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The effect of polyphenols in olive oil on heart disease risk factors: a randomized trial

BACKGROUND: Virgin olive oils are richer in phenolic content than refined olive oil. Small, randomized, crossover, controlled trials on the antioxidant effect of phenolic compounds from real-life daily doses of olive oil in humans have yielded conflicting results. Little information is available on the effect of the phenolic compounds of olive oil on plasma lipid levels. No international study with a large sample size has been done. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the phenolic content of olive oil further benefits plasma lipid levels and lipid oxidative damage compared with monounsaturated acid content. DESIGN: Randomized, crossover, controlled trial. SETTING: 6 research centers from 5 European countries. PARTICIPANTS: 200 healthy male volunteers. MEASUREMENTS: Glucose levels, plasma lipid levels, oxidative damage to lipid levels, and endogenous and exogenous antioxidants at baseline and before and after each intervention. INTERVENTION: In a crossover study, participants were randomly assigned to 3 sequences of daily administration of 25 mL of 3 olive oils. Olive oils had low (2.7 mg/kg of olive oil), medium (164 mg/kg), or high (366 mg/kg) phenolic content but were otherwise similar. Intervention periods were 3 weeks preceded by 2-week washout periods. RESULTS: A linear increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels was observed for low-, medium-, and high-polyphenol olive oil: mean change, 0.025 mmol/L (95% CI, 0.003 to 0.05 mmol/L), 0.032 mmol/L (CI, 0.005 to 0.05 mmol/L), and 0.045 mmol/L (CI, 0.02 to 0.06 mmol/L), respectively. Total cholesterol-HDL cholesterol ratio decreased linearly with the phenolic content of the olive oil. Triglyceride levels decreased by an average of 0.05 mmol/L for all olive oils. Oxidative stress markers decreased linearly with increasing phenolic content. Mean changes for oxidized low-density lipoprotein levels were 1.21 U/L (CI, -0.8 to 3.6 U/L), -1.48 U/L (-3.6 to 0.6 U/L), and -3.21 U/L (-5.1 to -0.8 U/L) for the low-, medium-, and high-polyphenol olive oil, respectively. LIMITATIONS: The olive oil may have interacted with other dietary components, participants' dietary intake was self-reported, and the intervention periods were short. CONCLUSIONS: Olive oil is more than a monounsaturated fat. Its phenolic content can also provide benefits for plasma lipid levels and oxidative damage. International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial number: ISRCTN09220811.

Trial
Journal Ref. Covas MI, et al: Ann Intern Med 2006, 145:333-341.
Intervention Drug - Extra Virgin Olive Oil (high phenolic content 366 mg/kg) for 3 weeks with 2 week wash out period
Number of sites 6
Countries involved 5
Sample size 200
Type of statistical analyses Intention-to-treat (also checked period-by-treatment but not statistically significant)
Risk of bias Overall: Low Risk details
Participant characteristics Age: 20-60
Condition: Normal healthy, non-smokers
Baseline severity: Clinical record, physical exam, blood pressure normal, normal blood test results
Duration of trial September 2002 through June 2003
Primary outcome Changes in biomarkers of oxidative damage to lipids
Effect Measures
Events Intervention Total Events Control Total Risk Diff.
1 1 1 1 0.00%
Oxidative biomarkers - oxidised LDL P value 0.014 -3.21 U/L (-5.1 to -0.8 U/L); high vs low polyphenol olive oil -3.79U/L (-6.8 to -0.4)
Show Score Ranges

Scores:

(shows median if more than one score was entered)

Elig. Recr. Setting Org. Int. Flex. Del. Flex. Adherence Follow-Up Prim. Out. Prim. An.
1 2 4 3 4 2 1 1 1