Scientific evidence of the benefits of virgin olive oil for human health

Olive oil is considered to be one of the most healthy dietary fats. There are, however, several types of olive oil present on the market. With the data at present available, the most healthy of them is the virgin olive oil (VOO), rich in phenolic compounds. On November 2011, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) released a claim concerning the benefits of the daily ingestion of olive oil rich in phenolic compounds, such as the VOO. In this review, we will summarize the work which have provided scientific evidence of the benefits of VOO consumption over other type of edible oils even olive oils. Data from randomized, controlled human studies, will be presented. This type of studies are able to provide evidence of Level I which is that required for performing nutritional recommendations at population level.Se considera al aceite de oliva una de las grasas más saludables de la dieta. Hay, sin embargo, varios tipos de aceite de oliva presentes en el mercado. Con los datos actualmente disponibles, el más saludable de ellos es el aceite de oliva virgen (AOV), rico en compuestos fenólicos. En noviembre de 2011, la Autoridad Europea de Seguridad Alimentaria (EFSA) publicó un declaración acerca de los beneficios de la ingesta diaria de aceite de oliva rico en compuestos fenólicos, como el VOO. En esta revisión, vamos a resumir el trabajo que ha proporcionado la evidencia científica de los beneficios del consumo de AOV sobre otro tipo de aceites comestibles e incluso sobre los otros tipos de aciete de oliva. Presentamos, asimismo, los datos de estudios aleatorizados y controlados en humanos. Este tipo de estudios proporcionan evidencia de nivel I, que es el nivel requerido para ofrecer recomendaciones nutricionales a nivel poblacional

Empirically-derived food pattern and total ortality in the PREDIMED study

[Background]: There has been growing interest in the last years in assessing the relationship between diet and disease through the study of whole dietary patterris and not only focusing on single nutrients or foods. Though several studies have assessed the relationship between a posteriori dietary patterns and different health outcomes, there is little evidence on post hoc dietary patterns and all cause mortality in Southern European populations.[Objective]: To identify the association between a posteriori defined major dietary patterns and total mortality in the PREDIMED study. Methods We followed-up 7,340 participants (57.5 percent women, mean age: 67 years) during a median follow-up time of 4.8 years. To assess dietary exposures, a validated 137-item semi-quantitative food- frequency questionnaire was administered. Dietary patterns were ascertained through a factor analysis based on 30 predefined food groups. Participants were classified according to tertiles of adherence to dietary pattern scores at baseline. Cox regression models were used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) for mortality. Deaths were confirmed by review of medical records and consultation of the National Death Index.[Results]: We identified two major dietary patterns: the “Western” dietary pattern and “Mediterranean” dietary pattern. During follow- up, 337 participants died. Among deceased participants, the median age of death was 70 (6.5). After controlling for potential confounders including the intervention group, higher baseline adherence to a “Mediterranean” dietary pattern was associated with lower risk of all- cause mortality (adjusted HR for third tertile vs. first textile: 0.68; 95 la CI: 0.49—0.95) (p for trend 0.028). [Conclusion]: Higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet may reduce the risk of all-cause mortality in elderly people at high cardiovascular risk

Human transcriptome response after Mediterranean diet consumption

Trabajo presentado en el IV Congress of International Society of Nutrigenetics/Nutrigenomics ISNN, celebrado en Pamplona (España) del 18 al 20 de noviembre de 2010.[Introduction]: Despite the benefits associated with healthy diets, data on the mechanisms by which these benefits are promoted are scarce. Our aim was to explore the global transcriptomic response of biological pathways related to cardiovascular disease associated with traditional Mediterranean diet (TMD) intervention.[Methods]: The PREDIMED study is a large on-going, parallel, multicentre, randomized, controlled trial aimed at assessing the TMD effect on primary cardiovascular prevention. High cardiovascular risk participants were recruited and assigned to one of the following interventions: 1) TMD plus virgin olive oil (VOO); 2) TMD plus mixed nuts; or 3) low-fat diet (control group). In a sub sample of 30 volunteers of the PREDIMED-Barcelona Sur Centre, gene expression changes in peripheral mononuclear cells, after 3 months of intervention, were assessed by microarray analysis (Affymetrix) in which about 30,000 individual human genes were included. Crude and adjusted models for data analyses were performed separately in two different centres. Pearson´s correlation coefficients for log2ratio (post-intervention/pre-intervention value) and T-statistics were greater than 0.97. Gene ontology analyses were performed by Bioingenuity Software on genes with T-statistics ≥1.5 or ≥-1.5 after interventions.[Results]: Analyses of canonical pathways related with cardiovascular risk highlighted that: 1) MUFA versus PUFA rich diets (MUFA/PUFA ratio >3.5; TMD plus VOO and Low-fat) promoted changes in clusters of genes associated with cytokine and nuclear receptor signaling; and 2) TMD plus VOO promoted changes in blood pressure related pathways. In agreement with this, the greatest decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were observed after TMD plus VOO diet.[Conclusions]: One of the mechanisms by which MUFA rich diets, and particularly a TMD rich in virgin olive oil, can exert their health benefits is through an enhancement of the global transcriptomic response in pathways related with cardiovascular risk

Effects of 1-Year Intervention with a Mediterranean Diet on Plasma Fatty Acid Composition and Metabolic Syndrome in a Population at High Cardiovascular Risk

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become an important public concern due to its increasing prevalence. An altered fatty acid composition has been associated with MetS, but the Mediterranean diet has been shown to have a protective effect. The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of a Mediterranean dietary pattern, as assessed by the biomarkers of food supplied, on the plasma fatty acid composition and its relation with MetS after 1 year of intervention. METHODS: A total of 424 subjects were randomly selected from the PREDIMED randomized dietary trial after completing a 1-year intervention program. Participants aged 55 to 80 years and at high risk of cardiovascular disease were randomly assigned to three dietary interventions: Mediterranean diet supplemented with virgin olive oil or nuts, or a low-fat diet. RESULTS: After 1 year of intervention participants in the virgin olive oil group showed significantly increased plasma concentrations of palmitic and oleic acids, but reduced proportions of margaric, stearic, and linoleic acids. In turn, subjects in the nut group showed significantly increased levels of palmitic, linoleic, and α-linolenic acids, but reduced proportions of myristic, margaric, palmitoleic, and dihommo-γ-linoleic acids. Increases in the biomarkers of foods supplied to the Mediterranean diet groups, i.e., oleic and α-linolenic acids, were beneficially associated with the incidence, reversion and prevalence of MetS. No weight changes were observed among participants. CONCLUSIONS: The nut and olive oil diets induced a fatty acid composition that has been shown to be beneficial in the face of MetS. Therefore, a Mediterranean diet rich in fats of vegetable origin may be a useful tool for the management of MetS without the need for concerns over weight gain due to its high fat content

Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet

© 2013 Massachusetts Medical Society[Background]: Observational cohort studies and a secondary prevention trial have shown an inverse association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular risk. We conducted a randomized trial of this diet pattern for the primary prevention of cardiovascular events.[Methods]: In a multicenter trial in Spain, we randomly assigned participants who were at high cardiovascular risk, but with no cardiovascular disease at enrollment, to one of three diets: a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts, or a control diet (advice to reduce dietary fat). Participants received quarterly individual and group educational sessions and, depending on group assignment, free provision of extra-virgin olive oil, mixed nuts, or small nonfood gifts. The primary end point was the rate of major cardiovascular events (myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from cardiovascular causes). On the basis of the results of an interim analysis, the trial was stopped after a median follow-up of 4.8 years.[Results]: A total of 7447 persons were enrolled (age range, 55 to 80 years); 57% were women. The two Mediterranean-diet groups had good adherence to the intervention, according to self-reported intake and biomarker analyses. A primary end-point event occurred in 288 participants. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios were 0.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54 to 0.92) and 0.72 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.96) for the group assigned to a Mediterranean diet with extra-virgin olive oil (96 events) and the group assigned to a Mediterranean diet with nuts (83 events), respectively, versus the control group (109 events). No diet-related adverse effects were reported.[Conclusions]: Among persons at high cardiovascular risk, a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts reduced the incidence of major cardiovascular events.Supported by the official funding agency for biomedical research of the Spanish government, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), through grants provided to research networks specifically developed for the trial (RTIC G03/140, to Dr. Estruch; RTIC RD 06/0045, to Dr. Martínez-González and through Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición [CIBERobn]), and by grants from Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC 06/2007), Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria–Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (PI04-2239, PI 05/2584, CP06/00100, PI07/0240, PI07/1138, PI07/0954, PI 07/0473, PI10/01407, PI10/02658, PI11/01647, and P11/02505), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (AGL-2009-13906-C02 and AGL2010-22319-C03), Fundación Mapfre 2010, Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (PI0105/2007), Public Health Division of the Department of Health of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia, Generalitat Valenciana (ACOMP06109, GVACOMP2010-181, GVACOMP2011-151, CS2010-AP-111, and CS2011-AP-042), and Regional Government of Navarra (P27/2011)

Virgin olive oil phenolic compounds modulate the HDL lipidome in hypercholesterolaemic subjects: a lipidomic analysis of the VOHF study

The lipidomic analysis of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) could be useful to identify new biomarkers of HDL function. Methods and results: A randomized, controlled, double-blind, crossover trial (33 hypercholesterolaemic subjects) is performed with a control virgin olive oil (VOO), VOO enriched with its own phenolic compounds (FVOO), or VOO enriched with additional phenolic compounds from thyme (FVOOT) for 3 weeks. HDL lipidomic analyses are performed using the Lipidyzer platform. VOO and FVOO intake increase monounsaturated-fatty acids (FAs) and decrease saturated and polyunsaturated FAs in triacylglyceride (TAG) species, among others species. In contrast, FVOOT intake does not induce these FAs changes. The decrease in TAG52:3(FA16:0) after VOO intake and the decrease in TAG52:5(FA18:2) after FVOO intake are inversely associated with changes in HDL resistance to oxidation. After FVOO intake, the decrease in TAG54:6(FA18:2) in HDL is inversely associated with changes in HDL cholesterol efflux capacity. Conclusion: VOO and FVOO consumption has an impact on the HDL lipidome, in particular TAG species. Although TAGs are minor components of HDL mass, the observed changes in TAG modulated HDL functionality towards a cardioprotective mode. The assessment of the HDL lipidome is a valuable approach to identify and characterize new biomarkers of HDL function.The VOHF project (AGL2009-13517-457 C03-01) and the AppleCOR Project (AGL2016-76943-C2) were made possible with the support of the Ministerio de Economía, Indústria y Competitividad, the Agencia Estatal de Investigación, and the European Regional Development Fund. U.C. has a Pla Estratègic de Recerca i Innovació en Salut (PERIS) postdoctoral grant (no. SLT002/16/00239; Catalunya, Spain) from the Generalitat de Catalunya. A.P. has a Torres Quevedo postdoctoral grant with the Subprograma Estatal de Incorporación, Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica Técnica y de Innovación. M.F. has a Sara Borrell postdoctoral contract (CD17/00233 to M.F.-St.Pau). O.C. has a JR17/00022 contract from Instituto de Salud Carlos III. CIBER de Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM) is a project of Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Madrid, Spain). The NFOC-Salut group is a consolidated research group of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain (reference no. 2017 SGR 522)

The Effects of the Mediterranean Diet on Biomarkers of Vascular Wall Inflammation and Plaque Vulnerability in Subjects with High Risk for Cardiovascular Disease. A Randomized Trial

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with reduced morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular disease. However, how the MD exerts its effects is not fully known. Aim: To assess the 12-month effects of two enhanced MDs compared to a low-fat diet on inflammatory biomarkers related to atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability in a subcohort of the PREDIMED (Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea) study. Methods: A total of 164 participants at high risk for cardiovascular disease were randomized into three diet groups: MD supplemented with 50 mL/d of extra virgin olive oil (MD+EVOO) or 30 g/d of nuts (MD+Nuts) and a low-fat diet. Changes in classical cardiovascular risk factors, inflammatory biomarkers of atherosclerosis and plaque vulnerability were measured after 12 months of intervention. Results: Compared to participants in the low-fat diet group, those receiving MD+EVOO and MD+Nuts showed a higher decrease in systolic (6 mmHg)and diastolic (3 mmHg) blood pressure (P = 0.02; both), as well as a reduction of 10% and 8% in LDL-cholesterol (P = 0.04), respectively. Patients in the MD+Nuts group showed a significant reduction of 34% in CD40 expression on monocyte surface compared to low-fat diet patients (P = 0.03). In addition, inflammatory biomarkers related to plaque instability such as C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 were reduced by 45% and 35% and 95% and 90% in the MD+EVOO and MD+Nuts groups, respectively (P<0.05; all) compared to the low-fat diet group. Likewise, sICAM and Pselectin were also reduced by 50% and 27%, respectively in the MD+ EVOO group (P = 0.04) and P-selectin by 19% in MD+Nuts group (P = 0.04) compared to the low-fat diet group. Conclusions: Adherence to the MD is associated with an increase in serum markers of atheroma plaque stability which may explain, at least in part, the protective role of MD against ischemic heart disease