Olive Oil and Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

Research synthesisLow evidenceSmall effect3 studies · 2 beneficial · 1 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 3 studies, 2 reported beneficial small-sized effects of olive oil on increasing HDL cholesterol, while 1 meta-analysis found no significant effect. The only study providing a dose used 8-20 g/day of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) in hyperlipidemic patients over 28 days. The evidence is preliminary and mixed, with the highest-quality meta-analysis showing neutral results.

Studied populations: hyperlipidemic patients, individuals at risk of cardiovascular disease

Caveats: Evidence base is small (only 3 studies) — conclusions should be considered preliminary. One high-quality meta-analysis found no significant effect on lipid indices, while a small RCT reported significant HDL increase in hyperlipidemic patients; results are mixed. Most studies used extra virgin olive oil, but generalizability to other olive oil forms is unclear.

Generated Jul 15, 2026

Doses used in studies

g/day: 8–20 (median 14, IQR 8–20) — 1 study

Time to effect

Median: 4 weeks · IQR 4 weeks–4 weeks · Range 4 weeks–4 weeks — Reported in 1 of 3 studies

Safety in these studies

Overall tolerabilityReported
The volumes used (8-20 g/day) reflect typical daily EVOO intake and were well tolerated by participants.
from: Effects of High-Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) on the Lipid Profile of Patients wi

3 of 3 papersPopulation:

Effects of High-Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) on the Lipid Profile of Patients with Hyperlipidemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
- 2025-08-02
- RCT
- Nutrients 17(15)
- - Christos Kourek
  - Emmanouil Makaris
  - Prokopios Magiatis
  - Virginia Zouganeli
  - Vassiliki Benetou
  - Alexandros Briasoulis
  - Andrew Xanthopoulos
  - Ioannis Paraskevaidis
  - Eleni Melliou
  - Georgios Koudounis
  - Philippos Orfanos
- PubMed: 40806126
- DOI: 10.3390/nu17152543
2 Insights on
- Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol
- High evidence
- Rigorous Journal
- Clinical
EVOO intake was associated with a significant increase in HDL (p < 0.001) ... among hyperlipidemic patients in comparison to healthy individuals.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes
Dose
8-20 g/day
Effect of the Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil versus the Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts on blood pressure and serum lipid indexes among adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- 2025-11
- Meta-Analysis
- Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD 35(11)
- - Behnaz Pourrajab
  - Artemiss Mirdar Harijani
  - Parastoo Asghari
  - Farzad Shidfar
- PubMed: 40651889
- DOI: 10.1016/j.numecd.2025.104166
7 Insights on
- Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol
- High evidence
The findings indicated that the MED diet supplemented with olive oil has no significant effect on lipid indices and diastolic blood pressure
Effect
Neutral
Effect size
Small
Significant
No
[Oil and life: The impact of olive oil on human health. A review of the evidence supporting the recommendation for extra virgin olive oil consumption].
- 2025-11
- Review
- Semergen 51(8)
- - J M Rubio López
- PubMed: 40929788
- DOI: 10.1016/j.semerg.2025.102582
11 Insights on
- Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol
- Low evidence
Rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic acid, and bioactive compounds like polyphenols and tocopherols, EVOO helps reduce LDL cholesterol, increase HDL cholesterol, and protect against oxidative stress.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Significant
Yes

Olive Oil and Increased High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

Effects of High-Phenolic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) on the Lipid Profile of Patients with Hyperlipidemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Effect of the Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil versus the Mediterranean diet supplemented with mixed nuts on blood pressure and serum lipid indexes among adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

[Oil and life: The impact of olive oil on human health. A review of the evidence supporting the recommendation for extra virgin olive oil consumption].