Medical expert of the article
New publications
Olive oil reduces the chance of a heart attack
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Mediterranean olive oil is a simple and effective way to improve heart function and reduce the risk of heart attack.
At universities in Portugal and the UK, experts have concluded that the likelihood of developing a heart attack can be reduced in just one and a half months by simply consuming a small amount of olive oil every day. As tests and analyses have shown, after adding olive oil to the diet, the work of chemical signals that reduce the likelihood of coronary heart disease improves.
About 20 ml of olive oil (4 tsp) per day is the necessary dose for an adult to support the work of the heart, the oil can be added to salads or simply soaked in a small piece of bread.
The effect of the oil was tested on volunteers who had not consumed olive oil before.
All participants in the experiment were divided into 2 groups, each group consumed 20 ml of olive oil with a low or high level of phenolic compounds for one and a half months. Scientists believe that the benefits of the oil are precisely in the phenolic compounds it contains. After six weeks, specialists analyzed the volunteers' urine. Scientists expected to find peptides in the urine that are produced as a result of protein breakdown and are associated with heart disease. These peptides are biomarkers that allow one to determine the development of the disease before the first symptoms appear.
It was the presence of these peptides in the urine of volunteers that allowed scientists to establish that olive oil reduced the risk of developing coronary heart disease.
In both the first and second groups, specialists noted a decrease in the level of peptides, but did not record any changes in other indicators.
In addition to phenols, olive oil contains omega-6 fatty acids, which lower blood pressure, optimize the ratio of harmful and healthy fats in the body, and prevent reactions to inflammatory processes in chronic diseases (heart disease, arthritis).
The benefits of Mediterranean olive oil have long been known. Recent studies in this area have shown that the oil promotes more efficient heart muscle function by improving blood flow, and that consuming the oil has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system as a whole.
At the University of Illinois, a team of experts identified oleate in oil, a compound that allows it to work more efficiently.
A healthy organ absorbs fat by continuing to contract. Heart failure means the heart is unable to process and store fat, which leads to a lack of energy and the accumulation of harmful fat in the body, clogging blood vessels.
Typically, heart failure suppresses the activity of genes responsible for producing an enzyme that breaks down fat.
The specialists conducted their research on rats, where they identified the reaction of the animals’ hearts to oleate and palmitate, which are present in dairy products and animal fats.
After introducing oleate into the animals' bodies, scientists noted that the work of the heart became more efficient, and after animal fat, cardiac activity, on the contrary, worsened, in addition, there was a release of toxic fat.
Some research data suggests that olive oil acts like a statin, reducing the risk of heart attack, and also helps prevent obesity, diabetes, and hypertension.
[