What are the health effects of consuming high amounts of olive oil?

Health Benefits of High Olive Oil Consumption

Consuming high amounts of olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, is associated with significant cardiovascular and metabolic health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) by up to 14% and coronary heart disease (CHD) by 18% compared to non-consumers. 1, 2

Cardiovascular Benefits

• Daily consumption of olive oil (10g or more) is associated with:

  • Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) by 9-16% 1
  • Prevention of cardiovascular disease 1
  • Lower risk of CHD and total CVD in U.S. adults 2
  • 10% reduced risk of CVD for each additional 10g of extra virgin olive oil consumed daily 1

• Secondary analysis from the PREDIMED trial showed participants with highest energy-adjusted consumption of olive oil had:

  • 35% lower risk of CVD with total olive oil 1
  • 39% lower risk of CVD with extra virgin olive oil specifically 1

Metabolic Benefits

• High olive oil intake is not associated with increased risk of becoming overweight or obese 1
• When used to replace saturated fats:
  • Improves lipid profiles 2
  • Reduces inflammatory biomarkers 2
  • Helps maintain healthier body weight compared to butter 1

Mechanisms of Action

• Virgin oils (like extra virgin olive oil) are preferred due to:

  • Low-temperature refinement preserving beneficial phenolic compounds 1
  • High content of monounsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid 3
  • Presence of polyphenols (oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol) with antioxidant properties 3

• When cooking green vegetables with olive oil:

  • Increases vitamin A bioavailability 1
  • Aids absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (carotenoids, vitamins D, E, and K) 1

Mediterranean Diet Context

• Olive oil is the main source of fat in the Mediterranean diet, which is inversely associated with prevalence of cardiometabolic disorders 4
• The PREDIMED trial demonstrated Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil reduced risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and CVD mortality by approximately 30% after 4.8 years 1

Cancer Risk Considerations

• Olive oil consumption is not associated with increased cancer risk 1
• Most likely neutral with respect to cancer risk 1

Important Caveats and Considerations

• While beneficial, excessive consumption of any fat, including olive oil, should be monitored as it is a significant source of calories 1, 4
• Extra virgin olive oil should be preferentially used within the context of a balanced diet 4
• The optimal amount appears to be 10-35g/day (approximately 1-2.5 tablespoons) based on prospective cohort studies 5
• Benefits are maximized when olive oil replaces less healthy fats (like butter, margarine, or dairy fat) rather than being added to existing diet 2

Dosing Recommendations

• Most studies showing benefits used daily consumption amounts of 10-35g/day (approximately 1-2.5 tablespoons) 5
• Higher olive oil intake (>7g/day or >0.5 tablespoon/day) was associated with significant cardiovascular benefits in U.S. adults 2
• Replacing just 5g/day of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, or dairy fat with olive oil was associated with 5-7% lower risk of total CVD and CHD 2

In conclusion, high olive oil consumption, particularly extra virgin olive oil, provides substantial health benefits when used as part of a balanced diet and especially when replacing less healthy fats. The evidence strongly supports its role in reducing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk.