Health
A study conÂducted on male athÂletes aged 19 – 22 in Algeria found that extra virÂgin olive oil supÂpleÂmenÂtaÂtion led to a sigÂnifÂiÂcant increase in testosÂterone levÂels comÂpared to non-supÂpleÂmented athÂletes and sedenÂtary conÂtrols. The study sugÂgests that the antioxÂiÂdants and monounÂsatÂuÂrated fatty acids in olive oil may posÂiÂtively impact horÂmone balÂance and potenÂtially improve the health and perÂforÂmance of athÂletes.
A study pubÂlished by researchers in Algeria has demonÂstrated that extra virÂgin olive oil supÂpleÂmenÂtaÂtion can improve the horÂmonal staÂtus of male athÂletes.
The research was conÂducted on healthy male athÂletes of ages 19 and 22 and found that extra virÂgin olive oil conÂsumpÂtion was assoÂciÂated with a staÂtisÂtiÂcally sigÂnifÂiÂcant increase in testosÂterone in the supÂpleÂmented groups comÂpared to athÂletes in the non-supÂpleÂmented groups and sedenÂtary conÂtrols.
Numerous studÂies have explored the influÂence of exerÂcise on horÂmonal balÂance, with exerÂcise being recÂogÂnized as a sigÂnifÂiÂcant regÂuÂlaÂtor of horÂmonal secreÂtion. Physical stress, conÂtinÂgent on facÂtors such as the nature and intenÂsity of the exerÂcise and indiÂvidÂual health, can impact the hypoÂthalÂaÂmus-pituÂitary-gonadal axis.
See Also:Health NewsSome research has found that exerÂcise has minÂiÂmal effects on semen qualÂity, while othÂers have reported reducÂtions in sperm count and motilÂity. The impact on serum testosÂterone levÂels can vary based on exerÂcise intenÂsity and duraÂtion. Athletes often use dietary supÂpleÂments like omega‑3 fatty acids, polypheÂnols, antioxÂiÂdants and vitÂaÂmins to optiÂmize perÂforÂmance.
The Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, is popÂuÂlar among athÂletes due to its potenÂtial health benÂeÂfits. Virgin and extra virÂgin olive oils are disÂtinÂguished by their monounÂsatÂuÂrated fatty acids and phyÂtoÂchemÂiÂcals such as polypheÂnols, squaÂlene and alpha-tocoÂpherol.
The study, pubÂlished in the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, focused on the impact of virÂgin olive oil from Blanquette olives, which comÂprise a sigÂnifÂiÂcant porÂtion of eastÂern Algeria’s crop.
The variÂety is abunÂdant in unsatÂuÂrated fatty acids, includÂing oleic and linoleic acids, and comÂplies with the International Olive Council’s qualÂity stanÂdards.
The oil is also rich in pheÂnoÂlic comÂpounds and carotenoids, makÂing it a potent source of antioxÂiÂdants. Additionally, it exhibits high inhiÂbiÂtion perÂcentÂages for the DPPH radÂiÂcal and hydroÂgen perÂoxÂide, indiÂcatÂing its potent antioxÂiÂdant propÂerÂties.
The study group conÂsisted of 30 healthy male athÂletes aged 19 and 22, all free from carÂdioÂvasÂcuÂlar risk facÂtors. They were divided into three groups, with disÂtinct regÂiÂmens over ten weeks.
Group 1 received 20 milÂliÂliters of virÂgin olive oil daily withÂout speÂcific trainÂing. Group 2 underÂwent trainÂing rouÂtines five days a week and received the same olive oil supÂpleÂmenÂtaÂtion. Group 3 folÂlowed the same trainÂing rouÂtine but was not supÂpleÂmented with olive oil.
The olive oil supÂpleÂment was well-tolÂerÂated, with no adverse effects reported by the parÂticÂiÂpants. Training for the two groups of runÂners involved a 10-week proÂgram with aerÂoÂbic and interÂval exerÂcises.
The intenÂsity and duraÂtion of trainÂing increased gradÂuÂally durÂing the proÂgram. Untrained runÂners in Group 3 exerÂcised less than two hours per week, reflectÂing the genÂeral exerÂcise recÂomÂmenÂdaÂtions. The runÂning duraÂtion varÂied among groups, with a median of 2 hours and 11 minÂutes to comÂplete the half-marathon.
Blood samÂples were colÂlected at varÂiÂous time points throughÂout the study, with fastÂing samÂples taken before and after the 10-week trainÂing proÂgram and two days before and 24 hours after the half-marathon race. The samÂples were anaÂlyzed for testosÂterone, luteinizÂing horÂmone, folÂliÂcle-stimÂuÂlatÂing horÂmone, corÂtiÂsol and insulin.
Testosterone and luteinizÂing horÂmone levÂels were notably lower in Group 3, the unsupÂpleÂmented runÂners, while corÂtiÂsol increased sigÂnifÂiÂcantly in this group after the 10-week trainÂing.
See Also:Drinking Olive Fruit Water Can Aid Exercise Efficiency, Research SuggestsAdditionally, luteinizÂing horÂmone conÂcenÂtraÂtions decreased in unsupÂpleÂmented runÂners comÂpared to Group 2 and sedenÂtary conÂtrols. Other horÂmones, includÂing folÂliÂcle-stimÂuÂlatÂing horÂmone and insulin, exhibÂited no sigÂnifÂiÂcant difÂferÂences among the three groups.
The effects of exerÂcise on male reproÂducÂtive funcÂtion are mulÂtiÂfacÂeted, influÂenced by exerÂcise intenÂsity and duraÂtion and indiÂvidÂual fitÂness levÂels.
The results indiÂcated that the unsupÂpleÂmented runÂners (Group 3) expeÂriÂenced reduced testosÂterone and luteinizÂing horÂmone levÂels. It is known that these horÂmones decrease durÂing intense exerÂcise, and this can impact male reproÂducÂtive funcÂtion.
The group supÂpleÂmented with virÂgin olive oil (Group 2) showed the highÂest levÂels of testosÂterone and luteinizÂing horÂmone, sigÂniÂfyÂing the potenÂtial benÂeÂfits of olive oil supÂpleÂmenÂtaÂtion in enhancÂing these horÂmones. The impact could be attribÂuted to the oil’s rich comÂpoÂsiÂtion of tocoÂpherols and other antioxÂiÂdants.
Olive oil may stimÂuÂlate testosÂterone proÂducÂtion through varÂiÂous mechÂaÂnisms, such as affectÂing choÂlesÂterol metabÂoÂlism, steroidoÂgenic proÂteins or the pituÂitary-tesÂticÂuÂlar axis.
Notably, vitÂaÂmin E, abunÂdant in olive oil, also plays a role in testosÂterone proÂducÂtion and tesÂticÂuÂlar funcÂtion.
Furthermore, some fatty acids and polypheÂnols in plants have been shown to preÂvent the conÂverÂsion of testosÂterone into dihyÂdrotestosÂterone, adding to the comÂplexÂity of how olive oil influÂences horÂmone balÂance.
Cortisol, a priÂmary stress horÂmone, increases with exerÂcise intenÂsity and duraÂtion. In the study, the unsupÂpleÂmented runÂners showed sigÂnifÂiÂcantly higher corÂtiÂsol levÂels after the 10-week trainÂing, but all valÂues remained within the refÂerÂence range.
Cortisol and testosÂterone repÂreÂsent the balÂance between cataÂbolic and anaÂbolic processes. The supÂpleÂmenÂtaÂtion of virÂgin olive oil was assoÂciÂated with reduced corÂtiÂsol levÂels, indiÂcatÂing a potenÂtial stress-reducÂtion effect. Improving this balÂance can also be benÂeÂfiÂcial for mainÂtainÂing or restorÂing ferÂtilÂity.
These findÂings sugÂgest that olive oil can play a sigÂnifÂiÂcant role in enhancÂing the health and perÂforÂmance of athÂletes and highÂlight the potenÂtial nutriÂtional and therÂaÂpeuÂtic advanÂtages of incorÂpoÂratÂing olive oil, a staÂple of the Mediterranean diet, into the diets of physÂiÂcally active indiÂvidÂuÂals.
The wealth of antioxÂiÂdants and monounÂsatÂuÂrated fatty acids in extra virÂgin olive oil may conÂtribute to improved horÂmonal staÂtus in physÂiÂcally active indiÂvidÂuÂals.
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