The Impact of Olive Oil Polyphenols on Aging and Longevity
Polyphenols in olive oil have been studied for their beneficial effects on human health and metabolism, owing to their popularity in various diets like the Mediterranean one.
Regularly consuming polyphenol-rich olive oil reduces blood pressure, improves lipid profile, and prevents cardiovascular disease, aging-related cognitive dysfunction, and neurodegeneration; check out Gundry MD Olive Oil reviews.
Antioxidant
The phenolic compounds in olive oil can be powerful antioxidants. Olive oil phenolics are a part of the lipids in olives and are the oil’s accustomed preservatives. They blot chargeless radicals, which can advance the oxidation of the oil and accelerate the advancement of rancidity.
In vivo studies have shown that phenolic compounds protect cells from oxidative stress and inflammation. They also promote mitochondrial operation, the powerhouses of our cells that supply us with energy. By promoting cellular well-being, mitochondrial operation, and longevity, OO polyphenols decrease the threat of cardiovascular disease and age-related cognitive decline like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease.
Another study involving CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells has found that oleuropein, apigenin 7-glucoside, and luteolin-7-glucoside polyphenols can stimulate hematopoiesis. Hematopoiesis declines with advancing age, leading to anemia and myeloid malignancies. OO polyphenols can inhibit this decline and prevent immunosenescence, improving the efficiency of hematopoiesis. This effect is mediated via modulation of the AMPK-mTOR pathway.
Anti-inflammatory
The phenolic compounds in olive oil (specifically, hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal, and caffeic acid) help to reduce inflammation in the body. Inflammation can increase your risk of heart disease, arthritis, and other conditions. Inflammation also increases your blood pressure. Increasing your blood pressure will raise your risk of stroke, heart attack, and other problems.
Studies have shown that consuming high-polyphenol olive oils can lower your BP and improve cardiovascular health. Polyphenols in OO can reduce the amount of triglycerides in your blood and may protect against Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.
The phenolic compounds can also help prevent diabetes and other inflammatory diseases. For example, oleuropein and the flavonoids apigenin 7-glucoside and luteolin-7-glucoside produced antidiabetic effects in human cells and animal models. In addition, oleuropein and oleocanthal inhibited cyclooxygenase-2 activity in hepatocytes, which reduces arachidonate levels in the bloodstream. This decreases IL-6 and CRP, markers for inflammation and oxidative stress.
Anticancer
The olive oil phenolics (oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, and oleacanthal) have powerful anti-inflammatory properties, reducing chronic inflammation. This is important as this is the root cause of a lot of diseases, including obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and cancer.
They can also inhibit cancer cell proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and invasion of cancer cells, preventing recurrence in early-stage tumors. Additionally, it has been found that hydroxytyrosol, one of the main phenolics, inhibits epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expression in colon cancer cells and promotes the degradation of EGFR, therefore suppressing colon carcinogenesis.
Anti-aging
Polyphenols are phytochemicals naturally occurring in plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and beverages (like tea or coffee). They act as antioxidants, reducing inflammation and stopping harmful chemicals from damaging cells.
When choosing olive oil, look for bottles labeled with their polyphenol content. The more phenols, the better. A couple of taste signifiers to look for indicate a high amount of polyphenols in the oil: pungent and bitterness. Pungency indicates a higher level of the phenol oleocanthal, while bitterness is associated with the phenol oleuropein.
Studies suggest that consuming a diet rich in oleic acid and phenolic compounds like hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, caffeic acid, and oleuropein aglycone can significantly impact the “hallmarks of aging.” These include telomere attrition, epigenetic changes, proteostasis loss, mitochondrial dysfunction, and deregulated nutrient sensing.
