Olive Leaf Extract and Blood Pressure

Olive leaf extract comes from the leaves of the olive tree, Olea europaea. These leaves have a history in traditional remedies across Mediterranean countries. Today, researchers are testing whether the extract can help lower blood pressure. This post covers what three research reviews found, and where the evidence still falls short.

What Is Olive Leaf Extract?

Olive leaf extract is a concentrated supplement. In clinical trials, it usually comes as tablets or capsules. Its best-known compound is oleuropein, a phenolic antioxidant.

According to a 2022 research review, olive leaves contain far more oleuropein than olive fruit or olive oil. In other words, eating olives is not the same as taking the extract. Olive oil has its own research base, which we cover in our post on olive oil and heart health.

What Research Shows on Olive Leaf Extract and Blood Pressure

Three research reviews have pooled clinical trials of olive leaf extract. Each one found a modest drop in systolic blood pressure, the top number.

A 2021 review in PeerJ pooled 5 trials with 325 adults who had prehypertension or hypertension. At 500 mg a day, systolic pressure fell about 5.8 mmHg versus placebo or no treatment. That result came from just 2 trials with 80 people.
The 2022 review in Diabetology and Metabolic Syndrome pooled 12 trials with 819 adults from the general population. Overall, systolic pressure fell about 3.9 mmHg. In people with hypertension, systolic fell about 4.8 mmHg and diastolic about 2.5 mmHg.
A 2025 review in Phytotherapy Research pooled 3 studies with 248 adults who had prehypertension or hypertension. It compared readings before and after treatment, not against a placebo group. On that basis, systolic pressure fell about 6 mmHg. However, the drop in diastolic pressure was not statistically significant.

Taken together, systolic pressure fell by about 4 to 6 mmHg across the three reviews. Diastolic results, the bottom number, were weaker. Only the 2022 review reported a significant diastolic drop, and only in people with hypertension.

Dose may matter as well. In the 2025 review, people taking 1,000 mg a day saw larger drops. Still, that review included only 3 studies, and its authors noted variable trial quality.

How Strong Is the Evidence?

These results are encouraging, but the evidence is still thin. For example, the 2021 review rated the certainty of every outcome as low. Its authors also noted that olive leaf extract makers funded some of the trials.

Most trials were small, and they lasted 6 to 48 weeks. For that reason, the 2025 review called for more comprehensive clinical studies to confirm efficacy and safety. Curious about another supplement with a small blood pressure trial? Read about Veldt Grape and blood pressure.

One Trial Against a Blood Pressure Drug

One trial compared olive leaf extract with an ACE inhibitor, a common blood pressure drug. It enrolled 179 adults with stage 1 hypertension, and 148 finished. Participants took 500 mg of extract twice a day for 8 weeks. At the end, the two groups showed no statistically significant difference in blood pressure.

Even so, this was a single trial, and the 2021 review rated its evidence as low certainty. It does not mean olive leaf extract can replace prescribed medication.

Olive Leaf Extract, Cholesterol, and Blood Sugar

The reviews disagree on cholesterol. Overall, the 2022 review found lower triglycerides. In people with hypertension, it also found lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. By contrast, the 2021 review found no significant lipid changes versus placebo or no treatment.

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Blood sugar and inflammation results were weaker still. In fact, the 2022 review found no meaningful changes in glucose or inflammatory markers.

Is Olive Leaf Extract Safe?

None of the trials in the 2022 review reported related side effects. Similarly, the 2021 review found no significant changes in liver or kidney markers. Keep in mind, though, that the longest trial lasted 48 weeks.

Supplements also follow different rules than medicines. According to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, FDA does not determine whether supplements work before they reach the market. The agency also warns that supplements can interact with some medicines.

Talk with your doctor before taking olive leaf extract. This step matters most if you take blood pressure medication, blood thinners, or heart medication.

How to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Olive leaf extract shows modest, early promise for blood pressure. Yet no supplement takes the place of a heart-healthy routine and your doctor’s care. RESPeRATE is an FDA-cleared device clinically shown to lower blood pressure through device-guided slow breathing. It works alongside your physician-directed treatment plan, not instead of it. See how RESPeRATE works and whether it fits your daily routine.