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When you fire up a tasty stir-fry or toss a crunchy salad, is olive oil part of your prep? It should be—according to a recent multinational study, this healthy fat could be the key to boosting brain health as you get older.
The study, which was published in January, was led by researchers at the Human Nutrition Unit at the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), the Pere Virgili Health Research Institute (IISPV) and CIBERobn in Spain, and also included other Spanish researchers, as well as scientists from Canada, the Netherlands, and the United States. The team found that extra virgin olive oil contains key compounds that promote diversity in the gut microbiome, and that these microbiome changes may be linked to indicators of brain health in adults.
How does that happen? Through the gut-brain axis, a range of pathways connect your brain, endocrine system, and immune system. Your GI system “communicates” with your brain by sending it signals through the axis—if your gut microbiota is healthy, your brain is influenced to essentially be healthier, too.
How did this study work?
The researchers studied 656 people aged 55 to 75 for two years. All of these study subjects were classified as “overweight or obese”. Additionally, they had all been diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, which raises the risk of having heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes.
The study subjects had their diets tracked, with the researchers paying specific attention to how much olive oil they regularly consumed. The study subjects had either 20 grams, 50 grams, or 58 grams per day. Different kinds of olive oil were of particular interest: extra virgin (the highest quality type), and refined olive oil. (FYI, olive oil is a staple of the Mediterranean diet). The researchers also monitored the study subjects’ cognitive function for any changes throughout that two-year period.
What did the study find?
The results showed that study subjects who consistently consumed extra virgin olive oil had greater gut microbiome diversity, which were associated with better metabolic health markers. These subjects also showed modest improvement in their cognitive performance over time—specifically, in executive function, attention, and general ability. An increase in extra virgin olive oil consumption by 10 grams per day made for the biggest positive differences.
Interestingly, the researchers found that the extra virgin olive oil eaters had a group of gut bacteria called Adlercreutzia in their systems. It appears that Adlercreutzia could potentially be the secret sauce here, in that it may be the element that actually reshapes the gut microbiome for the better.
What other studies have found
Another 2025 Spanish study review found that two other compounds found in virgin olive oil, hydroxytyrosol and ferulic acid, may prevent the death of brain cells, as well as plaque formation in the brain. This review also noted that virgin olive oil could spur the production of gut bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, as well as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)—all of which may protect and enhance cognition.
Previous research noted that extra virgin olive oil retains its gut and brain-boosting properties because the way it’s manufactured—without any heat or solvents—preserves these key elements.
A Tulane University study from 2024 also found that the gut bacteria patterns created through a Mediterranean diet were associated with improved memory performance.
What does this mean for you
It might be worth giving the Mediterranean diet meal plan a try. It’s a great way to ease in, and get gut and brain boosting benefits quickly: replace whatever fat you use for cooking with extra virgin.
But instead of thinking of olive oil as some kind of standalone brain booster, it works best as one part of the bigger picture. The real strength of the Mediterranean diet is the overall eating pattern: lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, fish, minimally processed foods–and, of course, EVOO.
The bottom line
Working extra virgin olive oil into your daily meals is easy. Plus, it not only tastes great in the moment, it may keep your brain in its best shape for many years to come.
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