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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Olive oil

Scientists discover olive oil directly impacts genes to halt inflammation

(NaturalNews) Research has been steadily accumulating that olive oil, a main component of the Mediterranean diet, has extensive health-protective properties. For example, phytonutrient components of olive oil have been found to be effective against breast cancer cells (http://www.naturalnews.com/025633_cancer_olive_oil_brst.html) and studies suggest the abundance of olive oil in the Mediterranean style of eating may be the reason that diet helps prevent depression (http://www.naturalnews.com/027265_depression_mediterranean_diet_healt...). Nowscientistshave discovered that phenolic compounds inolive oildirectly repress genes linked toinflammation.



This could be especially important in halting the dangerous effects ofmetabolic syndrome. Characterized by excess abdominalfat, high cholesterol, highbloodpressure and high blood glucose levels, metabolic syndrome is linked to type 2 diabetes,heart disease, and early death.

Research published in the journalBMC Genomicsinvestigated changes ingenesmediated by oliveoilphenols (which are most abundant in the extra-virgin varieties of olive oil). The double-blind, randomized study, headed by Francisco Perez-Jimenez from the University of Cordoba, involved 20researchsubjects, all with metabolic syndrome. For six weeks, the patients did not take any supplements or drugs and they were all placed on similar low-fat, carbohydrate-rich diets. Then, forbreakfast, they ate either a breakfast containing virgin olive oil with a high content of phenolic compounds or a similar breakfast with low phenol content.

The research team took blood samples after the meals to check for the expression of over 15,000 human genes. The results? The high phenol olive oil clearly impacted the regulation of almost 100 genes -- many of which have been linked to obesity, high blood fat levels, type 2diabetesand heart disease.

"We identified 98 differentially expressed genes when comparing the intake of phenol-rich olive oil with low-phenol olive oil. Several of the repressed genes are known to be involved in pro-inflammatory processes, suggesting that thedietcan switch the activity of immune system cells to a less deleterious inflammatory profile, as seen in metabolic syndrome," Dr. Perez-Jimenez said in a statement to the press."These findings strengthen the relationship between inflammation, obesity and diet and provide evidence at the most basic level of healthy effects derived from virgin olive oil consumption in humans."

The ability of olive oil's phenolic compounds to reduce or prevent inflammation also provides a molecular basis for the reduction of heartdiseaseobserved in Mediterranean countries, where virgin olive oil represents a main source of dietary fat.

For more information:
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2164/11/253
http://www.naturalnews.com/olive_oil.html

Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/029294_olive_oil_inflammation.html#ixzz1vQwqSAvL

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