Munich, Germany—Two new studies have shown that Wacker’s HTEssence, an ingredient containing hydroxytyrosol extracted from olives, has a positive effect on heart health, according to a press release.

In an initial randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in 2018, 29 healthy volunteers consumed 30mg of hydroxytyrosol per day for four weeks. In a 2020 study, arranged similarly, 92 volunteers took 30mg hydroxytyrosol per day for 12 weeks. Both studies have demonstrated a reduction of LDL cholesterol in the blood plasma—the first study showed reduced LDL cholesterol by 9.4mg/dL, the second showed reduced LDL cholesterol by 8.5mg/dL.
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The press release notes that, according to the World Health Organization, 17.9 million people die of cardiovascular diseases every year, making CVD the top cause of death worldwide. High LDL cholesterol is a factor in the occurrence of coronary heart disease and arteriosclerosis.