June 27, 2011 – Older people who consume a lot of olive oil may be at lower risk of having a stroke, European study finds1.
The researchers came to this conclusion after analyzing – over 6 years – the appearance of stroke and the consumption of olive oil in 7625 people with an average age of 74 years, without a history of heart disease.
Considering other variables, such as weight, body mass index and physical activity, people who used olive oil for both cooking and dressing saw their risk of stroke decrease. 41% compared to those who did not consume olive oil.
Participants who consumed olive oil moderately – for cooking or in salad dressings – reduced their risk of stroke by 20%. In total, there were 148 strokes during the study.
The researchers also analyzed in parallel the level of oleinic acid (biological marker of olive oil consumption) in the blood of another cohort of 1,245 participants and the incidence of stroke. The results show that the higher the presence of oleinic acid in the blood, the lower the risk of stroke in the subjects.
The authors believe that a high consumption of olive oil in the elderly would be an inexpensive and simple recommendation to prevent stroke among this group.
However, the editorial2 accompanying the study published in the journal Neurology points out that the benefits of olive oil can be indirect, as it often accompanies foods that are good for health: vegetables, fish, fruits.
Carole Boulé – PasseportSanté.net
1. Samieri C, Féart C et al. Olive oil consumption, plasma oleic acid, and stroke incidence: The Three-City Study, Neurology, 2011 Jun 15.
2. Scarmeas N, Dauchet L., Olive oil: relevant to neurologic diseases too?, Neurology ,. 2011 Jun 15.
