.7 years, BMI 26.7 (±3.21) kg/m2] consumed either OLE (136 mg oleuropein; 6 mg hydroxytyrosol) or a polyphenol-free control daily for 6 weeks before switching to the alternate arm after a 4-week washout.

Results: Daytime [-3.95 (±SD 11.48) mmHg, p = 0.027] and 24-h SBP [-3.33 (±SD 10.81) mmHg, p = 0.045] and daytime and 24-h DBP [-3.00 (±SD 8.54) mmHg, p = 0.025; -2.42 (±SD 7.61) mmHg, p = 0.039] were all significantly lower following OLE intake, relative to the control. Reductions in plasma total cholesterol [-0.32 (±SD 0.70) mmol/L, p = 0.002], LDL cholesterol [-0.19 (±SD 0.56) mmol/L, p = 0.017] and triglycerides [-0.18 (±SD 0.48), p = 0.008] were also induced by OLE compared to control, whilst a reduction in interleukin-8 [-0.63 (±SD 1.13) pg/ml; p = 0.026] was also detected. Other markers of inflammation, vascular function and glucose metabolism were not affected.

Conclusion: Our data support previous research, suggesting that OLE intake engenders hypotensive and lipid-lowering effects in vivo.

Keywords: Blood pressure; Cardiovascular disease; Oleuropein; Olive leaf; Plasma lipids; Polyphenols.

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Conflict of interest statement

Fifty percentage of the funding for this study was provided by Comvita Limited, the manufacturers of the olive leaf extract. Comvita Limited had no part in the design, running of the study or data analysis.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study flow
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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