Olive oil to age more slowly and better

Olive oil to age more slowly

Extra virgin olive oil could help age slower and better. To this conclusion came a study carried out by Giorgio D’Andrea, a young researcher at the Institute of Cell Biology and Neurobiology of the National Research Council (CNR) in Rome.

This research considered the effect of hydroxytyrosol on the neural stem cells of the brain, in an experimental model. It is one of the few international studies to have investigated the properties of the oil in relation to cognitive aging.

The results showed that in the population treated with this molecule there is an increase in the production of new neurons in a region of the brain, the hippocampus, compatible, moreover, with the reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress.

In behavioral tests, a decrease in anxiety and stress was also observed in treated subjects compared to controls. This could be linked to the production of neurons in the hippocampus, but also to the composition of the microbiota. According to the analyzes, in fact, it is confirmed that the administration of hydroxytyrosol protects the microbiota from harmful alterations caused by stress.

In short, the study confirms the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory role of one of the characteristic molecules of extra virgin olive oil, which could have protective effects on the genesis of neurons in the elderly.

In addition, the study adds a new element that deserves more research in the future: the protection of the microbiota against harmful alterations related to age, which could affect the mental health of individuals.