Findings from a new mouse study, to be presented at NUTRITION 2024, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, revealed that elenolic acid, a natural compound found in olives, can lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. This research could lead to the development of safe and affordable natural products for managing obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans.

Elenolic acid is a naturally occurring compound found in olives and olive leaves. It is a key component of oleuropein, the bitter glycoside responsible for many of the health benefits associated with olives and olive oil. Elenolic acid has been studied for its various biological activities, including its potential to lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss.

Its presence in olives adds to the its renowned health benefits, which include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cardioprotective properties.

For the study, researchers identified natural compounds that affect L-cells, which release two important metabolic hormones, GLP-1 and PYY, during a meal. These hormones promote satiety, prevent overeating, and regulate blood sugar levels.

They found that elenolic acid, present in mature olives and extra virgin olive oil, can trigger the release of these hormones. Elenolic acid was produced by breaking down oleuropein, a more cost-effective method than direct extraction from olives.

Tests on obese diabetic mice showed that those treated with oral elenolic acid had significant improvements in metabolic health compared to untreated obese mice.

After four to five weeks, treated mice experienced a 10.7% reduction in obesity, improved blood sugar levels, and insulin sensitivity similar to healthy lean mice. The treatment also reduced food intake and promoted weight loss, linked to higher levels of PYY and GLP-1 and lower levels of agouti-related peptide, which is known to increase eating and weight gain.

"Overall, the study showed that elenolic acid from olives has promising effects on hormone release and metabolic health, particularly in obese and diabetic conditions. The compound seems to mimic the physiological conditions of eating to directly promote gut metabolic hormone secretion, which helps regulate energy balance and metabolic health,” said Dongmin Liu, research team leader, professor, Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise at Virginia Tech.

Reference: Hana Alkhalidy, PhD, Dongmin Liu, PhD; The Bioactives in Health and Disease oral session; American Society for Nutrition