Effect of extra virgin olive oil on glycaemia in healthy young subjects

• Published in: European journal of lipid science and technology Vol. 114; no. 9; pp. 999 - 1006
• Main Authors: Oliveras-López, María-Jesús, Innocenti, Marzia, Martín Bermudo, Francisco, López-García de la Serrana, Herminia, Mulinacci, Nadia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01.09.2012; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; blood glucose; blood pressure; cholesterol; excretion; Extra virgin olive oil; Fat industries; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Glycaemia; high density lipoprotein; homovanillic acid; humans; low density lipoprotein; phenolic compounds; Secoiridoids; triacylglycerols; urine; very low density lipoprotein; volunteers; Young subjects; Oils and fats industry; Secoiridoids; Glycaemia; Healthy subject; Young subjects; Vegetable oil; Extra virgin olive oil; Olive oil; Edible oil; Virgin oil
• ISSN: 1438-7697; 1438-9312
• DOI: 10.1002/ejlt.201100368

In this approach we studied the glycaemia levels in 20 healthy young volunteers (26 ± 2 years), before and after a 30‐day intake of 50 mL of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). We selected an oil rich in phenolic compounds (523 mg/L) with a high content of secoiridoidic derivatives (over 94.5%). The findings from our study reveal a significant decrease of glycaemia from 89.6 ± 6.8 to 82.7 ± 10.3 mg/dL (p<0.05), related to a long term daily intake of the study EVOO, as the only added fat. A significant increment of the HDL cholesterol, from 68.7 ± 11.5 to 75.2 ± 4.9 mg/dL, was also highlighted. Total cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, triglycerides, and blood pressure did not show significant variation after the 30‐day consumption of this EVOO. So far, few articles have described the influence of EVOO consumption, on plasma glucose levels in humans. This effect is observed in a group of healthy young humans. Moreover, we confirm that the level of free hydroxytyrosol (OH‐Tyr) in plasma increased up to fourfold (p<0.05) after the 30‐day intake of this EVOO. In addition, the excretion in urine of the main metabolite of OH‐Tyr, homovanillic acid (HVA), significantly increased. Glycaemia (mg/dL) and HDL cholesterol levels (mg/dL) in humans before (white) and after (black) the intake of the study EVOO for 30 days. *p<0.05.