Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Sarcopenia

As we grow older, losing muscle strength and mass can seem like an inevitable part of ageing. But increasingly, science is showing that the way we eat—and the way we move—can make a meaningful difference. Among the foods attracting particular attention is extra virgin olive oil, especially when it is high in polyphenols.

Sarcopenia is the scientific name given to the progressive loss of muscle mass, strength and physical performance that can accompany ageing. It is more than simply becoming weaker: sarcopenia can increase the risk of falls and fractures, reduce independence and mobility, and ultimately have a profound effect on quality of life.

Although traditionally considered a condition of old age, we now understand that the processes behind muscle loss can begin much earlier. Chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, changes in the way muscle proteins are produced and broken down, impaired cellular renewal and changes in communication between nerves and muscles can all contribute.

There is currently no specific drug capable of preventing sarcopenia. Physical activity—particularly resistance and strength training—remains one of the most effective tools we have for preserving muscle as we age. But increasingly, researchers are looking at the role of diet alongside exercise.

And this is where extra virgin olive oil can play a leading role.

The polyphenols of the olive

Studies in animals have found promising effects from compounds derived from the olive tree, including polyphenol-rich olive leaf extracts and by-products of olive oil production. Among the compounds attracting the greatest interest are oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, two of the olive’s best-known phenolic compounds.

Extra virgin olive oil brings these compounds to the table together with its characteristic richness in monounsaturated fats. Its polyphenols have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and research suggests that they may influence several of the cellular mechanisms involved in muscle ageing.

One of the pathways of particular interest concerns the mitochondria—the tiny structures within our cells responsible for producing energy. Oleuropein, for example, has been shown to stimulate mitochondrial energy metabolism, potentially helping to preserve cellular health and reduce some of the processes associated with muscle fatigue and deterioration.

Other research has found that EVOO consumption may help counter age-related changes in muscle tissue, improving both its structure and its function. Studies involving older people have also reported improvements in muscle strength and physical function following consumption of extra virgin olive oil.

The picture emerging from this research is fascinating. Rather than acting through a single mechanism, the compounds in EVOO appear to interact with several of the pathways involved in maintaining healthy muscle.

They may help to:

• support IGF-1, a growth factor involved in maintaining muscle;
• stimulate PGC-1α, an important regulator of cellular energy and mitochondrial function;
• reduce chronic, low-grade inflammation—the so-called “inflammaging” associated with ageing;
• limit the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which contribute to oxidative stress;
• support the activity of satellite cells, the small population of muscle stem cells responsible for repair and regeneration.

Perhaps most interestingly, physical exercise and olive oil appear to complement one another. Exercise stimulates some of the same pathways involved in mitochondrial health and muscle resilience, while a diet rich in high-quality extra virgin olive oil provides compounds capable of supporting these processes.

Moving, eating, ageing

There is no single food capable of stopping the ageing process, and olive oil should not be considered a treatment for sarcopenia. But the evidence increasingly points towards something much more familiar—and much more Mediterranean.

Move regularly. Eat well. Keep inflammation and excess weight under control. And make extra virgin olive oil a daily part of the diet.

The Mediterranean diet brings these elements together naturally: plenty of vegetables, legumes, fruit, whole grains and fish, combined with generous amounts of good extra virgin olive oil.

Perhaps this is one of the oldest lessons of the Mediterranean diet: health is rarely about one miraculous ingredient. It is about the quiet accumulation of good choices, repeated day after day.

And when it comes to ageing well, there may be something particularly beautiful about the idea that the same olive tree that has accompanied Mediterranean life for thousands of years might also help us preserve the strength and vitality with which we move through it.