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This week on the Olive Health Information System website
The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health
Article 1
This week’s research brings fresh insight into the powerful role of olive oil and the Mediterranean diet in promoting health and preventing chronic disease. From the molecular mechanisms of olive phenols to large-scale reviews on metabolic health, science continues to confirm what tradition has long known: the Mediterranean way of eating is as protective as it is delicious.
A new experimental study in a mouse model of atopic dermatitis found that oleuropein, one of the main phenolic compounds in olive leaves and olive oil, modulates immune responses and reduces inflammation. Researchers observed lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and improved tissue regeneration, suggesting oleuropein’s potential as a natural anti-inflammatory agent with benefits extending beyond skin health.
A recent meta-analysis assessed the effects of three key olive-derived compounds — oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and tyrosol — on cardiometabolic risk factors. The findings revealed consistent reductions in inflammation markers, blood pressure, and lipid levels, highlighting how olive polyphenols act on biological pathways that protect against diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
A systematic review and meta-analysis, featured in the new Italian national guidelines on the Mediterranean Diet, reinforces its effectiveness in managing pre-existing metabolic conditions. Evidence shows significant improvements in blood glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and liver function. These results confirm that the Mediterranean diet remains the gold standard for a healthy and sustainable dietary pattern.
From molecular insights to clinical outcomes, these studies remind us that the benefits of olive oil and the Mediterranean diet are deeply rooted in science. As research advances, incorporating extra virgin olive oil and Mediterranean principles into daily life remains one of the most evidence-based choices for long-term well-being.
Article 2
The Mediterranean diet, with extra virgin olive oil as its cornerstone fat source, remains one of the most evidence-based and health-promoting dietary patterns worldwide. A recent comprehensive review on the biological effects of olive oil and oleic acid synthesized current findings and concluded that, despite some heterogeneity across studies and populations, the overall body of evidence supports significant cardiometabolic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective benefits. These effects are attributed not only to the monounsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid, but also to the phenolic compounds unique to extra virgin olive oil. Importantly, the review emphasized that olive oil’s health effects are most consistent when consumed as part of the broader Mediterranean diet dietary pattern—rich in vegetables, legumes, fish, and nuts—rather than as an isolated nutrient or supplement.
This notion of synergistic benefits is further supported by recent clinical and observational studies. A hospital-based case-control study conducted in Tehran investigated the association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and the risk of endometriosis. Using validated dietary adherence scores, researchers found that women with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet and a higher Healthy Diet Indicator score had significantly lower odds of developing endometriosis. Proposed mechanisms include the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant actions of olive oil polyphenols and other plant-derived compounds, as well as favorable modulation of hormonal and immune pathways that may help counteract the chronic inflammatory state characteristic of endometriosis.
Complementing these findings, a randomized controlled clinical trial assessed the effectiveness of a Mediterranean diet intervention compared with standard dietary counseling in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. The results demonstrated that adherence to the Mediterranean diet significantly improved gastrointestinal symptoms and quality-of-life parameters. The intervention was deemed both feasible and effective, with outcomes showing that the Mediterranean diet was at least non-inferior and, in several measures, superior to traditional dietary advice. These findings suggest that beyond its systemic anti-inflammatory potential, the Mediterranean diet—likely through the action of extra virgin olive oil in modulating the gut microbiota and oxidative stress—may help restore intestinal homeostasis and reduce the psychosomatic burden associated with irritable bowel syndrome.
Taken together, these three studies converge on a central concept: the Mediterranean diet functions as a holistic nutritional framework whose overall effectiveness exceeds the sum of its individual components.
Other articles mentioned this week in the OHIS newsletter:
Olive oil and olive fruit
Thermal power plant proximity alters Olive composition and induces cytotoxicity in human cells.
Mental Health
Cardiometabolic diseases
Mediterranean Diet
Liver disease
Digestive disease
The Mediterranean Diet for Irritable Bowel Syndrome : A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Metabolic diseases
Evolution of prediabetes in an urban cohort of adults living in a Mediterranean area.
Dietary patterns
Healthy dietary patterns in relation to multimorbidity among schoolteachers.
Kidney disease
Relationship between different diet indices and frailty and mortality in population with CKD.
Women’s health
Mediterranean diet adherence and healthy diet indicator might decrease odds of endometriosis.
