Is olive oil good for you? A systematic review and meta-analysis on anti-inflammatory benefits from regular dietary intake

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2020-01, Vol.69, p.110559-110559, Article 110559
• Main Authors: Fernandes, João, Fialho, Mónica, Santos, Rodrigo, Peixoto-Plácido, Catarina, Madeira, Teresa, Sousa-Santos, Nuno, Virgolino, Ana, Santos, Osvaldo, Vaz Carneiro, António
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Inflammatory Agents - administration & dosage; Biomarkers; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - drug effects; Clinical trials; Consumption; Cultural heritage; Cytokines; Dairy products; Diabetes; Diet; Diet, Healthy - methods; Diet, Mediterranean; Dietary intake; Disease; Eating - physiology; Fats; Food processing; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators - blood; Interleukin 6; Interleukin-6 - blood; Intervention; Legumes; Literature reviews; Markers; Meals; Meat; Mediterranean diet; Meta-analysis; Metabolic syndrome; Nuts; Oil consumption; Oils & fats; Olive oil; Olive Oil - administration & dosage; Processed foods; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Spices; Systematic review; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - blood; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Tumor necrosis factor-α; Vegetable oils; Water consumption; Wine; Womens health; Yogurt
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2019.110559

•An olive oil–rich diet has beneficial effects on C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 compared with low-fat diets.•The effect of olive oil is more pronounced in trials over 3 mo.•Future dietary interventions should detail the type of olive oil used. The prevalence of non-communicable diseases is rapidly increasing, and evidence shows that diet and lifestyle are key areas of intervention to decrease their burden. Olive oil is considered one of the key nutritional components responsible for the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, which is characterized by the use of olive oil in meals as the main source of fat; a high consumption of water, fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, spices, and herbs; a moderate consumption of dairy products (mainly cheese and yogurt), fish, poultry, and red wine; and a reduced consumption of red meat and processed foods. The aim of this review was to summarize evidence from randomized controlled trials on the effect of regular dietary intake of olive oil on three inflammatory markers: C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Reviewed RCTs reveal beneficial effects of olive oil by reducing levels of inflammation markers. Olive oil taken on a regular basis can be a good dietary fat alternative, especially to manage IL-6. However, further research is required to clarify the effects of olive oil consumption on inflammation, comparing to other fats. Moreover, olive oil daily dosage, different time-lenght intervention and follow-up periods should be taken into consideration.