Supplements Oligonol Health Benefits and Uses By Cathy Wong facebook twitter Cathy Wong is a nutritionist and wellness expert. Her work is regularly featured in media such as First For Women, Woman's World, and Natural Health. Learn about our editorial process Cathy Wong Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Richard Fogoros, MD on March 16, 2015 Richard N. Fogoros, MD, is a retired professor of medicine and board-certified internal medicine physician and cardiologist. He is Verywell's Senior Medical Advisor. Learn about our Review Board Richard Fogoros, MD Updated on June 21, 2020 Print Niels Busch/Cultura/Getty Images More in Healthy Eating Supplements Recipes Nutrition Facts Basics Sports Nutrition Weight Management Eat Well Strategies Special Diets Kids' Nutrition View All Oligonol is a substance extracted from lychee fruit. Known to offer antioxidant effects, oligonol is touted as a natural remedy for a number of health problems. In addition, oligonol is said to promote weight loss and slow the aging process. Uses In alternative medicine, oligonol is purported to help treat the following health conditions: DiabetesInflammationInfluenzaInsulin resistanceMetabolic syndrome Oligonol is also said to protect the body from the negative effects of stress, and inhibit the buildup of abdominal fat. Benefits To date, research on the health effects of oligonol on humans is limited. However, there's some evidence that oligonol may offer certain benefits. Here's a look at a few key findings from available studies: 1) Inflammation Preliminary research suggests that oligonol may help reduce inflammation, an aging-related biological process linked to the development of many diseases. In a small study published in Nutrition Research and Practice, researchers assigned 19 healthy young men to four weeks of treatment with either a placebo or a dietary supplement containing oligonol. By the study's end, those treated with oligonol showed a decrease in several markers of inflammation (compared to members of the placebo group). In addition, oligonol appeared to help reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol. 2) Obesity In 2018, a double blind case/control study published in Current Nutrition and Food Science, 60 healthy, overweight, and obese Saudi Arabian females were given either oligonol or a placebo for 12 weeks without making changes to their diet or lifestyle. Of the 47 women who completed the study, the oligonol group showed no weight gain while the placebo group saw a significant increase in their average weight. 3) Diabetes A 2016 study published in Archives of Pharmacy Research investigated the anti-diabetic activities of oligonol and found that it inhibited α-glucosidase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), which are essential phytochemicals used in type 2 diabetes treatment and prevention. 4) Influenza Oligonol may help fight off the flu, suggests a 2010 study published in Phytomedicine. In a laboratory experiment, scientists discovered that oligonol may help inhibit the growth and spread of the influenza virus. Caveats It's important to keep in mind that dietary supplements haven't been tested for safety by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and are largely unregulated. In some cases, the product may deliver doses that differ from the specified amount for each herb. In other cases, the product may be contaminated with other substances such as metals. Also, the safety of supplements in pregnant women, nursing mothers, children, and those with medical conditions or who are taking medications has not been established. You should research how to use supplements safely. Due to a lack of scientific research on humans, little is known about the safety of long-term use of supplements containing oligonol. Where to Find It Widely available for purchase online, supplements containing oligonol can be found in many natural-foods stores and in stores specializing in dietary supplements. Using Oligonol for Health Due to the limited research, it's too soon to recommend oligonol as a treatment for any condition. It's important to note that self-treating a condition with oligonol and avoiding or delaying standard care may have serious consequences. If you're considering the use of oligonol in the treatment of a condition, make sure to consult your physician before starting your supplement regimen. Self-treating and avoiding or delaying standard care can have serious consequences. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get nutrition tips and advice to make healthy eating easier. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Lee JB, Shin YO. Oligonol supplementation affects leukocyte and immune cell counts after heat loading in humans. Nutrients. 2014;6(6):2466-77. doi:10.3390/nu6062466 Bahijri SM, Ajabnoor G, Hegazy GA, et al. Supplementation with Oligonol, Prevents Weight Gain and Improves Lipid Profile in Overweight and Obese Saudi Females. Curr Nutr Food Sci. 2018;14(2):164-170. doi:10.2174/1573401313666170609101408 Ding AJ, Zheng SQ, Huang XB, et al. Current Perspective in the Discovery of Anti-aging Agents from Natural Products. Nat Prod Bioprospect. 2017;7(5):335-404. doi:10.1007/s13659-017-0135-9 Choi JS, Bhakta HK, Fujii H, et al. Inhibitory evaluation of oligonol on α-glucosidase, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, cholinesterase, and β-secretase 1 related to diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Arch Pharm Res. 2016;39(3):409-20. doi:10.1007/s12272-015-0682-8 Gangehei L, Ali M, Zhang W, Chen Z, Wakame K, Haidari M. Oligonol a low molecular weight polyphenol of lychee fruit extract inhibits proliferation of influenza virus by blocking reactive oxygen species-dependent ERK phosphorylation. Phytomedicine. 2010;17(13):1047-56. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.03.016 Bhakta HK, Paudel P, Fujii H. et al. Oligonol promotes glucose uptake by modulating the insulin signaling pathway in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells via inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B. Arch Pharm Res. 2017;40:1314–1327. doi:10.1007/s12272-017-0970-6 Yasueda A, Ito T, Maeda K. Review: Evidence-based Clinical Research of Anti-obesity Supplements in Japan. Immunol Endocr Metab Agents Med Chem. 2013;13(3):185-195. doi:10.2174/1871522213666131118221347 Lee JB, Shin YO, Min YK, Yang HM. The effect of Oligonol intake on cortisol and related cytokines in healthy young men. Nutr Res Pract. 2010;4(3):203-7. doi:10.4162/nrp.2010.4.3.203 Goldberg EL, Dixit VD. Drivers of age-related inflammation and strategies for healthspan extension. Immunol Rev. 2015;265(1):63-74. doi:10.1111/imr.12295 Lee JB, Shin YO, Min YK, Yang HM. The effect of Oligonol intake on cortisol and related cytokines in healthy young men. Nutr Res Pract. 2010 Jun;4(3):203-7. doi:10.4162/nrp.2010.4.3.203 Gangehei L, Ali M, Zhang W, Chen Z, Wakame K, Haidari M. Oligonol a low molecular weight polyphenol of lychee fruit extract inhibits proliferation of influenza virus by blocking reactive oxygen species-dependent ERK phosphorylation. Phytomedicine. 2010 Nov;17(13):1047-56. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2010.03.016 U.S. Food & Drug Administration. What You Need to Know about Dietary Supplements. Updated November 29, 2017.