Fuente: Comité Oleícola Internacional Lugar: OHIS This week on the Olive Health Information System 
The newsletter of the University of Navarra and the IOC dedicated to health
Article 1
Recent research in the field of olive-related products continues to progress along two complementary but distinct lines: the analytical characterization of bioactive compounds in olive oil, and the evaluation of biological effects derived from Olea europaea leaf extracts. Together, these approaches help bridge the gap between chemical composition and potential physiological effects. The studies selected this week illustrate both ends of this spectrum, highlighting the importance of robust analytical methodologies as well as early-stage biological evidence from experimental models of oxidative stress.
The first set of studies focuses on the analytical characterization of bioactive compounds in olive-derived matrices. One study uses Fourier Transform Near-Infrared Spectroscopy to profile phenolic compounds in virgin olive oil, while the other combines High-speed shear extraction and liquid chromatography to quantify triterpenoid compounds in olive pomace. Both papers address the challenge of accurately identifying and quantifying bioactive constituents within the complex olive oil matrix. They emphasize the development and application of advanced analytical methodologies designed to improve sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility in the measurement of minor compounds. These contributions are particularly relevant for standardizing analytical approaches across studies, improving comparability of results, and strengthening the link between olive oil composition, dietary exposure, and potential health outcomes.
The second study investigates the hepatoprotective effects of Olea europaea leaf extract against oxidative stress in experimental hepatocyte and zebrafish embryo models. The results suggest that compounds present in olive leaf extracts may reduce oxidative damage and modulate cellular responses to reactive oxygen species, indicating potential cytoprotective properties. However, these findings are based on early-stage experimental models and should be interpreted as mechanistic and exploratory rather than directly translatable to humans. Nonetheless, they provide valuable insight into the antioxidant potential of olive leaf constituents and their possible role in oxidative stress-related pathways.
Taken together, these studies remind us that the strength of health-related research on olive-derived products begins with precision: knowing what compounds are present, in what amounts, and how they may act in biological systems. Improved analytical tools and early experimental models both contribute to building that evidence, although further clinical research is still needed.
Article 2
Mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and age-related muscle loss, or sarcopenia, are among the most important public health challenges associated with ageing. Given the limited effectiveness of current pharmacological treatments, researchers are increasingly exploring nutritional interventions that may help preserve cognitive function and support muscle integrity. Extra virgin olive oil has emerged as a promising dietary component due to its rich profile of bioactive phytochemicals and healthy fats. Among its most notable compounds are oleocanthal, a potent anti-inflammatory agent, and hydroxytyrosol, a powerful natural antioxidant. These compounds are thought to act on key mechanisms involved in neurodegeneration, including neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and beta-amyloid aggregation.
A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials examined the effects of olive oil and its constituents on cognitive outcomes in older adults. The review focused on whether extra virgin olive oil consumption could improve cognitive function in adults aged 60 years and older with mild cognitive impairment, dementia, or age-related cognitive decline. Across five eligible trials, including 747 participants and follow-up periods ranging from 6 months to 6.5 years, extra virgin olive oil supplementation was associated with modest but statistically significant improvements in cognitive performance. In particular, participants in the extra virgin olive oil groups achieved better scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale–Cognitive Subscale.
Olive-derived compounds may also have potential in the context of sarcopenia, a condition closely linked to frailty, disability, metabolic dysfunction, and increased mortality. Oxidative stress and chronic low-grade inflammation are considered important contributors to age-related muscle decline. In this context, a recent pilot study evaluated whether Oliphenolia®, a polyphenol-rich extract derived from olive mill wastewater, could influence muscle-related and antioxidant parameters in adults at metabolic risk. After 30 days of supplementation followed by a 30-day washout period, the study reported modest but consistent changes suggesting preservation of muscle-related indicators, improved systemic antioxidant status, and reduced fat mass. However, because this was a small, single-arm pilot study and the effects were not uniformly statistically significant, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis-generating.
Overall, recent evidence points to a promising role for extra virgin olive oil and olive-derived bioactive compounds in supporting healthy ageing, particularly in relation to cognitive function and muscle health. However, larger, well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings, clarify the underlying mechanisms, and determine whether these benefits can be sustained over the long term.
 
Other articles mentioned this week in the OHIS newsletter:
Olives fruit and olive oil
Hepatoprotective effect of Olea europaea L. leaf against oxidative stress in hepatocytes and zebrafish embryos. 
Quantitative determination of maslinic acid and oleanolic acid in olive pomace using high-speed shear extraction and liquid chromatography. 
High-Throughput Phenolic Profiling in Virgin Olive Oil Using Fourier Transform Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: A Tool for Breeding and Quality Assessment. 
Immunological, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects of Fig and Olive leaves extracts nanoparticles against Schistosoma mansoni in C57BL/6 mice. 
Rapid identification of olive oil adulteration based on information fusion combining Raman and LF-NMR with chemometrics. 
Green Valorization of Two-Phase Olive Pomace via Pressurized Liquid Extraction: Process Optimization, Comprehensive Metabolite Analysis and Functional Applications.
Adjuvant treatment with an oleuropein-enriched olive leaf extract improves periodontal outcomes in older adults with periodontitis: Metabolomic insights from a randomized controlled trial.
A Polyphenol-Rich Olive Oil By product-Derived Nutraceutical Preserves Muscle Health in Adults at Metabolic Risk: A Secondary Analysis of a Pilot Study.
 
Women’s health
Adherence to dietary patterns and their association with perinatal depression: a Scoping review. 
 
Chronic diseases
Both empirical dietary patterns and the 2018 World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research Score are associated with adiposity in older adults in New Zealand. 
Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Risk in Turkish Adults: a case-control study. 
 
Mediterranean Diet
Traditional Mediterranean Lifestyle: From a Heritage to a Legacy as an Inspirational Roadmap to a New Era.
From global to local: comparing the EAT-Lancet planetary health diets with the traditional Mediterranean Diet across Mediterranean countries.
Influence of Parental Lifestyle and Dietary Patterns on Mediterranean Diet Adherence in Children and Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Knowledge of Health Benefits of Fruits, Vegetables, and Antioxidants, Propensity to Sustainability and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet: An Interrelated Evaluation.
Comparison of mediterranean and healthy eating guideline interventions on the dietary inflammatory index in rheumatoid arthritis: results from a dietary randomised controlled intervention trial.
 
Metabolic disorders
Associations between Mediterranean diet adherence and body composition and metabolic outcomes in older adults at risk of sarcopenic obesity.
A culturally adapted online Mediterranean diet intervention for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (TIMA): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Randomized Mediterranean diet intervention to reverse metabolic syndrome: Preliminary findings at 6-month follow-up.
 
Cognitive health
Impact of Olive Oil Fatty Acids and Bioactive Compounds on Cognitive Function in Adults: A Systematic Review.
Effect of extra virgin olive oil on mild cognitive impairment and dementia in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials.
 
Others
Deep Frying in Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Evaluating the Influence of the Type of Food and Breading on the Degradation of Phenolic Compounds.
Comparative evaluation of sequence-dependent effects of pulsed electric field coupled with pectinase treatment on olive oil extraction efficiency.
MIND diet moderates the associations between cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative disease burden and cognition.
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