Why olive oil 'reverses heart failure'

Scientists found that olive oil helped diseased muscles to pump blood more effectively.

17:36 01 October 2014

Scientists at the University of Illinois, Chicago claim that olive oil could reverse heart failure after proving that it helps diseased muscles to pump blood more effectively. They claim that oleate, the common fat in olive oil, helps failing hearts to use body fat as fuel. 

 

Douglas Lewandowski of the University of Illinois in Chicago, said: "These genes are often suppressed in failing hearts.” 

 

"So the fact that we can restore beneficial gene expression, as well as more balanced fat metabolism, plus reduce toxic fat, just by supplying hearts with oleate is a very exciting finding.

 

"This gives more proof to the idea that consuming healthy fats can have a significantly positive effect on cardiac health.”

 

The research, which was published in the journal Circulation, involved pumping oleate into failing heart muscle. 

 

“We saw an immediate improvement in how the hearts contracted and pumped blood," added Dr Lewandowski.

 

A review of 50 academic studies in 2011 found that diets high in olive oil lowered the risk of developing conditions such as diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure.