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Olive Leaf Extract & Thyroid

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ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
Has anyone w thyroid problems (especially hypothyroid) taken olive leaf extract as a natural antiviral? Were you able to tolerate OLE, and if so, do you have any tips to share? Also, any studies, data would be welcome.


I just learned that OLE affects thyroid function, by increasing T4 AND increasing conversion from T4 -> T3...

Overall, OLE has been really helpful this year... It is the ONLY thing that dissolved the swollen lymph node that I've had for 1.5 years... When it finally burst at 3 a.m. one Monday morning, it woke me up! I felt sick for the next week to 10 days while my body processed out the junk that came out of the lymph node, then I slowly improved. I upped the dosage of OLE, and started using it everyday (vs the 3-4x per week before) and I changed brands. I was feeling normal and like I could go back to work, then I crashed last week. I'm hypothyroid and VERY sensitive to anything that affects thyroid, so I'm concerned that the thyroid affects of OLE are cancelling out the beneficial antiviral effects of OLE... Can't find good studies, or data... Not sure if it's
1) the new brand, or
2) if I need to just "push through" (i.e., not necessarily thyroid related, just OLE pushing virus back into submission, which is ultimately a good thing), or
3) if it's a dosage / timing issue... for now, I quit. I may go back to other brand, and only 3-4x per week.
 
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ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
Little Bluestem said:
anyone?
Click to expand...

I heard back from my doc today. She has not heard of any thyroid issues or stimulation via OLE..I have only found 1 study, which seems small and I"m not convinced it was well designed, so I am taking my doctor's opinion over what I've read re thyroid problems. Plus, I know that a lot of her patients have thyroid issues so she's sensitive to exacerbating a thyroid problem. Here is her response:

"I am not familiar with that aspect of olive leaf and am not sure I believe it. I think it is generally an excellent anti-viral. How long have you been on this regimen? If it has been a while, perhaps you should stick with it. I have also used andrographis in similar protocols, as well as lauricidin.
I have had a number of patients who have been treated with valtrex and have started prescribing it myself, but find it difficult for many patients to tolerate, esp at the therapeutic dose of one gram four times daily. So.... I am not sure how to advise you, but that is my experience."

Next Steps:
1) I'm going to go back on the OLE that I was using before (Pure Encapsulations) which gave me no problems. The one I'm currently using is whole foods OLE, which is probably not as good.

2) If I don't get over the crash (fatigue, moderate depression, and intermittent severe joint pain & cortisol problems) then I'm going to try famvir

ALSO - if anyone has comments on their experience w OLE, I would love to hear!

thanks.
 
Seven7

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
I used before I got into antiviral prescription, I crave it, I loved that thing. I also suffer from hypo and never had issues. It takes a while to lower Titters specially if your NKs are low. My titters took 4 years to come down (until my NKs went up a bit). My only experience was to start low and slow.
 
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ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
lnester7 said:
I used before I got into antiviral prescription, I crave it, I loved that thing. I also suffer from hypo and never had issues. It takes a while to lower Titters specially if your NKs are low. My titters took 4 years to come down (until my NKs went up a bit). My only experience was to start low and slow.
Click to expand...
did you do anything to get your NK cells up? I'm haven't found anything besides mushrooms (ahcc, reishi, etc.) and I'm not sure that I was anything w yeast/mold.
 
Seven7

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
ebethc said:
did you do anything to get your NK cells up? I'm haven't found anything besides mushrooms (ahcc, reishi, etc.) and I'm not sure that I was anything w yeast/mold.
Click to expand...
Imunovir+inosine+LDN 9mg all at the same time. I don't know how much yet. Getting levels check next week.
I am also on famvir 500mg 2/day
 
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ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
lnester7 said:
Imunovir+inosine+LDN 9mg all at the same time. I don't know how much yet. Getting levels check next week.
I am also on famvir 500mg 2/day
Click to expand...

what are immunovir & inosine? are they rx? my NK cells are pathetic.. only 2.. what is the target number? did you doc give you a target?

how long have you been on famvir? are you still titrating up? do you have EBV only, or something else?

we have similar snp's; I'm +/+ for the same MAO and same BHMT's... I think BHMT causes/contributes to my brain fog... Sometimes I take DMG and it's like a wonder supp... but it doesn't work all the time... I eat low histamine for MAO and take mangosteen & quercetin.
 
Seven7

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
ebethc said:
what are immunovir & inosine? are they rx? my NK cells are pathetic.. only 2.. what is the target number? did you doc give you a target?
Click to expand...
immunovir & inosine? are they rx? Yes RX here, but I think they are OTC in EU, they are immune modulators.

Mine NKs was 1.8 and 0.05 at some point. I am in the same dose for a while of the Famvir. I started low and slowly increased. I only got EBV reactivated while my NK were so bad but my virus that I have issues suppressing is the HH6V. I have never had it normal in the last 8 years or so. Will see this time if it is lower finally.

I do quercitin also because it helps my OI a lot.
 
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ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
lnester7 said:
immunovir & inosine? are they rx? Yes RX here, but I think they are OTC in EU, they are immune modulators.

Mine NKs was 1.8 and 0.05 at some point. I am in the same dose for a while of the Famvir. I started low and slowly increased. I only got EBV reactivated while my NK were so bad but my virus that I have issues suppressing is the HH6V. I have never had it normal in the last 8 years or so. Will see this time if it is lower finally.

I do quercitin also because it helps my OI a lot.
Click to expand...

do you think there's a link between low NK and elevated viral titers (ebv, or others)?
 
Seven7

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
ebethc said:
do you think there's a link between low NK and elevated viral titers (ebv, or others)?
Click to expand...
Definitely, that is not unique to cfs per say. If you google Nk cell deficiency syndrome ( a recognized medically accepted issue) you will see that is accepted literature that when NKs are low you get deactivations.
 
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ebethc

Senior Member
Messages
1,901
lnester7 said:
Definitely, that is not unique to cfs per say. If you google Nk cell deficiency syndrome ( a recognized medically accepted issue) you will see that is accepted literature that when NKs are low you get deactivations.
Click to expand...

what are deactivations?
 
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