Research
Micronutrients & recovery
Specific bioactive compounds in the Mediterranean Diet, particularly oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol from extra virgin olive oil, exert anti-inflammatory and epigenetic effects that may prevent neurodegenerative diseases and colorectal cancer.
Ensure your extra virgin olive oil is high quality and unrefined to preserve phenolic compounds like oleuropein. These compounds are linked to anti-inflammatory and potential neuroprotective benefits, though human dosing for specific disease prevention is not yet fully established.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
In a rodent model, dietary supplementation with oleuropein aglycone, a secoiridoid abundant in EVOO, has been shown to improve learning and synaptic functions by increasing brain levels of acetylated histone-4 at lysine-5 (AcH4K5)... a MD eating pattern rich in oleuropein aglycone may contribute to the prevention of AD through epigenetic mechanisms.
Why this rating
Strong preclinical (rodent/cell) data; human observational data is supportive but less definitive for specific compounds.
Source
Mediterranean Diet and Prevention of Chronic Diseases
Donato F. Romagnolo et al. · Nutrition Today · 2017
narrative_reviewCited 179×
Read the paper This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →