A new study shows that Spanish olive fruit extract, also known as SOFE, could have promising heart health benefits in humans.
The study involved Euromed’s SOFE formula Proliva. The research was published in Drug R & D.
In that study, researchers demonstrated SOFE’s ability to improve blood vessel elasticity, reduce serum triglycerides, and decrease additional cardiovascular risk factors. Together, these effects can significantly reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other major cardiovascular events.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and most other developed countries in the world. It’s a common problem across people of all ages and backgrounds. According to the CDC, approximately 610,000 people die of heart disease every year in the United States, which accounts for 1 out of every 4 deaths.
What Is Spanish Olive Fruit Extract or SOFE?
Spanish Olive Fruit Extract, as you probably guessed from the name, is a formula derived from Spanish olive fruits.
The best-known Spanish Olive Fruit Extract formula available today, however – and the formula used in this study – is called Proliva. That’s a registered trademark formula made by supplement manufacturer Euromed.
Euromed’s Proliva contains an active ingredient called hydroxytyrosol in a 20% concentration, as measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).
Proliva was designed to replicate the heart health-boosting effects of olive oils. For years, we’ve known that people who follow a Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of heart disease. This is typically attributed to olive oils and similar heart healthy foods.
However, researchers have found that Americans don’t always get the same health benefits from olive oil, and that’s because the olive oils sold in the United States have major differences from the ones sold in Europe.
That’s why Euromed decided to package the health benefits of EVOO into a heart-heathy formula called Proliva. Based on this latest research, it seems like they were successful.
There’s A Big Difference Between American And European Olive Oils
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is prized because it’s rich in hydroxytyrosol, the same chemical compound we mentioned above that is found in a 20% concentration in the Proliva formula).
Unfortunately, reports show that approximately 80% of EVOO sold in the United States does not meet the legal European grade for EVOO.
In other words, Americans have been consuming average olive oil that’s been falsely upgraded to EVOO because of different standards between the United States and Europe.
Why the difference? American olive oil manufacturers process their olive oil using a variety of techniques. A study from the UC Davis Olive Center in 2011, for example, found that many EVOOs sold on California store shelves were oxidized or adulterated with cheaper refined oils. Some olive oils also contained poor quality oils simply due to improper storage or inferior processing techniques.
Ultimately, this means health-conscious American consumers have been unable to enjoy the full health benefits of EVOO – even though they thought they were enjoying those benefits.
Proliva is a proprietary formula that aims to replicate the effects of EVOO using Spanish olive fruit extract (SOFE).
How The Proliva Study Worked
The latest study confirmed cardiovascular benefits linked to Proliva. Proliva is a dietary supplement that contains a similar level of hydroxytyrosol found in EVOO.
This is the second clinical study involving Proliva, and the second time Proliva has been linked to cardiovascular benefits.
In this study, researchers gave participants either 500mg of Proliva per day, or a placebo every day. Some of the key findings from the study included:
- Proliva improved blood vessel elasticity in the Proliva group, while none of the placebo group displayed any improvement in blood vessel elasticity
- Reduction in serum triglycerides
- Decreased arterial stiffness, as measured by Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI)
Based on all of these findings, Euromed’s Technical Director claimed that, “Proliva offers profound health benefits for consumers globally, particularly those unable to access quality EVOO in their diet,”
About Euromed
Euromed is a global health company that offers a variety of nutritional supplements and formulas. The company is known for its PhytoProof lineup of standardized botanical extracts. Proliva is another member of the PhytoProof lineup.
PhytoProof isn’t just a marketing term for Euromed: the company takes great care to test each batch of its formula in a lab, where it undergoes 20 tests. The supplements are guaranteed to be made with no adulteration and no contamination by heavy metals, pesticides, aflatoxins, or microbes.
Overall, the company is dedicated to replicating European foods and medicines in nutritional supplements. As the General Manger of Euromed USA explained in a recent press release,
“Our heritage is making extracts that are used as medicines in Europe.”
The company was founded 45 years ago and maintains offices in the United States and Europe. It was recently acquired by The Riverside Company, an American company headquartered in Presto, Pennsylvania.
You can learn more about Euromed’s formulas here.
Spanish Olive Fruit Extract Review Summary
For years, we’ve known that olive oil is good for your heart when taken in the right dosages. Extra virgin olive oil is particularly beneficial.
Essentially, with Spanish olive fruit extracts (SOFE) like Proliva, companies like Euromed have condensed the benefits of EVOO into an easy-to-use formula.
The effectiveness of Proliva at improving cardiovascular health was recently confirmed in a study for the second time. Watch for Proliva Spanish olive fruit extract to appear in cardiovascular health supplements in the near future.
