Local company works with Air Force to save lives on the battlefield
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SHREVEPORT, LA (KTBS) — A local company has joined forces with the Air Force to try to save lives on the battlefield.
But before they got into the business of a potentially life-saving platelet powder, they first dipped into the benefits of Olive Oil. You probably have some in your cupboard. It’s great in recipes and salads, but a local company has turned extra virgin olive oil into a business.
“Oleolive started when we found out about a particular compound in olive oil. Olive oil has a bunch of phenolic compounds which are generally regarded as the therapeutic part of olive oil,” said Kiley Grant, Oleolive co-founder.
“There’s a ton of applications from cancer applications, to Alzheimer’s to cosmetics and really those are the main focus areas on the body,” said Grant.
But the company is now growing beyond its olive oil roots. A new product it’s developing could help servicemen and women who are injured in combat.
“Oleolive started when we found out about a particular compound in olive oil. Olive oil has a bunch of phenolic compounds which are generally regarded as the therapeutic part of olive oil,” said Kiley Grant, Oleolive co-founder.
“There’s a ton of applications from cancer applications, to Alzheimer’s to cosmetics and really those are the main focus areas on the body,” said Grant.
But the company is now growing beyond its olive oil roots. A new product it’s developing could help servicemen and women who are injured in combat.
Why would that be important for a soldier wounded in battle?
“What if we could increase the amount platelets in your body to 150% of your normal value? Theoretically, you will stop bleeding sooner,” said Grant.
When it’s time for use the platelet powder would be combined with sterile saline solution and then given to the wounded in the field through an I-V. With Barksdale Air Force Base here in the area this product garners even more significance for the co-founder of the company who grew up in Bossier City and is now working on a project that is funded by the Air Force.
“Having Barksdale close by, having a lot of friends and families. Growing up some of our closest friends were military people. Maybe if they do get hurt, they have a little more time to get to a trauma center, a little higher odds of surviving….you know there’s a lot there,” said Grant.
The folks at Oleolive are also excited about a new clinical trial that was just published showing high levels olagen which is in olive oil, appears to beneficial in treating the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
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