Virgin olive oil may help hypertension

Olive oil polyphenols are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study in Ame…

Olive oil polyphenols are associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study in American Journal of Hypertension suggests that one benefit associated with olive oil popyphenols is lowering blood pressure (BP) in individuals with mild hypertension.

R. Moreno-Luna at Universidad de Sevilla, Hospital Virgen del Rocio in Seville, Spain and colleagues conducted the study and found women with mild hypertension lowered both systolic anddiastolic blood pressure after 2 months of eating a diet with a polyphenol-rich olive oil.

Virgin olive oil or untreated olive oil contains high amounts of polyphenols.

For the study, researchers let 24 young women with high-normal blood pressure or stage 1 essential hypertension or simply mild hypertension use two diets, one with polyphenol-rich olive oil (about 30 mg per day) and the other with polyphenol-free olive oil for 2 months per diet with one month washout between the two diets.

Compared to baseline values, the diet with polyphenol rich olive oil caused a reduction of 7.91 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure and 6.65 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure.

The diet also reduced serum asymmetric dimethylarginine, oxidized low-density lipoprotein and plasma C-reactive protein and increased plasma nitrites/nitrates and hyperemic area after ischemia.

The researchers concluded "the consumption of a diet containing polyphenol-rich olive oil can decrease BP and improve endothelial function in young women with high-normal BP or stage 1 essential hypertension."

Polyphenols are available as dietary supplements.