Acute combined effects of olive oil and wine on pressure wave reflections: another beneficial influence of the Mediterranean diet antioxidants?
OBJECTIVE
Combined consumption of olive oil and wine is common in the Mediterranean diet, but there are no data concerning their synergistic haemodynamic response. We sought to determine the combined postprandial effects of wine and olive oil on wave reflections and central haemodynamics.


METHODS
Fifteen healthy subjects consumed four standard meals on different days, containing 50 g of olive oil and 250 ml of wine, in a randomized cross-over study design. Two types of wine [red (R) and white (W)] and two types of olive oil [green (G) and refined (O) (rich and poor in antioxidants, respectively)] were used in all possible combinations (RO, RG, WO and WG). Applanation tonometry and aortic pulse wave analysis were performed when fasting and 1, 2 and 3 h postprandially. A second group of 15 healthy individuals matched for age, gender and body mass index served as the control group.


RESULTS
All meals decreased AIx (RO and RG, P < 0.001; WO, P = 0.007; and WG, P = 0.039). The AIx reduction after RG, RO, WO and WG was significantly different from the respective AIx response of the control group. No difference was observed in the reduction of AIx between sessions, but a significantly earlier peak decrease in AIx, as well as a more prolonged decreasing effect, was observed after RG and RO consumption compared to WO and WG. Central systolic and diastolic pressures were diminished after all four combinations of wine and olive oil (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Combined consumption of wine and olive oil provided beneficial postprandial effects on haemodynamics. These findings reveal an additional favourable effect of components of the Mediterranean diet on haemodynamics in the postprandial state.
Papamichael
Christos M
CM
Vascular Laboratory, Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece.
Karatzi
Kalliopi N
KN
Papaioannou
Theodore G
TG
Karatzis
Emmanouil N
EN
Katsichti
Paraskevi
P
Sideris
Vasilis
V
Zakopoulos
Nikolaos
N
Zampelas
Antonis
A
Lekakis
John P
JP
D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D017534:Radial Artery; D014920:Wine
D000975:Antioxidants; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D028321:Plant Preparations