Is olive leaf extract dangerous for low blood pressure?

Question

I am 84 years old, with heart failure, diagnosed about 10 months ago, now successfully treated, and my naturally low blood pressure is kept at, or reduced to, a satisfactorily low level. I would not want to reduce it any further. With all other tests OK, I am being signed off from the clinic and expect to continue to live a normal, but careful, life.

My question is: Olive Leaf Extract is said to lower blood pressure, so does that make it dangerous for patients with heart failure and low blood pressure to take for its other benefits? Can it lower blood pressure below physiological boundaries?

Answer 1

First, I should say that I think this question should be closed. It's clearly a request for personal medical advice, but apparently no one else shares that view, so I'll go ahead and answer.

I would not want to reduce it any further.

Then taking a supplement known to lower blood pressure would seem like a bad idea.

This study compared the effects of olive leaf extract on BP to an ACE inhibitor:

In conclusion, Olive (Olea europaea) leaf extract, at the dosage regimen of 500 mg twice daily, was similarly effective in lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressures in subjects with stage-1 hypertension as Captopril, given at its effective dose of 12.5-25 mg twice daily.

So olive leaf extract seems to be pretty effective stuff, almost as effective as an ACE inhibitor. Therefore, taking it without first involving the medical professionals you've been seeing up until now probably isn't a good idea.

Answer 2

There is a potential problem, as mentioned here:

Medications for high blood pressure (Antihypertensive drugs) interacts with OLIVE Olive seems to decrease blood pressure. Taking olive along with medications for high blood pressure might cause your blood pressure to go too low.

This means that you need to check this out with your doctor. Your doctor can then look into this, considering your medical status and all the medicines you take to determine if there is a problem with using olive leaf extract in your particular case.