Nutritional formula enriched with EVOO for critically ill patients

EVOO for critical patients

The Endocrinology and Nutrition Department at the Jaén University Hospital has been awarded the Adventia-Senpe Foundation-Senpe grant at the 37th Congress of the Spanish Society of Nutrition and Metabolism. It was awarded for its work on the clinical efficacy of a high-calorie, high-protein enteral nutrition formula enriched with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a medical nutritional therapy for critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation.

At a meeting of specialists held in Granada, the work of these professionals and their contribution to improving the treatment of patients admitted to the Critical Care Unit using extra virgin olive oil was recognized, as announced by the Andalusian Government on Wednesday.

The principal investigators are Carmen Gutiérrez and Roberto Carlos Romo. They are joined by Ana Segarra, María Sánchez Prieto, and Juan de Dios Barranco, all from the Endocrinology and Nutrition Unit at Jaén Hospital, as well as María del Carmen Molina, from the ICU. Also participating are Carmen Rosa, a Fibao technician; Ainhoa ​​Plaza, from Hospital Pharmacy, and María Josefa Martínez, head of the Endocrine Unit.

The most recent scientific studies provide increasing evidence of the health benefits of olive oil, demonstrating that it has a protective effect against various diseases.

Thanks to its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic acid), olive oil provides other important benefits, such as raising HDL (good) cholesterol levels, lowering LDL-C (bad) cholesterol, helping control high blood pressure, reducing the risk of blood clots, and preventing the onset of diabetes.

In addition to its effects on cardiovascular disease, EVOO, due to its antioxidant properties, could be beneficial for critically ill patients undergoing ventilatory support.