Effects of Phenolic-Rich Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Prebiotics on Sarcopenia in Older Adults: FOOP-Sarc Project

Management of sarcopenia by nutritional and lifestyle interventions is a challenge. The aim is to assess the effectiveness of a phenolic-rich extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), alone or combined with a prebiotic (PREB) (fructooligosaccharides and inulin), to improve skeletal muscle mass and function in home-dwelling older adults (60-80 years) with at least one sarcopenia parameter altered.

A 12-week randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled, three-arm clinical trial was conducted. Intervention groups were as follows: (1) refined olive oil (ROO; 30 mL/day; 90-mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); (2) EVOO (30 mL/day; 296-300-mg caffeic acid) + maltodextrin placebo (7.5 g/day); or (3) EVOO + prebiotic (EVOO + PREB; 30 mL/day + 7.5 g/day). Everyone followed co-created dietary and physical activity recommendations. A 12-week follow-up after intervention cessation was assessed.

Thirty-eight participants (69.6 ± 4.1 years; 31 women) with probable sarcopenia were assigned to ROO (n = 13), EVOO (n = 14) or EVOO + PREB (n = 11) intervention groups. At the end-of-intervention, assessed by ultrasound, EVOO + PREB compared to EVOO significantly increased muscle thickness of the quadriceps in females, mean (95% CI) (0.230 cm [0.008; 0.45], p = 0.044), cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris in all populations (0.827 cm² [0.16; 1.5], p = 0.017) and females (0.569 cm² [-1.0; -0.08], p = 0.024), and rectus femoris muscle thickness in all population (0.195 cm [0.04; 0.35] p = 0.015) and females (0.179 cm [0.05; 0.31] p = 0.009). Also, EVOO + PREB compared to ROO increased the cross-sectional area of the rectus femoris (0.579 cm² [0.07; 1.1], p = 0.026) and rectus femoris muscle thickness (0.133 cm [0.00; 0.27], p = 0.050) in females. At 12-week follow-up, EVOO and EVOO + PREB, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass and appendicular skeletal muscle mass in all populations assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Also, EVOO, compared to ROO, significantly increased skeletal muscle mass index and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index. In addition, at 12-week follow-up, EVOO, compared to ROO, improved the overall quality of life score in females.

Consuming phenolic-rich EVOO, alone or combined with prebiotics, improved muscle mass assessed by ultrasound at the end-of-intervention and by BIA at 12-week follow-up. Further studies are needed to confirm these promising results.

Registration number: NCT05485402; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05485402; registration date: 03/08/2022.