Who of us doesn't enjoy warm bread dipped in olive oil? It is not only enjoyable to the palate but has positive health benefits. Recent medical research has come to the rescue of the often times unfairly vilified dietary fat through reports of the positive health benefits of certain fats like olive oil. Olive oil, can help us fight stress, improve mood swings, decrease mental fatigue and can actually help us manage our weight. In addition to what has already been proven as to the benefits of olive oil, recent studies are providing evidence of the related benefits of olive oil on cardiorespiratory coordination and performance.
In a study conducted by Laura Esquius, Sergi Garcia-Retortillo et al out of Barcelona University researchers assessed the effect of an acute extra virgin olive oil supplementation on cardiorespiratory coordination (CRC) and performance.The researchers uncovered that the supplementation with 25 ml of extra virgin olive oil increased CRC during a progressive walking test while being performed at moderate intensity. Practical applications for us fitness enthusiasts are that olive oil supplementation increases the ventilatory efficiency of the cardiorespiratory system, potentially due to the high phenolic compounds, tocopherol, and carotenoids in olive oil, which have been shown to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These properties produce beneficial effects on lipid oxidation and in general oxidative stress. While the study provided evidence of olive oil’s effect on cardiorespiratory function, no improvements in physiological markers related to performance were found.
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2019 16:12