Natural compound found in olives can lower blood sugar levels and promote weight loss
Findings from a mouse study show that [[elenolic acid]], a natural compound derived from [[olives]] and present in [[extra virgin olive oil]], stimulates gut L‑cells to release the metabolic hormones [[GLP‑1]] and [[PYY]], producing reduced food intake, weight loss and improved glucose regulation in obese diabetic [[mice]]. After several weeks of oral treatment the effects on weight and glycaemia were comparable to injectable [[liraglutide]] and exceeded those of oral [[metformin]] in the model. The work, led by researchers at [[Virginia Tech]], implicates gut hormone secretion as a multi‑target mechanism for safer, inexpensive interventions for [[obesity]] and [[type 2 diabetes]]; because concentrations in [[olives]] and [[extra virgin olive oil]] are low the team synthesized [[elenolic acid]] from its precursor [[oleuropein]] and is now characterizing ADME and safety to inform future clinical testing.