This week on OHIS

This week on the Olive Health Information System website

The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health

Olive oil contains several important phytochemicals and fats that significantly contribute to its health benefits. These compounds are primarily responsible for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects. This week, the newsletter presents three studies focused on the effects of olive oil and its constituents on mental health outcomes.

The first study, a scoping review, found that olive oil consumption led to significant improvements in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Among six prospective studies, five found a correlation between higher baseline olive oil consumption and a reduced risk of developing mental health disorders or symptoms at a later stage. As a key component of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil plays a central role in promoting mental health.

A meta-analysis evaluating the effects of dietary patterns on cognitive function in healthy adults included 19 studies involving 12,119 participants. Results showed that dietary intervention groups experienced significant improvements in mental health outcomes compared to control groups. Dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil or nuts demonstrated a notable enhancement in overall cognitive performance (standardized mean differences (SMD)= 0.18, 95% CI [0.10, 0.26], P < 0.0001) and function (SMD= −0.13, 95% CI [−0.22,−0.04], P = 0.003).

Emerging evidence also suggests that the gut-brain axis (GBA) may play a critical role in neuroprotection. A recent review suggested that the intake of olive oil had a positive impact on GBA by promoting beneficial gut microbiota such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium and improved the production of short-chain fatty acids like acetate and butyrate. These compounds support neuroprotection, mood regulation, and cognitive function. Furthermore, olive oil contains several phenolic compounds, including hydroxytyrosol and ferulic acid, which help prevent neuroinflammation and oxidative stress, protecting neuronal cell damage. These findings point to the potential benefits of olive oil against neurodegenerative outcomes.

However, future research should prioritize well-designed randomized control trials to confirm its benefits. Investigating the optimal dosages of olive oil and its synergistic effects with other dietary components will be crucial for establishing its role in supporting mental health and cognitive function.

Other articles mentioned this week in the OHIS newsletter:

 Mental Health and Neurodegenerative disorders

The role of olive oil and its constituents in mental health: a scoping review

Systematic evaluation and meta-analysis of the effects of major dietary patterns on cognitive function in healthy adults.

Unveiling the neuroprotective impact of virgin olive oil ingestion via the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Obesity

Long-Term Efficacy and Safety of Nutritional and Pharmacological Strategies for Obesity.

Evaluation of the relationship of chronotype, MIND diet, and lifestyle factors in overweight and obese people: Path analysis and structural equation modeling.

Inflammatory bowel disease

Healthy Lifestyle Is a Protective Factor from Moderate and Severe Relapses and Steroid Use in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Using Diet to Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review.

Cancer

Adulthood dietary and lifestyle patterns and risk of breast cancer: Global Cancer Update Programme (CUP Global) systematic literature review.

Role of the Microbiome and Diet for Response to Cancer Checkpoint Immunotherapy: A Narrative Review of Clinical Trials.

Metabolic disorders

The effect of eating motivation on adherence to the Mediterranean diet, glycemia and lipid profile in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Prevention of cardiometabolic diseases through dietary modifications.

Pregnancy

Effects of Mediterranean diet during pregnancy on the onset of overweight or obesity in the offspring: a randomized trial.

Others

Effects of an intervention with EVOO and physical exercise in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: Efinutriles trial protocol.

Olive and Linseed Oil Blend-Based Nanoemulsions Fortified With Ginger Extract Nutraceutical: Mitigating Liver Fibrosis Induced by Carbon Tetrachloride by Regulating Oxidative Stress and TGF-β/MMP9 Signaling Pathway in Rats.

Evaluation of extra virgin olive oil compounds using computational methods: in vitro, ADMET, DFT, molecular docking and human gene network analysis study.

Evaluation of university students’ Mediterranean diet quality and sustainable eating behaviors: a cross-sectional study.