Olive-Derived Nutritional Interventions in Exercise: Effects on Performance, Fatigue, Recovery, and Muscle Adaptation—A Systematic Review
- 1Research Group HUMSE, Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Murcia, 30720 Murcia, Spain
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Olive-derived foods and bioactive compounds are increasingly investigated in sports nutrition, but their effects on exercise outcomes remain unclear. This systematic review evaluated randomized controlled evidence on olive-derived nutritional interventions in humans. Methods: MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, SPORTDiscus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) were searched from inception to 30 September 2026. Randomized controlled trials of orally administered olive-derived interventions in healthy participants undergoing exercise, training, or physical-function assessment were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2), with two assessments rated as low risk and eight as having some concerns, and findings were synthesized without meta-analysis because of substantial heterogeneity. Results: Eleven reports representing 10 independent trials evaluated chemically distinct interventions: extra virgin olive oil, hydroxytyrosol-rich olive-fruit-water preparations, oleuropein-rich olive-leaf extracts, and maslinic acid. In specific exercise settings, maslinic acid was associated with lower perceived fatigue or muscle soreness, while selected muscle-related outcomes differed in trials involving older adults. Other preparations yielded heterogeneous physiological, metabolic, or fatigue-related findings, without consistent improvements in objective exercise performance. Conclusions: The available evidence does not establish a common ergogenic effect across olive-derived products. Any potential benefit must be interpreted in relation to the specific formulation, dose, population, exercise context, and outcome assessed. Independent confirmation is required before practical recommendations can be established.
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BibTeX
@article{gilcaselles2026olivederived,
title = {{Olive-Derived Nutritional Interventions in Exercise: Effects on Performance, Fatigue, Recovery, and Muscle Adaptation—A Systematic Review}},
author = {Laura Gil-Caselles},
journal = {Nutrients},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3390/nu18213699},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3699},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Olive-Derived Nutritional Interventions in Exercise: Effects on Performance, Fatigue, Recovery, and Muscle Adaptation—A Systematic Review
AU - Laura Gil-Caselles
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/07
JO - Nutrients
DO - 10.3390/nu18213699
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/18/21/3699
AB - Background/Objectives: Olive-derived foods and bioactive compounds are increasingly investigated in sports nutrition, but their effects on exercise outcomes remain unclear. This systematic review evaluated randomized controlled evidence on olive-derived nutritional interventions in humans. Methods: MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, SPORTDiscus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (WHO ICTRP) were searched from inception to 30 September 2026. Randomized controlled trials of orally administered olive-derived interventions in healthy participants undergoing exercise, training, or physical-function assessment were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2), with two assessments rated as low risk and eight as having some concerns, and findings were synthesized without meta-analysis because of substantial heterogeneity. Results: Eleven reports representing 10 independent trials evaluated chemically distinct interventions: extra virgin olive oil, hydroxytyrosol-rich olive-fruit-water preparations, oleuropein-rich olive-leaf extracts, and maslinic acid. In specific exercise settings, maslinic acid was associated with lower perceived fatigue or muscle soreness, while selected muscle-related outcomes differed in trials involving older adults. Other preparations yielded heterogeneous physiological, metabolic, or fatigue-related findings, without consistent improvements in objective exercise performance. Conclusions: The available evidence does not establish a common ergogenic effect across olive-derived products. Any potential benefit must be interpreted in relation to the specific formulation, dose, population, exercise context, and outcome assessed. Independent confirmation is required before practical recommendations can be established.
SN - 2072-6643
ER -