An increased intake of olive oil in mice increased the number of CB2 receptors

A diet enriched with olive oil significantly increased the number of CB2 receptors in fat tissue of mice and reduced inflammation and proliferation of mice adipose tissue. This is the result of research at the National Institute for Digestive Diseases “S. de Bellis” in Bari, Italy, published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging. Mice received either a standard diet with soybean oil or one of three other diets enriched with three different oils, one in which soybean oil was replaced with olive oil, one in which it was replaced with salmon oil, and the third in which it was replaced with evening primrose oil.

The cannabinoid-2 receptor (CB2 receptor) is known for its anti-obesity effects, anti-inflammatory effects as well as anti-cancer effects. Authors wrote that “the present findings open opportunities for developing novel nutritional strategies considering olive oil a key ingredient of a healthy dietary pattern.”

Notarnicola M, Tutino V, Tafaro A, Bianco G, Guglielmi E, Caruso MG. Dietary olive oil induces cannabinoid CB2 receptor expression in adipose tissue of Apc(Min/+) transgenic mice. Nutr Healthy Aging. 2016;4(1):73-80.