Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) consumption and antioxidant status in healthy institutionalized elderly humans Marı ´a-Jesu ´s Oliveras-Lo ´ pez a, *, Jose ´ Joaquı ´n Muros Molina b , Marina Villalo ´n Mir b , Encarnacio ´n Fontao Rey b , Francisco Martı ´n a , Herminia Lo ´ pez-Garcı ´a de la Serrana b a Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemical Engineering, University of Pablo de Olavide of Seville, Ctra. Utrera km 1, 41013 Seville, Spain b Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja, 18071 Granada, Spain 1. Introduction Many human diseases are associated with increased oxidative stress resulting either from the altered production of free radicals or from altered antioxidant content or activity (Tessier, Khalil, Trottier, & Fu ¨ lo ¨ p, 2009). The main system of antioxidant defense consists of enzymes, SODs, GH-PXs and CATs. There also are several vitamins and micronutrients active in quenching free-radical species or required as cofactors for antioxidant enzymes (Pinzani et al., 2010). The potent antioxidant activity of polyphenolic substances has been widely demonstrated (Giovannelli et al., 2011; Masella et al., 2004; Oliveras-Lo ´ pez et al., 2008). Both preventive and chain breaking antioxidants have a role in the limitation of oxidative stress that accompanies aging and disease (Ferrari, 2004; Jacomelli et al., 2010; Pinzani et al., 2010; Pitozzi et al., 2010; Tessier et al., 2009). Numerous recent studies have shown that the elderly have increased oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant defense systems (Gano et al., 2011; Joseph, Shukitt-Hale, & Casadesus, 2005; Nakamura, Read, Elias, & Omaye, 2006), which appears to be a contributory factor for neurological damage, dementia and depression (Ferrari, 2004; Pitozzi et al., 2010; Sa ´ nchez-Villegas et al., 2011; Venkateshappa, Harish, Mahadevan, Srinivas Bharath, & Shankar, 2012) and to be responsible for the initiation and progression of chronic diseases such as diabetes (Atli et al., 2004; Malaguarnera et al., 2009), artherosclerosis (Liu, Yang, Huang, Tan, & Liu, 2012), alteration of circulating lipids (Fabian, Bogner, & Elmadfa, 2012; Malaguarnera et al., 2009) or hypertension (Rybka et al., 2011). Therefore, it has been widely confirmed that there is an age-related pro-oxidant status even in healthy aging people. While the literature including elderly patients has grown, there are less detailed data about the antioxidant status in healthy people, especially the elderly. The effect of red wine consumption on serum TAC has been evidenced in healthy older adults (Avellone et al., 2006; Hansen et al., 2005) and in healthy elderly subjects (Antonini et al., 2005; Pinzani et al., 2010). The effects of nut consumption on antioxidant status and biomarkers of oxidative Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 57 (2013) 234–242 A R T I C L E I N F O Article history: Received 11 July 2012 Received in revised form 2 April 2013 Accepted 6 April 2013 Available online 1 May 2013 Keywords: EVOO Polyphenols Antioxidant enzymes Elderly Health A B S T R A C T Recent studies show that the elderly have increased oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant defense systems. Our study aims to evaluate the effects of daily consumption of EVOO in the healthy institutionalized elderly. We studied anthropometric, biochemical and antioxidant parameters in 62 subjects aged 65–96 years after a 6-week daily intake of polyphenol-rich EVOO with high oleuropein derivative contents. Subjects were divided into a control group (CG) who maintained their dietary habits (n = 39) and an olive group (OG) who consumed EVOO as the only added fat, plus a daily dose of 50 ml (n = 23). We found a significant reduction of total cholesterol (TC), HDL, LDL and TGs in OG subjects and a significant increase of HDL levels. There was no significant variation in the CG parameters. In OG the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in plasma increased with significant differences over CG. Plasma hydroxytyrosol (OH-Tyr) concentration showed a significant increase after EVOO intervention. Daily consumption of EVOO was found to have positive effects on lipid profiles, OH-Tyr levels and TAC. The results also show a significant increase of catalase (CAT) in erythrocytes and a decrease (p < 0.05) in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GH-PX) activity after EVOO intake. To our knowledge, no other study has examined the effects of EVOO consumption on biochemical parameters, antioxidant capacity and antioxidant enzyme activity in healthy elderly subjects. In conclusion, our results show that nutritional intervention with EVOO improves antioxidant status in healthy elderly people. ß 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Abbreviations: 3,4-DHPE-EDA, deacetoxy oleuropein aglycone; EVOO, extra virgin olive oil; OH-Tyr, hydroxytyrosol; 3,4-DHPE-EA, oleuropein aglycone; Tyr, tyrosol. * Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 954 977943; fax: +34 954 349813. E-mail address: mjolilop@upo.es (M.-J. Oliveras-Lo ´ pez). Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics jo ur n al ho mep ag e: www .elsevier .c om /lo cate/ar c hg er 0167-4943/$ – see front matter ß 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.archger.2013.04.002