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Olive Oil Extract May Help
Prevent Obesity and Diabetes
...As Well As Providing Other Protective-Health Benefits...
An extract from extra-virgin olive oil may stimulate the function
of mitochondria in cells, and prevent diseases associated with
dysfunction like diabetes and obesity, according to a new study.
Results
of a cell study indicate that hydroxytyrosol may influence
gene
expression, which would influence mitochondrial function.
The
mitochondria are the 'power plants' of the cell, generating
chemical
energy by producing adenosince triphosphate (ATP),
the body's energy
currency. The researchers investigated effects
of hydroxytyrosol that
stimulate mitochondrial biogenesis and
promote mitochondrial function
in fat cells..
"Because mitochondrial loss and dysfunction are closely related
with
obesity and diabetes, these results suggest that supplement
with olive
oil (source of hydroxytyrosol) may have beneficial effects
on
preventing obesity and diabetes," the researchers explained.
The
results are published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.
Mediterranean Diet Benefits...
It's
well-known the Mediterranean diet has been associated with
a lower
incidence of certain cancers and of cardiovascular disease,
which is
the most common and serious complication of diabetes.
Since
Olive oil is the principal source of fa ts in the Mediterranean
diet,
and hydroxytyrosol is considered to be one of the most potent
constituents of its therapeutic nutritional efficacy. They hypothesised
that the Mediterranean diet or supplementation with HT
(hydroxytyrosol)
could stimulate mitochondrial function and prevent
diabetes and obesity-
related mitochondrial dysfunction, thus reducing
the risk of cardiovascular
disease.
Study Details...
The
researchers tested the effects of different concentrations of
hydroxytyrosol, ranging from 0.1 to 10 micromoles per litre, on the
expression of proteins linked to mitochondrial function on fat cells.
"In the present study, we showed that hydroxytyrosol over the
concentration range of 0.1-10 micromoles per litre stimulated the
protein expression of [peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor
(PPAR) coactivator 1 alpha (PPARGC1-alpha)] - the central factor
for
mitochondrial biogenesis," wrote the researchers. "We showed
that hydroxytyrosol is a nutrient that effectively stimulates mitochondrial
biogenesis and function," they added.
"This
mitochondrial targeting property may provide a possible
mechanism for
the efficacy of the Mediterranean diet for lowering
the risk of
cardiovascular disease and also suggests that
hydroxytyrosol may be
used as a therapeutic intervention for
preventing type-2 diabetes and
obesity," they concluded.
Source: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry
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