Supplements · Metabolic & Cardiometabolic

olive oil decreases blood pressure

In plain terms: Does olive oil lower blood pressure?

Contested Supplements 🔬 Includes disconfirming

RefutedContestedStrong support

consensus score 0.04

Only a little, and only sometimes. High-polyphenol olive oil (or the whole Mediterranean diet) can nudge the top blood-pressure number down a few points, but several strong trials find no real effect from olive oil alone. Don't expect it to replace blood-pressure treatment.

📅 Last reviewed: 2026-07-15 ⓘ

Evidence ladder

How far up the ladder this claim has climbed. A high consensus on a low rung means "consistent so far," not "proven in people."

Top evidence so far: All trials, pooled (Meta-analysis)

MechanismIn-vitroAnimalObservationalRCTMeta-analysis

How the studies fall

6 support 3 contradict 4 tested null 3 mixed · 16 sources, 9 independent groups

What the evidence shows

The blood-pressure evidence is mixed and phenolic-dependent. Trials using high-polyphenol olive oil (or the whole Mediterranean diet) tend to show a small drop in systolic pressure — a few mmHg — but several well-powered meta-analyses of olive oil as a food find no significant effect on blood pressure at all, and some head-to-head trials show none.

The evidence (16)

Source	Grade	Stance	Quality	Finding
Zhou C et al 2026 · study_type: meta-analysis	meta-analysis	tested-null	moderate	MA of 10 studies/1073 CKD patients, MedDiet vs control, incl. high-phenolic-EVOO subgroup analysis. 'No significant effects were observed on blood pressure or lipid profiles.'
Kourek C et al 2025 · study_type: RCT	observational	supports	low	Post hoc, n=70 (50 hyperlipidemic+20 controls), 4wk EVOO daily. DBP decreased significantly (p=0.007); SBP reduction significant only in high-phenolic-low-dose subgroup (p=0.049), not low-phenolic-high-dose.
Morvaridzadeh M et al. 2023 · Pharmacol Res	meta-analysis	contradicts	high	Meta 33 RCTs (2,020): EVOO no significant BP effect (did lower insulin/HOMA-IR).
Schwingshackl L et al. 2019 · Nutrients	meta-analysis	supports	moderate	Network meta 13 RCTs: high/low-phenolic EVOO lowered SBP ~2.9 mmHg vs refined; no DBP difference.
Ferrara LA et al. 2000 · Arch Intern Med	RCT	supports	low	Crossover RCT (23 hypertensives): EVOO diet lowered BP vs PUFA; cut antihypertensive dose 48%.
Morris C et al. 2026 · Nutrients	RCT	tested-null	low	RCT (27): 40 g/d EVOO vs sunflower oil in healthy women, no BP difference.
Keshani M et al. 2024 · Front Nutr	meta-analysis	contradicts	moderate	Meta 18 RCTs: MedDiet+olive oil no significant BP effect; only triglycerides reduced (whole-Med).
George ES et al. 2019 · Ageing Res Rev	meta-analysis	mixed	moderate	SR+meta 26 studies: high-vs-low-polyphenol olive oil improved lipids/oxLDL; BP only in subgroups.
McNabb B et al. 2024 · Nutrients	meta-analysis	contradicts	high	Meta 17 RCTs: no significant effect of olive/flaxseed oil on SBP or DBP.
Rees K et al. 2019 · Cochrane Database Syst Rev	meta-analysis	supports	high	Cochrane: MedDiet+EVOO/nuts SBP -2.99, DBP -2.0 mmHg vs minimal intervention (whole-Med).
Hohmann CD et al. 2015 · Phytomedicine	meta-analysis	supports	moderate	Meta 8 crossover RCTs: high-phenolic olive oil lowered SBP (SMD -0.52); no DBP effect.
Pourrajab B et al. 2025 · Clin Nutr ESPEN	meta-analysis	mixed	moderate	Meta 21 trials: olive oil vs nuts no DBP difference; olive oil slightly higher SBP than nuts (comparative).
Frumuzachi O et al. 2025 · Nutrients	meta-analysis	tested-null	moderate	Meta 14 studies: olive-oil phenolics lowered TC/TG/insulin; BP not moved in pooled estimate.
Samoutis G et al 2026 · study_type: RCT	RCT	supports	moderate	n=102 metabolic syndrome, 10mg/d olive-oil-phenol extract (80% oleocanthal/oleacein), 12wk. SBP -7.66 mmHg vs placebo, p=0.004.
Lauwers S et al 2026 · study_type: RCT	RCT	tested-null	moderate	n=56, standardized olive extract (123.5mg oleuropein+25mg hydroxytyrosol/d), 8wk. SBP: -8.3±2.2 vs placebo -7.3±2.2 mmHg, NOT significantly different between groups.
Toledo E et al. 2013 · BMC Med	RCT	mixed	moderate	PREDIMED (7,447): MedDiet+EVOO DBP -1.53 mmHg vs control; no SBP difference.

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