Preventing Alzheimer’s dementia: Olive oil can significantly reduce the risk of dementia
Large Harvard study confirms that daily use of olive oil reduces the risk of death from dementia
Olive oil has long been known to have numerous health-promoting properties. However, a major recent study from Harvard has shown that olive oil, a central element of the Mediterranean diet, can not only reduce the risk of developing dementia, but also significantly reduce the likelihood of death from dementia: Just one teaspoon of olive oil a day – that’s around seven grams – is said to reduce the risk of dying as a result of dementia by more than a quarter, namely 28 percent.
Long-term study with impressive results
In the 28-year prospective cohort study, the Harvard scientists led by Anne-Julie Tessier, PhD, and Marianna Cortese, PhD, investigated whether the daily consumption of a specific amount of olive oil alone can reduce the likelihood of dementia. They also examined how the quality of the diet and the replacement of other fats such as margarine or butter with olive oil influence this relationship.
Extensive database for reliable conclusions
The observational study analyzed data from 92,383 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS). All participants, on average 56 years old at the start of the study, worked in the healthcare sector and were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer at the start of the study and were observed in the period from 1990 to 2018.
Olive oil consumption was recorded every four years using a questionnaire and divided into four categories: never or less than once a month, more than 0 to a maximum of 4.5 g/day, more than 4.5 to a maximum of 7 g/day and more than 7 g/day. The quality of the diet was assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI) and the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS).
At the end of the survey period, it was found that 4,751 participants had died of dementia over time. The majority of these were people who had stated that they consumed less than seven grams of olive oil a day or none at all.
Olive oil as a life-prolonging factor
The study concluded that consuming more than seven grams of olive oil per day (about half a tablespoon) reduces the risk of dying from dementia by 28 percent. Dementia-related deaths were ascertained from death registries and analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Swapping other fats for olive oil also reduces the risk of dementia
People who replaced just five grams of margarine or mayonnaise with the equivalent amount of olive oil every day were also able to reduce their risk by eight to 14 percent. According to the researchers, other dietary habits had no influence on the risk of dementia. The protective effect of olive oil was also shown in people who have a genetically increased risk of dementia of up to nine times higher.
Further studies confirm the positive effects of olive oil on Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
These findings are supported by further studies. Various studies have investigated the neuroprotective properties of olive oil and its ingredients and show promising results. Rationale: Olive oil contains important antioxidants such as oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal, which can reduce oxidative stress and modulate neuroprotective signaling pathways. These compounds help to reduce inflammation and improve cognitive function.
In Alzheimer’s research, studies have shown that hydroxytyrosol and hydroxytyrosol butyrate trigger a protective cascade against oxidative damage and inflammation by activating Nrf2. Similar neuroprotective effects were observed in models of Parkinson’s disease, where these compounds were able to prevent the apoptosis of neuronal cells. These studies also highlight the potential of olive oil in the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Harvard study strengthens the recommendation for olive oil
The Harvard study now also suggests that a higher consumption of olive oil is associated with a lower risk of dementia-related deaths, regardless of the general quality of the diet. This supports the recommendation to society to include olive oil in the diet to promote cognitive health.
Source:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2818362
More studies on the neuroprotective effects of olive oil:
https://link.springer.com/article/10.14283/jpad.2022.99
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/13/7/762
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/25/3/1914
