Olive Leaf Extract

[GreenMachineX]

I’ve decided to stop the olive leaf, because that’s the most recent thing I’ve changed and have developed ectopic heart beats or palpitations (feels like massive ‘kerplunk’ when it happens), chronic nasal congestion and digestive issues like horrible gas and stomach gurgling. I’m guess the latter 2 are herx reactions but I’m sick of it and the ectopic heartbeat is really scary. I’m wondering if it increased too much conversion of T4 to T3 or something from my thyroid medicine. I have no idea.
How long until herx reactions stop after stopping this?

 

[ljimbo423]

I’ve decided to stop the olive leaf, because that’s the most recent thing I’ve changed and have developed ectopic heart beats or palpitations (feels like massive ‘kerplunk’ when it happens), chronic nasal congestion and digestive issues like horrible gas and stomach gurgling. I’m guess the latter 2 are herx reactions but I’m sick of it and the ectopic heartbeat is really scary. I’m wondering if it increased too much conversion of T4 to T3 or something from my thyroid medicine. I have no idea.
How long until herx reactions stop after stopping this?

I often get the same heart palps and sometimes that thud or ‘kerplunk’ , which is really scary, from the bacteria in my gut dying off. I also get the nasal congestion, runny nose and digestive upset from them.

The herx reactions should stop within 1-3 days from my experience. These side effects, from bacterial die-off are why so many people can't clear their bacterial overgrowth in the gut, which often causes "leaky gut" or increased intestinal permeability.

This often leads to many, many symptoms body wide. I think a big part of that is the affect lipopolysaccharides from the bacteria, have on the brain, which causes low grade brain inflammation, as ME/CFS researcher Jarred Younger has found in his research.

 

[GreenMachineX]

I often get the same heart palps and sometimes that thud or ‘kerplunk’ , which is really scary, from the bacteria in my gut dying off. I also get the nasal congestion, runny nose and digestive upset from them.

The herx reactions should stop within 1-3 days from my experience. These side effects, from bacterial die-off are why so many people can't clear their bacterial overgrowth in the gut, which often causes "leaky gut" or increased intestinal permeability.

This often leads to many, many symptoms body wide. I think a big part of that is the affect lipopolysaccharides from the bacteria, have on the brain, which causes low grade brain inflammation, as ME/CFS researcher Jarred Younger has found in his research.

Gotcha. I also forgot to mention an odd scratchy/itchy sore throat unlike I’ve ever had before. I’m only stopping to ensure that’s what’s causing the palpitations and once I’m sure, I’ll try again.

 

[ljimbo423]

Gotcha. I also forgot to mention an odd scratchy/itchy sore throat unlike I’ve ever had before. I’m only stopping to ensure that’s what’s causing the palpitations and once I’m sure, I’ll try again.

A sore throat is also common from die-off, I get a mild sore throat often when I increase the dose of the herbs I take.

The lipoysaccharides I mentioned, cause in increase in the immune system, like a cold or a flu, that's what causes the congestion and the sore throat. It makes sense to stop and make sure that's what causing the symptoms.

It also might make you a little more comfortable with the die-off symptoms. Knowing that is what they are.

 

[JES]

I’ve decided to stop the olive leaf, because that’s the most recent thing I’ve changed and have developed ectopic heart beats or palpitations (feels like massive ‘kerplunk’ when it happens), chronic nasal congestion and digestive issues like horrible gas and stomach gurgling. I’m guess the latter 2 are herx reactions but I’m sick of it and the ectopic heartbeat is really scary. I’m wondering if it increased too much conversion of T4 to T3 or something from my thyroid medicine. I have no idea.
How long until herx reactions stop after stopping this?

Olive leaf has a couple of annoyances from my experience. It lowers the blood pressure, which can be bad if you already have autonomic nervous system issues as many of us do. The last brand I used also seemed to reduce my stomach acid and cause indigestion of foods especially on larger dosages. It also seems that olive leaf could increase thyroid hormones as you suspected, at least according to this source.

I have found olive leaf to be one of the strongest natural antibacterials, but this strength comes with some side effects. Luckily there are plenty of other antimicrobial herbs and there is no reason to think only olive leaf will work in this regard.

 

[GreenMachineX]

Olive leaf has a couple of annoyances from my experience. It lowers the blood pressure, which can be bad if you already have autonomic nervous system issues as many of us do. The last brand I used also seemed to reduce my stomach acid and cause indigestion of foods especially on larger dosages. It also seems that olive leaf could increase thyroid hormones as you suspected, at least according to this source.

I have found olive leaf to be one of the strongest natural antibacterials, but this strength comes with some side effects. Luckily there are plenty of other antimicrobial herbs and there is no reason to think only olive leaf will work in this regard.

I don’t have autonomic nervous system issues like POTs or anything, but borderline high blood pressure. I was actually hoping it did lower my blood pressure but I’ve given up on that and went back on telmisartan a few days ago. I’m really hoping the kerplunks go away quickly.

What other antimicrobials are there that are good for both Lyme and Candida?

 

[triffid113]

I have taken 1g olive leaf extract /day for 25 years. I have genetic high blood pressure (totally broken ACE gene). OLE is an ace inhibitor and I can feel it relax my blood vessels. It is such a relief that I will never be without it. I have stage 3 hypertension...it takes my b.p. down significantly - in the literature 11 points. However I need other means to lower it at least another 20 points (I used cal mag citrate, and DHEA to keep the cal mag in my system, otherwise I lose it in about 2 hours). In ADDITION, I have to eat a low salt diet (my b.p. is pretty high w/o these steps).

I got on here to find out if anyone with POTS has tried it because OLE also lowers your heart rate to 60 beats / min. It does not cause any kerthunkin for me!

I take rhodiola and, back in the day when it first became available here, it was a high dose (perhaps before perhaps dosage was known?) and it used to cause one delayed kerthunk heartbeat when I first laid down. Becuase of this, I only used this when I needed it for stress due to adrenal exhaustion. When I started taking OLE, that took care of the kerthunk delayed beat. So I take rhodiola all the time now. However, I am unsure if the dose is as high as in those early days.

It's interesting that JES thinks it reduces stomach acid. I have had reduced HCL for a long time. I have to drink kombucha or ACV for acid, take extra zinc, digestive enzymes,... I will have to look into OLE as the source. However... the OLE is keeping me alive so I wont ever stop taking it. Prescription ACE inhibitors make me feel like I can't think and have a foot in the grave. However they work is not the way my body can deal with.

 

[triffid113]

Ok, I looked up studies but could find none that proved or suggested that olive leaf extract (OLE) lowered stomach acid. I also remembered the original reason I started using it was because I ALREADY HAD low stomach acid and I was looking for something that would kills germs and bacteria that enter the alimentary canal, since that is something HCL is supposed to do. I kept taking it because it did wonders for my blood [ressure.

I found studies that say it can prevent gastritis. And also interesting studies, mostly on rats, that show it protects the neurons that are damaged in parkenson's and also is protective against alzheimer's. This is only suggestive as no large studies have been done on humans yet.

Everyone is different, of course - in our genes and our allergies and so on. I do not dispute that someone may have a problem with it. I take it with breakfast, not alone. I take too many supplements to take them on an empty stomach. But OLE would not be my first suspect if I had gastrointestinal problems.

In case it is of any help, I take slippery elm for stomach upsets and it does a good job. I also take some kind of phage pill by life extension, which supplies good probiotics and kills bad gut biome players (this also lowers gas and bloat). I have found with time that certain pills should not be taken together - zinc with C, for instance, or it hurts MY gut. So, sometimes it is the combination of 2 healthy things that is irritating. Sadly complex.