Olive Oil: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Dosage, and Warnings

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Olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, it's rich in antioxidants. The main fat in olive oil is monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). The antioxidants in olive oil can help protect the body from cell damage that can lead to a wide range of health conditions and diseases.

1. What is olive oil?

Olives are a traditional crop of the Mediterranean region. People make olive oil by pressing whole olives. Olive oil is most commonly used by people with heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
Olive oil is used in cooking, cosmetics, medicine, soap and as fuel for traditional lamps. Olive oil originally came from the Mediterranean, so far it is popular all over the world.
In food, olive oil is used as cooking oil and salad dressing. Olive oils are classified according to their free oleic acid content. Extra virgin olive oil contains up to 1% free oleic acid, extra virgin olive oil 2% and regular olive oil 3.3%. Unrefined olive oil will have a higher percentage of free oleic acid than 3.3%, which is considered "unfit for human consumption".

2. The action of olive oil

The fatty acids in olive oil seem to lower cholesterol levels and have anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, olive leaves and olive oil can lower blood pressure. Olive oil can also kill germs, such as bacteria and fungi.

3. Uses and effectiveness of olive oil

What is olive oil for and does it really work as expected?
3.1. Olive oil can be effective breast cancer;. Women who use a lot of olive oil in their daily diet seem to have a lower risk of breast cancer than those who don't. Heart disease. People who use olive oil in their daily diet seem to have a lower risk of heart disease as well as a lower risk of heart attack than people who use other oils. Moreover, using olive oil also helps lower cholesterol. Because, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are risk factors for heart disease. Several recent studies have also shown that following a diet that includes olive oil also reduces the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart disease-related death compared to following a similar diet. include little or no olive oil. Constipation . Taking olive oil by mouth can help soften stools in people with constipation. Diabetes . People who eat higher amounts of olive oil (about 15-20 grams per day) seem to have a lower risk of diabetes than those who don't use this oil. However, eating more than 20 grams per day will not increase the health benefits. Recent research shows that olive oil can improve blood sugar control in people with diabetes. Olive oil in the Mediterranean diet may also reduce the risk of "hardening of the arteries" (atherosclerosis) in diabetics compared to polyunsaturated oils such as sunflower oil.
High cholesterol. Using olive oil in the diet instead of saturated fat might lower total cholesterol levels in people with high cholesterol. However, some other dietary oils can also help lower total cholesterol better than olive oil. High Blood Pressure. Adding large amounts of extra virgin olive oil to the diet along with continuing with conventional treatments for high blood pressure may improve blood pressure in people with high blood pressure over a short period of time. period is 6 months. In some cases, people with mild to moderate high blood pressure who take olive oil can reduce the dose of their blood pressure medication or even stop taking it altogether. However, you should not arbitrarily adjust your medication without consulting a specialist.

3.2. Olive oil may not be effective Earwax; Applying olive oil to the skin doesn't seem to soften earwax. Ear infection (otitis media). Applying olive oil to the skin does not seem to relieve pain in children with otitis media. 3.3. The effects of olive oil are not well documented Eczema (atopic dermatitis). Early research shows that applying a mixture of honey, beeswax, and olive oil along with standard care seems to improve eczema. Cancer; People who use a lot of olive oil seem to have a lower risk of cancer. Leakage of body fluid (chyme) into the space between the lungs and the chest wall. Occasionally, chyme leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall during esophageal surgery. So, drinking about half a cup of olive oil eight hours before surgery can help prevent this injury. Memory and thinking ability (cognitive function). Middle-aged women who used olive oil for cooking appeared to have improved memory and thinking abilities compared with those who used other oils. Colon cancer, rectal cancer. Some studies suggest that people who consume a lot of olive oil in their diet may have a lower risk of colorectal cancer than those who don't. Gastrointestinal infections can lead to ulcers (Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori). Early research shows that taking 30 grams of olive oil before breakfast for 2 to 4 weeks helps clear a Helicobacter pylori infection in some people.
Metabolic syndrome including high blood pressure, excess body fat or high blood sugar can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke or diabetes. Olive leaf extract supplements seem to help control blood sugar in men. However, it doesn't seem to have any effect on reducing body weight, cholesterol levels, or blood pressure. Fat accumulation in the liver in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Adding olive oil to a low-calorie diet may improve fatty liver better than the regimen of NAFLD patients alone. Osteoarthritis ; Early research shows that taking a frozen aqueous extract of olives or an extract of olive leaves reduces pain and increases mobility in people with osteoarthritis. Osteoporosis . Taking olive leaf extract daily along with calcium might slow bone loss in postmenopausal women with low bone density.

Ovarian Cancer . Observational studies show that women who use more olive oil in their daily diet have a lower risk of ovarian cancer. Psoriasis . Early research shows that applying a mixture of honey, beeswax, and olive oil to the skin along with standard care might improve psoriasis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some studies show that people whose diets include large amounts of olive oil have a lower risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. However, new early research shows that drinking olive extract does not significantly improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

4. Some Olive Oil Side Effects and Warnings

4.1. When taken by mouth Olive oil is POSSIBLY SAFE when taken in appropriate amounts by mouth (about 28 grams a day). In cases where oil intake is up to 1 liter per week, olive oil is safe to use as part of a Mediterranean diet. Furthermore, olive leaf extract is also safe when taken by mouth in appropriate amounts. However, currently there is not enough reliable information about the safety of olive leaves.
4.2. When applied to the skin Olive oil is quite safe when applied to the skin. Allergic reactions are slow and effective with dermatitis.
4.3. When inhaled, Olive Trees produce pollen that can cause seasonal respiratory allergies in some people.

5. Some warnings

For pregnant and lactating women. Currently, there isn't enough reliable information about the use of olives for this person. Therefore, they should not be used in amounts larger than those normally found in foods. Diabetes. Olive oil may have a blood sugar-lowering effect. People with diabetes should check their blood sugar when using olive oil. Surgery. Olive oil can affect blood sugar control, especially during and after surgery. Therefore, olive oil should be stopped 2 weeks before surgery.

6. Interaction

Diabetes medications interacts with olives Olives and olive oil can lower blood sugar. Diabetes medications are also used to lower blood sugar. Taking both olive oil and diabetes medication at the same time can cause your blood sugar to drop too low.
Antihypertensive drugs interacts with olives Olives seem to work to lower blood pressure. Taking olives along with medications for high blood pressure might cause your blood pressure to drop too low.

7. Dosage

The following dosages have been studied in scientific studies:
For constipation: use 30ml of olive oil. To prevent heart disease: use 54 grams of olive oil per day (about 4 tablespoons). For the prevention of diabetes. A diet rich in olive oil has been used in doses of about 15-20 grams per day. For high cholesterol: Using 23 grams of olive oil per day (about 2 tablespoons) provides 17.5 grams of monounsaturated fatty acids in place of saturated fat in the diet. For high blood pressure: use 30-40 grams per day in the diet or 400 mg of olive leaf extract per day.

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Reference source: webmd.com