posted
Ok so today I went to Whole Foods and was looking for Olive Leaf Extract. Ive heard so many people on here say how good it is at helping with yeast. I couldnt decide if i wanted to buy the capsule form of it or the liquid form. so i asked the women who was working in the supplement area. she said liquid was best because it gets into your blood stream quicker and better. so i bought the liquid form. I put 40 drops of it in my water bottle and drank about half of it
however i stopped drinking it because something caught my eye. on the back of the bottle it says ingredients and it says ""EXTRACT ORGANIC OLIVE LEAF, Organic Grain Alcohol USP (55-65%)"
Sooo.. it has a pretty good amount of alcohol in it. Im kinda freaked out. I thought alcohol was a no no with lyme and on the diet. I'm mad because I spent money on it and now i cant return it.
is this normal? is it possibly dangerous? i feel like it made me a little sleepy. BUT then again i could be just imagining that seeing that I did take my lyme antibiotics about an hour ago so it could be from that
HELP
The brand is GAIA HERBS,
[ 12-11-2010, 08:56 AM: Message edited by: lymegal23 ]
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posted
also it says that it can interct with pharmaceutical drugs. I'm on Biaxin and Planquil. ohh im getting nervous i hope its okay.
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- OLE (Olive Leaf Extract) comes in a couple of different forms. First, as the name implies, as an extract. That would be capsule form of concentrated herb.
Raw herb is just Olive Leaf.
Tincture is with alcohol or glycerine to preserve it. Tincture are very condensed and while starting with a drop or two at first, a typical dose for later on would be 10 - 30 drops (or one dropper in a 1/2 cup of water to dilute it). The alcohol is miniscule but for some, it's best to use tincture only for those herbal formulas that don't work as well in capsule form.
For a mouth rinse, the OLE tincture in water is good. Then, capsules of extract can make up the bulk of it.
Herbs come in many different forms. The most common are crude herbs, powders, dried decoctions, tinctures, capsules, gelcaps, salves, oils and teas. ------------
� CRUDE HERBS are simply collected and dried, then cut and sifted. This is the original way herbs have been prepared since the dawn of time.
This form is commonly found in traditional herb shops around the world, and in ethnic neighborhoods in major cities in the United States.
The advantage of this form is that you can actually see, taste and smell the herbs. Crude herbs are usually taken home and cooked into teas.
--------
� POWDERS are simply ground crude herbs. You can use powders to make herbal tea, or simply ingest them in their natural form. I like powders because they allow you to experience the taste and smell of the herbs you are using.
Another benefit of this form is that you can often take larger doses of the herbs. However, powdered herbs do not last as long in storage as the other forms.
--------
� TEAS are aqueous extractions of crude herbs or herbal powders. Most herbs today come in pills or tinctures, so to make sure we do not forget our herbal roots, I always make sure to keep some loose herb teas in the house.
There are several methods of preparation for herbal tea. Infusion, better for delicate leaves and flowers, entails bringing water to a light boil, turning off the heat, and letting the herbs steep in the water.
Leaving the crude herbs out in the sun for a couple of hours in a tightly sealed container makes Sun tea. Simmering the herbs for anywhere from ten minutes up to an hour (longer is better for the much heavier barks and roots) makes a decoction.
---------
� TINCTURES are extracts made by soaking herbs in solutions designed to draw out their virtues. Alcohol is the most common soaking solution for tinctures. Tincture manufacturers must have recipe books to guide them, as the exact method will differ for each herb.
Tinctures are valuable because they are easy to digest and absorb. Some herbs can only be used in this form. The strength of a tincture should be listed on the bottle in the form of a ratio, such as 1:5 or 1:2.
The first number tells you how much of the herb is present, and the second number tells you how much menstruum (the liquid used to dissolve the herb) is in the preparation. Therefore, a 1:5 tincture is weaker than a 1:2 tincture, because a larger volume of liquid is used.
--------------
� DRIED DECOCTIONS, also called CONCENTRATED GRANULES, are used primarily by Chinese (TCM) herbalists. This method of preparing herbs was devised several decades ago in Taiwan by a group of chemists and traditional doctors.
Basically, the herbs are cooked as teas in large vats and the solid residues are removed, after which the remaining liquids are dried out until only powders remain. Sometimes certain important components (such as volatile oils) are collected separately by specialized equipment and then added back to the final product.
These powders are usually about four times more potent than the crude herbs. The label may list a ratio of 4:1, but concentration can be as low as 2:1 or even as high as 10:1.
Dried decoctions still retain the herbs' basic tastes and smells, and the concentrations of chemicals discourage bacterial growth so they tend to store well. I use these granules frequently in my practice.
-----------
� CONCENTRATED HERBAL EXTRACTS are now made using various methods. These extracts, in liquid or solid form, can be anywhere from two to 100 times more concentrated in certain components than crude herbs.
-----------
� CAPSULES are simply powdered herbs, dried decoctions or concentrated herbal extracts that have been put into gelatin capsules.
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� TABLETS are simply powdered herbs, dried decoctions or concentrated herbal extracts with a binding substance added. They are then are pressed into tablets by a machine
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� GELCAPS are sealed gelatin capsules that hold either tinctures or concentrated liquid herbal extracts. -
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Keebler
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-------------- An Olive Leaf formula (that contains Terminalia chebula):
My ND (naturopathic doctor) recommended MYROLEA B. Most naturopathic doctors and acupuncturists know about the Seven Forest formulas. As this is a combination formula, there are ingredients included to help the body with "clearing heat" and metabolizing toxins.
Myrolea-B (White Tiger) is a simple formulation of highly concentrated extracts from four Chinese herbs and one Western herb.
The Chinese herbs include forsythia and lonicera, two of the key ingredients of Ilex 15 (and the main antiviral ingredients of Yin Qiao Jie Du Pian), thus boosting the dosage of these essential ingredients.
Myrolea-B also contains the antiviral agents scute (huangqin) and terminalia (hezi). The Western herb in this formulation is olive leaf, which is one of the primary anti-viral herbs derived from the European tradition.
SHUANGHUANGLIAN: Potent Anti-Infection Combination of Lonicera, Forsythia, and Scute - by Subhuti Dharmananda, Ph.D., Director, Institute for Traditional Medicine - 2003
Shuanghuanglian (SHL for short) is a modern formula that was devised in the 1960s to treat a variety of infections. It is comprised of the alcohol-water extracts of three herbs: lonicera (shuanghua, often called jinyinhua), scute (huangqin), and forsythia (lianqiao). . . .
. . . One of the early preparations of the SHL was a tablet made of equal proportions of the extracts of each herb. This was used to treat leptospirosis, a disorder caused by a spirochete bacteria, related to the organism that causes Lyme disease.
Leptospirosis causes initial symptoms of fever and chills, headache, and muscle ache (especially in the shoulders); these are consistent with "flu-like" symptoms described for the onset of many acute infections.
In a 1971 report, the formula was described as being made in 500 mg tablets derived from 3.7 grams of the crude herbs, and being administered in doses of 10-15 tablets (thus, equivalent to the extract of 37-55 grams of herbs) every 6 hours (1), a very high dosage.
. . . Recently, Shuanghuanglian has been applied successfully to treatment of Coxsackie B3,
. . . The general indications for SHL . . . are "relieving the exterior syndrome, clearing away heat and toxic material," and its indications are "treatment of fever, cough, and sore throat that arise from wind-heat syndrome."
It is said to have "a good action in treating upper respiratory tract infection, tonsillitis, laryngopharyngitis, pneumonia, acute enteritis, viral dysentery, etc., when caused by virus or bacterial infection."
- full article at link above.
===================
Detail from two of the most reputable sources of OLE:
Die-off effects -- Olive leaf use causes the death of microbes. The liver, kidneys, intestines and skin are therefore tested to their limits, to deal with, and remove them. This causes Herxheimers Reaction, which can have a variety of symptoms, but basically makes one feel ill or under the weather due to a treatment's effect upon the body.
Thus, "die-off," referred to in medicine as the "HERXHEIMER reaction," occurs when the olive leaf components kills large numbers of harmful germs rather quickly. Then, the patient's membranes absorb toxic products from these dead microorganisms. . . .
See details at link for:
� Safety Precautions and � Known Drug Interactions
SEAGATE Olive Leaf Extract - also see their menu for all their OLE products, including nasal spray, personal spray, etc.
Excerpt:
Side Effects:
Olive leaves have been used safely for thousands of years. The only known side-effect is the possibility of a HERXHEIMER reaction, an allergic response caused by the rapid die-off of fungi that release toxins which may temporarily cause a brief allergic reaction, lasting for several days.
. . . Are there any contraindications with Olive Leaf Extract?
No contraindications with other drugs have been observed.
�� However, Olive Leaf Extract should not be taken with antibiotics produced from yeast / fungus or along with additional amino acids other than those received in your everyday foods. They might cross out each other's effectiveness. . . .
���[poster's note: as nearly all antibiotics are now synthesized, this is not such a concern but good to have awareness just in case.]
- Full article at link above.
===================================
PROBIOTICS still need to be taken. Take several hours away from OLE (and from all supplements and also from Rx). OLE will negate probiotics if taken too closely together. -
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posted
Thanks Keelber . so do I have anything to worry about?
i put about 40 drops into an 8 oz bottle of water. altho I only drank like half of that and I diluted it more with water
im just nervous.
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Keebler
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posted
- You should ask your LLMD or LL ND about this. Normally, it works well for most but it's just courtesy and wisdom to make sure your doctor is aware of any supplements so he or she can offer thoughts on that before you would begin.
For most, OLE goes just fine with their protocol but it can cause a herx. For any alcohol tinctures, they can burn when going down so that is just one reason you need about 1/2 cup water to dilute the drops.
Tinctures in a little water are excellent to help with the mouth.
For any supplement, start VERY low, very slowly, and one thing at a time. Always. Forever. Remember this for everything new you ever start.
Good luck.
============================
To get an idea of how LLMDs and LL NDs incorporate, combine and rotate various herbal supplements, you might want to scroll down and see the articles and books at this thread: ------------------
Topic: How to find an ILADS-educated LL ND (naturopathic doctor), L.Ac. (acupuncturist), etc.
Includes how to find an ILADS-educated LL ND, a L.Ac. (Acupuncturist), a doctor of Oriental Medicine (O.M.D.), or a doctor of Ayurvedic Medicine (D.Ay.), certified herbalists or nutritionists, etc. DO, DC
�� Includes many professional links, articles and books on complementary / integrative methods . . . . -
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Keebler
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posted
- You should start with ONE drop in 1/4 to 1/2 cup water. I'd not do any more until tomorrow. Now, you may be just fine but it can pack a punch so if you feel a bit more tired today, you'll know why.
Some can start with a full dose but most find that a bit too much.
You said you put it into a BOTTLE of water? If plastic, throw the rest out and use glass the next time. Never use herbal tinctures in plastic of any type.
And, it's best to make your tincture "drink" fresh each time.
It's best to never use plastic for drink or food, anyway, really. Go for glass, ceramic (non-lead glaze), or stainless steel. -
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posted
altho....for the record. how much alcohol is really in it? like how much does it end up being the equivolent to? I never drink alcohol so im not used to its effects.
oh . whats wrong with using herbals in plastics?
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Keebler
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- What's wrong is the plastic. Very bad for us. VERY bad.
A herbal tincture can react with the plastic and create a science experiment. Not a good thing for ongoing use. You can get away with it a time or two but plastic changes everything. It puts petroleum products into our bodies.
Google: "Rachel's Friends" for more detail -
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momlyme
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I bought the Barleans Olive Leaf Complex which says the serving size is a tablespoon. Only 13 servings per 8oz bottle.
The ingredients in this one are olive leaves (fresh pressed), glycerin, water and natural flavors.
It is supposed to be a powerful antioxidant...
It tastes horrible. I can't say it did or didn't do anything. I stopped torturing my son by trying to stick it in his tea... he wouldn't drink it!
-------------------- May health be with you!
Toxic mold was suppressing our immune systems, causing extreme pain, brain fog and magnifying symptoms. Four days after moving out, the healing began. Posts: 2007 | From NY/VT Border | Registered: Aug 2010
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Keebler
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- You can swirl it around in warm water in a big mug for a minute.
For herbs, leaves, flower, aerial parts - from above ground: use Warm water, not hot.
Below ground roots, rhizome and for twigs: Hot water can be used.
Tinctures are often made with different parts of the plants, as each part has different properties. Some are just rhizome/root tincture; some just flower. Some are blends of several parts.
If the tincture is made from parts below the earth (root / rhizome) you can add to a 1/2 cup of hot water. Bark, too, can withstand heat. Some twigs.
IF the tincture is from plant parts above the ground, call aerial parts (leaves, vines, flowers, berries) use slightly WARM water, not boiling hot. Then, you can swirl it around the mug for a minute to further help dissipate alcohol.
Now, some plants' aerial parts can do fine in hot water (such as mint), but not all of them. Some of the key medicinal properties can be destroyed by the heat.
Just to be sure to preserve ALL of the properties, it's best to just use slightly warm water with all aerial tinctures unless you do research or ask an herbalist regarding a particular herb.
However, unless on flagyl, the small amount in tinctures will be fine. If possible, when possible, get extracts in capsule or pill form. Then you have more flexibility with those that only come in tincture.
There are also some glycerite/glycerin tinctures but not all herbs can be made into tinctures that way. Some require the alcohol for the processing and preserving nature.
You can always take a tincture with even more water, too, like a full cup.
Even when on flagyl, some do okay with a small amount of tincture - but others do not. Ask your LLMD what she/he thinks and then, try just one drop at a time in 1/2 cup of water.
Scullcap is a wonderful herb to help calm the nervous system. That only works as a tincture. While it is often in powder form in some formulas, it is worthless unless tincture form (as per Tillotson in the "One Earth" book linked in a post above).
There are a few others that have such properties that they require tincture form. However, to find the closest therapeutic dose match for tablets or capsules, compare to EXTRACTS, not raw / crude herbs.
Then do some searching to be sure that herb is good in that form.
Regarding the source of alcohol used in a tincture: organic is best. Many alcohols are made from farm products that are loaded with chemicals. It's best to avoid all that. -
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posted
Should I stop using the liquid and go and buy the capsules? honestly it seems like capsules might be better. they dont contain any alcohol
also how much alcohol does it really contain? what can you say is the equivalent. a glass of wine? is the amount of alcohol in the tincture really small?
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Do not take close to probiotics.. same as with abx.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- The alcohol is miniscule but for some but, as dose is increased that can sure add up. It's best to use tincture only for those herbal formulas that don't work as well in capsule form.
For a mouth rinse, the OLE tincture in warm water is good. Also good to swallow some to address the esophagus.
Capsules of OLE can give you majority of a therapeutic dose. -
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i hope its okay.
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