Extra virgin olive oil: More than a healthy fat

Abstract

The beneficial effects of a Mediterranean diet on human health and, in particular, on lowering risk of cardiovascular disease, has been mainly attributed to its high content to extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). While its main fatty acid, oleic acid, is considered important to these effects, EVOO has other biological properties that depend on, or are potentiated by other minor components of this oil. Initially, the mechanisms considered as possible causes of this cardioprotective effect of EVOO were based on the incidence on the so-called traditional risk factors (especially lipids and blood pressure). However, the high relative reduction in the prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality were not proportional to the limited findings about regulation of those traditional risk factors. In addition to several studies confirming the above effects, current research on beneficial effect of EVOO, and in particular in conjunction with Mediterranean style diets, is being focused on defining its effects on newer cardiovascular risk factors, such as inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation, platelet aggregation, fibrinolysis, endothelial function or lipids or on the modulation of the conditions which predispose people to cardiovascular events, such as obesity, metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes mellitus. In the current review, we will mainly focus on reviewing the current evidence about the effects that EVOO exerts on alternative factors, including postprandial lipemia or coagulation, among others, discussing the underlying mechanism by which it exerts its effect, as well as providing a short review on future directions.

The Role of High Fat Diets and Liver Peptidase Activity in the Development of Obesity and Insulin Resistance in Wistar Rats

“…Several studies have indicated relationships between the saturation of dietary fat and the concentrations of total plasma cholesterol and higher blood pressure [5], hepatic steatosis [6], adipose chronic inflammation [6], ectopic lipid deposition in the liver and brown fat [6], overweight [6,7], hyperinsulinemia [7], and hepatic insulin resistance [8]. However, high fat diets that are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids exert a protective role [9][10][11][12][13][14][15].High monounsaturated fatty acids diets also have demonstrated an effect on the secretion of the insulinotropic peptide GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) [16,17]. GLP-1 is an incretin hormone with antidiabetic action that is capable of stimulating insulin secretion [18,19], increasing beta cell neogenesis [20], inhibiting beta cell apoptosis [20], inhibiting glucagon secretion [21], delaying gastric emptying, and inducing satiety [20,21].…”

“…Several studies have indicated relationships between the saturation of dietary fat and the concentrations of total plasma cholesterol and higher blood pressure [5], hepatic steatosis [6], adipose chronic inflammation [6], ectopic lipid deposition in the liver and brown fat [6], overweight [6,7], hyperinsulinemia [7], and hepatic insulin resistance [8]. However, high fat diets that are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids exert a protective role [9][10][11][12][13][14][15].…”

Anti-Atherogenic Properties of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

“…EVOO use was also associated with improved post-prandial blood glucose and LDL-C in healthy subjects [8].Habitual consumption of EVOO has been also reported to improve endothelial function in patients with prediabetes and diabetes [9]. Further, the systematic review on beneficial effects of EVOO, and in conjunction with the Mediterranean style diets, reported that EVOO improved inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation, platelet aggregation, fibrinolysis, and endothelial function [10].In conclusion, although EVOO may have possible antiatherogenic properties, the real beneficial effects of EVOO on human health need to be clarified in new well-designed clinical studies.…”

“…Habitual consumption of EVOO has been also reported to improve endothelial function in patients with prediabetes and diabetes [9]. Further, the systematic review on beneficial effects of EVOO, and in conjunction with the Mediterranean style diets, reported that EVOO improved inflammation, oxidative stress, coagulation, platelet aggregation, fibrinolysis, and endothelial function [10].…”

An overview of the pharmacology of olive oil and its active ingredients

“…). Even though a correct lifestyle that includes proper dietary habits and physical exercise is of preeminent importance(Sherling et al, 2017), accumulated evidence suggests that EVOO and its minor components, via multi-targeted actions, might indeed lower the risk of metabolic syndrome and, after proper randomized trials, might be employed as adjunct therapeutic agents (Yubero-Serrano, Lopez-Moreno,Gomez-Delgado, & Lopez-Miranda, 2018).…”