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Lee Swanson Research Update
Moderate Consumption of Olive Oil May Reduce Systolic Blood Pressure
February 2007
Olive oil may help lower systolic blood pressure in men who do not typically consume a Mediterranean diet, according to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition.
In a randomized, crossover study researchers evaluated the effects of a moderate consumption of olive oil on blood pressure in a group of 160 healthy men from non-Mediterranean regions (Finland, Denmark and Germany) and Mediterranean regions (Italy and Spain).
The participants received three similar olive oils (25 mL/day), differing only in their phenolic content, in a crossover design, with three three-week intervention periods and two two-week washout periods. At nine-week intervention end, subjects from the non-Mediterranean regions showed a three percent decrease in systolic blood pressure, but not in diastolic blood pressure, compared to baseline.
Researchers concluded: "The results of this study suggest that a moderate consumption of olive oil may be used as an effective tool to reduce systolic blood pressure of healthy men who do not typically consume a Mediterranean diet. However, additional longer trials are necessary for confirmation."
The Journal of Nutrition 137(1):84-87, 2007
