Can a spoonful of daily olive oil ward off dementia death?
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- Reviewed by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
We already know that consuming olive oil every day is tied to longevity and reduced risks of cardiovascular disease. Now a Harvard study published online May 6, 2024, by JAMA Network Open suggests that daily olive oil consumption is linked to reduced risks of dying from dementia. Researchers pooled the findings of two large Harvard studies (the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study) that included more than 92,000 healthy men and women (average age 56) in the United States. Every four years, participants reported details about their health and dietary habits, including how much olive oil they consumed each day. After 28 years, people who took in more than 7 grams of olive oil per day (about half a tablespoon or more) had a 28% lower risk of dementia-related death, regardless of their diet quality, compared with people who never or rarely had olive oil. The findings are observational and don't prove conclusively that consuming olive oil reduces the risk of dementia-related death.
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About the Author
Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter
About the Reviewer
Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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