Research paper
Olive (Olea europaea L.) Leaf Polyphenols Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Middle-Aged Overweight Men: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial
Study answer
What this study found
Olive leaf polyphenol supplementation improved insulin sensitivity and pancreatic beta-cell secretory capacity, but it did not produce consistent benefits for other cardiovascular risk factors. The Matsuda index improved to 5.46 with olive leaf extract versus 4.73 with placebo after 12 weeks, a 15% improvement, p = 0.024. Disposition index improved to 5.45 versus 4.26, a 28% improvement, p = 0.013. Glucose AUC decreased 6% (p = 0.008) and insulin AUC decreased 14% (p = 0.041), with reductions in glucose at 30 minutes and 60 minutes and insulin at 60 minutes. No significant changes were seen…
- Study & population
- Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in overweight middle-aged men at risk of metabolic syndrome in the Auckland region of New Zealand.
- Intervention
- Olive leaf extract was given orally as four capsules once daily for 12 weeks, providing 51.1 mg oleuropein and 9.7 mg hydroxytyrosol per day.
- Key limitation
- The trial was small, short term, and limited to overweight middle-aged men, which restricts generalizability.
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Open PDFOriginal abstract
Background Olive plant leaves (Olea europaea L.) have been used for centuries in folk medicine to treat diabetes, but there are very limited data examining the effects of olive polyphenols on glucose homeostasis in humans. Objective To assess the eff…