Abstract
PurposeOverweight and obesity are associated with many health problems, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). Evidence from previous studies has shown that extracts from olive leaves rich in olive phenolics are able to positively affect CVD risk factors, such as high blood pressure and dyslipidemia. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of 8-week olive leaf extract (OLE) administration on blood lipid profiles in overweight/obese subjects with mildly elevated cholesterol levels.MethodsIn this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 77 healthy adult overweight/obese subjects (aged 56 ± 10 years and BMI 29.0 ± 2.7 kg/m2) with total cholesterol levels of 5.0–8.0 mmol/L (5.9 ± 0.7 mmol/L) were randomly assigned to receive 500 mg of OLE (n = 39) or placebo (n = 38) for 8 weeks. In total, 74 subjects completed the entire study protocol. At baseline, after 4 weeks, and after 8 weeks of supplementation, blood lipid profiles, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), blood pressure, glucose, and insulin levels were assessed. In addition, liver function parameters were measured at baseline and after 8 weeks.ResultsOLE supplementation did not significantly affect blood lipid levels after 4 weeks or after 8 weeks compared to placebo (all p > 0.05). For oxLDL, blood pressure, glucose, and insulin levels and liver function parameters, also no statistically significant differences were found between the two intervention groups (all p > 0.05).ConclusionsBlood lipid profiles were not significantly affected by 8 weeks OLE supplementation in overweight/obese subjects with mildly elevated cholesterol levels.Trial registeredThe trial has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02990637).
Highlights
The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased rapidly over the last decades and poses a major public health concern, as excess body weight is associated with many health problems such as diabetes, liver disease, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer [1, 2]
After 4 weeks, there were a significant decrease in triglyceride levels (p = 0.028) and a significant improvement in the triglyceride-to-high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol ratio in the olive leaf extract (OLE) group compared to the placebo (p = 0.018), but these effects did not remain significant after correction for multiple testing
The effect of 8 weeks of OLE supplementation on markers of CVD was investigated in overweight/ obese participants with mildly elevated cholesterol levels
Summary
The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased rapidly over the last decades and poses a major public health concern, as excess body weight is associated with many health problems such as diabetes, liver disease, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer [1, 2]. It is considered to start with damage to the endothelial layer caused by CVD risk factors associated with obesity, such as high blood pressure and dyslipidemia [3, 4]. The latter includes increased blood cholesterol levels, which is widely used as screening marker in clinical practice. In case of markedly elevated cholesterol levels (total cholesterol > 8.0 mmol/L), treatment with cholesterol-lowering medication is usually prescribed. For individuals with moderately or slightly elevated cholesterol levels, instead of medication, the use of lifestyle
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