A natural compound found in olives shows promise for treating obesity and diabetes.
- Diabetes and obesity have been increasing considerably in France for several years.
- These two pathologies are generally very disabling.
- Elenolic acid, a natural compound found in olives, may effectively lower blood sugar and aid weight loss, according to a new study.
The results of a new study on mice indicate that elenolic acid, a natural compound found in olives, can effectively reduce blood sugar and promote weight loss.
The researchers found that after just one week, obese and diabetic mice given oral elenolic acid weighed significantly less and had better blood sugar control than before treatment and compared with obese control mice not given elenolic acid. The effects were comparable to those of liraglutide and metformin.
After four to five weeks of treatment, the mice had a 10.7 percent reduction in obesity and blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity comparable to those of lean, healthy mice.
Obesity and diabetes: “Elenolic acid from olives has promising effects”
“Overall, the study showed that elenolic acid from olives has promising effects on hormone release and metabolic health, particularly in cases of obesity and diabetes,” said Mr. Liu, author of the research. “The compound appears to mimic the physiological conditions of feeding to directly promote the secretion of intestinal metabolic hormones, which helps regulate energy balance and metabolic health,” he analyzes.
“Lifestyle changes and public health measures have had limited impact on the increasing prevalence of obesity, one of the main risk factors for type 2 diabetes,” also explains research director Dongmin Liu, also a professor at Virginia Tech. “Available anti-obesity drugs are ineffective in maintaining weight loss, are expensive and/or carry long-term health risks. Our goal was therefore to develop safer, cheaper and more convenient agents,” he continues.
The research team is now working to understand how elenolic acid works by determining how it is absorbed, distributed, metabolized and excreted from the body.
Obesity and diabetes: what do the French figures say?
The obesity situation has continued to increase in France for several years, with its overall prevalence increasing from 17% in 2020 to 17.9% in 2024. This increase is particularly marked in the severe and massive obesity categories, indicating a progression towards more serious forms.
The prevalence of diabetes is also constantly increasing in France, going from 5.6% of the French population in 2015 to 6.07% in 2021. “Diabetes management currently represents a major socio-economic and public health challenge. In 2021, total expenditure on diabetes and reimbursed by Health Insurance exceeded 9 billion euros, an increase of 7% compared to 2020”, ends the FFD.
