About olive oil and dementia
olive oil and dementia One-third of older adults die with Alzheimer disease or another dementia. While deaths from diseases such as stroke and heart disease have been decreasing over the past 20 years.. The Mediterranean diet has gained in popularity owing to its recognized, multifaceted health benefits, particularly on cardiovascular outcomes. Accruing evidence suggests this dietary pattern also has a beneficial effect on cognitive health. As part of the Mediterranean diet, olive oil may exert anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects due to its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and other compounds with antioxidant properties such as vitamin E and Polyphemus.
The facts
- The study found that consuming at least a half tablespoon of olive oil every day was associated with a 28 percent lower risk of dying from dementia.
- Participants who reported more olive oil consumption had a lower risk of dying from dementia, regardless of the quality of their diet or their adherence to the meridian diet, which consists of plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and moderate amounts of fish and poultry.
- Researchers found replacing about one teaspoon of margarine and mayonnaise with the equivalent amount of olive oil was associated with lower risk of dying from dementia.
- The study observed two cohorts of more than 92,000 male and female U.S. health professionals over 28 years. Roughly 65 percent of the participants were women. And 4,751 of the participants died of dementia during the study period.
How olive oil may improve cognition
director and professor at the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple University, who was not involved in the study, noted that “other compounds such as oleocanthal and oleuropein are [also] considered beneficial.”
“There is also some evidence showing that it is the combination of all these different compounds more than a single element responsible for the positive effects,” Dr. Pragmatic added.
Oleic acid may play a role in brain health
Dr. Amal Khalil Kaddoumi, a professor at the Harrison College of Pharmacy at Auburn University who was not involved in the research, has studied the link between olive oil and Alzheimer’s biomarkers. Her 2022 study evaluated the effects of olive oil on dementia, but not fatal dementia.
Dr. Kaddoumi and her colleagues found olive oil could protect the brain, improve memory, and reduce Alzheimer’s biomarkers. They suggest that oleic acid found in olive oil may contribute to the effect.
“EVOO [extra-virgin olive oil] enhanced the blood-brain barrier function and functional connectivity between different brain areas in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which could emphasize EVOKE-phenol’ effect,” Dr. Kaddoumi told MT.
Refined olive oil, or ROO, increased the functional brain activation for memory tasks in brain regions involved in cognition.
The new study found olive oil more brain-protective than margarine and mayonnaise.
Dr. Tessie pointed out some difference in levels of fatal dementia in her study may have to do with the fact that “until recently, commercial mayonnaise and margarine could contain artificial trans fats.”
Extra virgin olive oil: Benefits and preparation
“In general, extra virgin olive oil, which is prepared with a cold mechanical press, is considered the best for health benefits,” Dr. Praticò said.
This processing method, noted Kirkpatrick, “will retain the most nutrients from the olive, and is critical to the ‘extra virgin’ standard.”
Kirkpatrick cautioned that some manufacturers surreptitiously mix EVOO with other oils to lower their costs, and has posted guidance for choosing the best-quality olive oil and the best methods for storing it.
When it comes to the healthiest way to consume EVOKE, said Dr. Dr. Pragmatic, “it is common opinion that the best way to use it for a health benefit is raw (on your salad, on a piece of bread, etc.).”
How much olive oil should you consume each day?
According to Dr. Praticò, a healthy daily serving of olive oil is two tablespoons daily.
Noting that studies vary anywhere from 1 to 5 tablespoons daily, Kirkpatrick said, “I advise my patients to aim for at least 3 tablespoons a day for brain health.”
When asked if a person could consume too much olive oil daily, Dr. Tessier said:
“We did not observe an amount at which there was no longer an association, although it is important to note that few individuals consumed above 15 g/day — that is 15,000 mg/day — of olive oil,” Dr. Tessier said.
“We found a clear linear dose-response association between higher daily olive oil intake and lower risk of fatal dementia,” Dr. Tessier concluded.
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