Source: Pharmacometrics 91(5/6)115-121, 2016.

Aim & Background: We investigated the long-term effects of Ethanol/water Extract of Olive leaves (EEO, trade name: OleaVita®, Phytodia S. A. S., France) on body fat percentage and lean body mass percentage in healthy male volunteers (body mass index from 24 to 30 kg/m2). Oleanolic acid (OA), Oleuropein (OL) and Polyphenolic compound are contained in and believed to be active constituents of EEO.

Methods: A total of 22 subjects were randomized to either an EEO (n=11, 50 mg of EEO daily) or a placebo (n=11) group. The treatment period was 8 weeks and 10 subjects in each group completed the period. Each was subjected to a computed tomography (CT) scan at the umbilical level and had their physical parameters measured, before and after the treatment period.

Results: Eight weeks after initiating ingestion, the body fat percentage and lean body mass percentage showed improvement in the EEO group. As for a higher visceral fat area (VFA) in subjects (with an initial VFA exceeding 80 cm3), body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage and total fat area significantly decreased, while in contrast, the lean body mass percentage significantly increased compared to the initial levels in the EEO group. Ex vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that EEO increased the amount of proteins (TGR5 and UCP1) and mRNA (PGC-1a) for energy expenditure in adipocytes, offering a mechanistic explanation for the clinical effects observed. The synergistic effect of OA, OL and other compound(s) on the gene expression was also observed.

Conclusion:

These results indicate that ingesting EEO(OleaVita®) improves body composition.