Objectives: To assess the effect of two similar olive oils, but with differences in their phenolic compounds (powerful antioxidant compounds), on inflammatory markers in stable coronary heart disease patients.
Design: Placebo-controlled, crossover, randomized trial.
Setting: Cardiology Department of Hospital del Mar and Institut Municipal d'Investigació Mèdica (Barcelona).
Subjects: Twenty-eight stable coronary heart disease patients.
Interventions: A raw daily dose of 50 ml of virgin and refined olive oil (ROO) was sequentially administered over two periods of 3-weeks, preceded by 2-week washout periods in which ROO was used.
Results: Interleukin-6 (P<0.002) and C-reactive protein (P=0.024) decreased after virgin olive oil intervention. No changes were observed in soluble intercellular and vascular adhesion molecules, glucose and lipid profile.
Conclusions: Consumption of virgin olive oil, could provide beneficial effects in stable coronary heart disease patients as an additional intervention to the pharmacological treatment.