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Nutrients
Volume 17
Issue 9
10.3390/nu17091443
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Review

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: Modulating Mitochondrial Function and Protecting Against Chronic Diseases—A Narrative Review

by
María Ángeles Silva-Soto
1,
Paloma Carrillo-Fernández
2,*,
Estefanía T. Saez Lancellotti
1,
Elena Medina-Jiménez
1,
Juan Francisco Mogaburo Alba
1,
Nerea Catena-Granados
1,
María Dolores López-Carmona
1,
Luis Miguel Pérez-Belmonte
1,
Nuria Prieto Lain
1,
Ana Isabel Gómez Hernández
1,
Ricardo Gómez-Huelgas
1,3 and
María-Rosa Bernal-López
1,3,*
1
Internal Medicine Department, Regional University Hospital of Málaga, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA-Plataforma Bionand), University of Málaga, Avda. Hospital Civil s/n, 29009 Málaga, Spain
2
UCM Digestive Diseases, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (HUVR/CSIC/US), Department of Medicine, University of Seville, 41004 Seville, Spain
3
Ciber Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y la Nutrición, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nutrients 2025, 17(9), 1443; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091443 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 6 April 2025 / Revised: 22 April 2025 / Accepted: 23 April 2025 / Published: 25 April 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mediterranean Diet and Nutrition Literacy)
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Highlights

  • Key phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), such as mitochondrial function, reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.
  • The beneficial components of EVOO activate crucial cellular pathways that promote mitochondrial biogenesis, improve electron transport chain efficiency, and protect mitochondrial DNA integrity.
  • Preclinical research has indicated the potential of EVOO as a dietary tool against diseases associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, showing benefits in models of cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and metabolic disorders.
  • Higher nutrition literacy is positively correlated with better adherence to the Mediterranean diet and increased EVOO consumption, highlighting the potential impact of targeted educational strategies.

Abstract

Background: Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), an essential element of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet), has demonstrated considerable potential in improving mitochondrial health and protecting against chronic diseases. This narrative review aims to explore how the main phenolic compounds found in EVOO—hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, and oleocanthal—contribute to mitochondrial health by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. Methods: A search for scientific evidence was carried out between October 2024 and March 2025 in different bibliographic databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, SciSpace, and ResearchRabbit databases. The search strategy included combinations of terms such as “extra virgin olive oil”, “EVOO polyphenols”, “mitochondrial function”, “oxidative stress”, “inflammation”, “mitophagy”, and “chronic diseases”. Preclinical, clinical, and mechanistic studies were included, giving priority to peer-reviewed publications. Results: This narrative review shows how some bioactive components of EVOO activate cellular pathways, such as mTOR, AMPK and sirtuins, which promote mitochondrial biogenesis, improve the efficiency of the electron transport chain, and protect mitochondrial DNA integrity. Furthermore, EVOO improves mitochondrial membrane fluidity and integrity, ensuring its functionality and efficiency. On the other hand, nutrition literacy, an important component of health, is a critical determinant of people’s eating behaviors. Conclusions: Although recent scientific evidence supports the metabolic benefits of EVOO components on mitochondrial metabolism and function, further nutritional intervention studies with these components are recommended to confirm their clinical relevance as a dietary tool aimed at preventing and/or delaying age-related metabolic diseases.
Keywords: Mediterranean diet (MedDiet); extra virgin olive oil (EVOO); polyphenols; mitochondria; aging Mediterranean diet (MedDiet); extra virgin olive oil (EVOO); polyphenols; mitochondria; aging
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MDPI and ACS Style

Silva-Soto, M.Á.; Carrillo-Fernández, P.; Saez Lancellotti, E.T.; Medina-Jiménez, E.; Mogaburo Alba, J.F.; Catena-Granados, N.; López-Carmona, M.D.; Pérez-Belmonte, L.M.; Prieto Lain, N.; Gómez Hernández, A.I.; et al. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: Modulating Mitochondrial Function and Protecting Against Chronic Diseases—A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2025, 17, 1443. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091443

AMA Style

Silva-Soto MÁ, Carrillo-Fernández P, Saez Lancellotti ET, Medina-Jiménez E, Mogaburo Alba JF, Catena-Granados N, López-Carmona MD, Pérez-Belmonte LM, Prieto Lain N, Gómez Hernández AI, et al. Extra Virgin Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: Modulating Mitochondrial Function and Protecting Against Chronic Diseases—A Narrative Review. Nutrients. 2025; 17(9):1443. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091443

Chicago/Turabian Style

Silva-Soto, María Ángeles, Paloma Carrillo-Fernández, Estefanía T. Saez Lancellotti, Elena Medina-Jiménez, Juan Francisco Mogaburo Alba, Nerea Catena-Granados, María Dolores López-Carmona, Luis Miguel Pérez-Belmonte, Nuria Prieto Lain, Ana Isabel Gómez Hernández, and et al. 2025. "Extra Virgin Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: Modulating Mitochondrial Function and Protecting Against Chronic Diseases—A Narrative Review" Nutrients 17, no. 9: 1443. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091443

APA Style

Silva-Soto, M. Á., Carrillo-Fernández, P., Saez Lancellotti, E. T., Medina-Jiménez, E., Mogaburo Alba, J. F., Catena-Granados, N., López-Carmona, M. D., Pérez-Belmonte, L. M., Prieto Lain, N., Gómez Hernández, A. I., Gómez-Huelgas, R., & Bernal-López, M.-R. (2025). Extra Virgin Olive Oil Phenolic Compounds: Modulating Mitochondrial Function and Protecting Against Chronic Diseases—A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 17(9), 1443. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091443

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