Impact of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) with Health Properties in Metabolic Syndrome

Summary

Metabolic syndrome (MS), defined according to the revised Adult Treatment Panel III - National Cholesterol Education Program (ATP III - NCEP) criteria, represents a widespread condition in Western populations (prevalence ranging from 22% to about 33%) and with a trend that increases with time and age. MS, not differently from each of the components that characterize it, is a known risk factor for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. To date, national and international panels indicate lifestyle modification as the only indication for treating MS and reducing the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The increase in daily physical activity and the modification of the diet are therefore the cornerstones of the treatment.

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) represents a traditional value of the Italian population which has shown in several studies a protective effect on mortality and survival free from cardiovascular events. The added value of MD is the presence of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), a healthy food with high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid, and variable concentrations (range 50-800 mg/kg) of phenols (oleuropein, ligstroside, and oleocanthal, and their derivatives phenolic alcohols, such as hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol). Olive oil is defined as healthy according to EC Reg. 432/2012. A good EVOO contains about 75% of oleic acid although a variability between 55% and 83% of all fatty acids is expected according to the World Health Organization. The polyphenols content plays a key role in the choice of the type and quantity of oil with health objectives, with particular reference to the unsaturated and polyunsaturated component (oleic acid, linoleic acid, alpha linolenic acid). Phenolic compounds not only determine EVOO main organoleptic qualities (oxidative stability and specific flavor and taste features) but, theoretically, make it a substance with antioxidant, antiinflammatory, insulin-sensitizing, cardioprotective, antiatherogenic, neuroprotective, immunomodulatory and anticancer activity.

The study aims to use a polyphenols enriched EVOO with health properties, derived from different cultivation variants of olives (cultivars), chosen on the basis of preliminary research, coming from Sicilian harvesting campaigns, to evaluate its potential to modify 'in vivo', in subjects with MS, some clinical and laboratory parameters inferring cardiovascular risk, metabolism and inflammation.

Conditions

• Metabolic Syndrome

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

EVOO polyphenols enriched

Addition of 40 ml daily of healthy polyphenols enriched EVOO to mediterranean diet for 6 months

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

EVOO standard

Addition of 40 ml daily of standard EVOO to mediterranean diet for 6 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Palermo

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Maurizio Soresi, MD · [email protected]

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

QUADRUPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-03-09

Primary Completion

2024-12-01

Completion

2024-12-03

Countries

• Italy

Study Locations