Abstract
The rates of metabolic syndrome are increasing in parallel with the increasing prevalence of obesity, primarily due to its concomitant insulin resistance. This is particularly concerning for women, as the years around menopause are accompanied by an increase in visceral obesity, a strong determinant of insulin resistance. A fall in estrogens and increase in the androgen/estrogen ratio is attributed a determining role in this process, which has been confirmed in other physiological models, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. A healthy lifestyle, with special emphasis on nutrition, has been recommended as a first-line strategy in consensuses and guidelines. A consistent body of evidence has accumulated suggesting that the Mediterranean diet, with olive oil as a vital component, has both health benefits and acceptable adherence. Herein, we provide an updated overview of current knowledge on the benefits of olive oil most relevant to menopause-associated metabolic syndrome, including an analysis of the components with the greatest health impact, their effect on basic mechanisms of disease, and the state of the art regarding their action on the main features of metabolic syndrome.
Highlights
The metabolic syndrome (MetS) consists of a cluster of risk factors that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) [1]
The findings show that the risk of diabetes in individuals in the highest Olive oil (OO) intake category was lower than in the lowest one (relative risk (RR) = 0.84; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.77, 0.92), and OO supplementation in subjects with type 2 diabetes was associated with a more pronounced reduction of HbA1c and fasting glycemia than in control groups [119]
These difficulties are exacerbated in women around the time of the menopause, when hormonal changes begin to promote central obesity
Summary
The metabolic syndrome (MetS) consists of a cluster of risk factors that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) [1]. This cluster includes dysglycemia, increased blood pressure, lipid abnormalities as defined by hypertriglyceridemia and low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and central obesity [2]. A conservative estimate is that around 100 million people may be affected worldwide, but the figure might be higher [3] This makes the MetS a public health issue with a definitive impact on any healthy ageing strategy. Central obesity, is understood as a trigger because of its predisposing effect on insulin resistance [4]
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