Drinking 25 mL of high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil daily delivers 8 mg of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, more than the 5 mg/day recommended for antioxidant benefits, but blood levels of these...
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
The healthy compounds in high-phenolic olive oil get absorbed and immediately trigger cells to make their own antioxidant tools. These tools clean up damage in the body, even though the original compounds vanish from the blood within hours. That’s why blood tests show no trace of them, but the body...
Most probable mechanism
When people consume high-phenolic olive oil, the compounds tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol are absorbed from the gut and quickly enter cells, where they trigger a cellular defense system that turns on genes for antioxidant enzymes. These enzymes clean up harmful molecules in the blood and tissues, even though the original compounds disappear from the bloodstream within hours.
Tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol are absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract after ingestion of high-phenolic extra virgin olive oil
These phenolic compounds activate the PI3K/Akt and ERK1/2 signaling pathways in vascular and immune cells
Activation of these pathways prevents the degradation of the transcription factor Nrf2, allowing it to accumulate and translocate to the nucleus
Nrf2 binds to antioxidant response elements in DNA, increasing the production of antioxidant enzymes including heme oxygenase-1, superoxide dismutase-1, and catalase
Elevated levels of these enzymes enhance the plasma's ability to neutralize free radicals and reduce lipid peroxidation
Paraoxonase-1 activity increases due to reduced oxidative inactivation and direct stabilization by phenolic metabolites, improving its capacity to break down oxidized lipids in lipoproteins
Tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol are rapidly metabolized and cleared from circulation, resulting in undetectable fasting plasma concentrations despite sustained biological activity
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
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High-Tyrosol/Hydroxytyrosol Extra Virgin Olive Oil Enhances Antioxidant Activity in Elderly Post-Myocardial Infarction Patients
Contradicting (0)
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