O-LIVE: Impact of a Portuguese Olive Oil in Health Biomarkers

Olive oil is an ancient product that is crucial for social cohesion and for local economies in the Mediterranean region, particularly in Portugal. There is ample evidence on the protective effect of olive oil in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, oncological diseases and neurological degeneration. Furthermore, olive oil has been shown to increase the rate of oxidation, inhibiting lipogenesis and stimulating lipolysis, in addition to affecting the expression of receptors involved in weight regulation and fat use. These health benefits of olive oil derive from its specific nutritional composition, with monounsaturated fatty acids, polyphenols and phenolic compounds, which act on metabolism, modulation of inflammatory responses and gene expression. But the composition of olive oil can vary considerably depending on the type of cultivation of olive trees, soil management practices, as well as the extraction and technological processes involved in olive oil production. In this work the investigators will use an olive oil rich in polyphenols (produced in a sustainable and local manner) and evaluate its effect on several important clinical parameters involved in chronic diseases. The investigators anticipate that the results of this work will help support the relationship between consuming higher polyphenol olive oil and improved overall health.