Preventing cancer

According to the WHO, cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. However, people in Mediterranean countries have a lower risk of certain types of cancer. Experts link this to the Mediterranean diet, which, alongside plenty of vegetables and fruit, contains fresh, high-quality olive oil.

A large 2022 meta-analysis found that people who consumed the most olive oil had a 31% lower risk of developing cancer. This is presumably due to the polyphenols in olive oil, which can help reduce oxidative damage by free radicals, a major cause of cancer. See this study for details.

Other research shows that the polyphenols in olive oil fight cancer cells like a form of "targeted therapy". Cancer cells die within 30 minutes of ingesting polyphenol-rich olive oil. This research has left many questions unanswered, but it is clear that olive oil rich in polyphenols (such as EH1200) has an anti-cancer effect.

Anti-cancer olive oil is bitter with a peppery aftertaste. This is because the active substances cause these effects in the mouth and throat. See this study for more details.

EH1200 works preventively by activating a protective mechanism called the Nrf2 pathway. Consult your oncologist if you are already undergoing cancer treatment, as in some cases the Nrf2 pathway can frustrate the action of cancer medications.

The Harvard / EPIC Studies & Large Meta-Analyses

• Markatos et al. (PLOS ONE, 2022) — “Olive oil intake and cancer risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis”

  • What does this show? This is a massive meta-analysis combining data from 45 different studies. The researchers concluded that the group with the highest olive oil intake had a 31% lower risk of developing cancer (specifically breast, colon, and esophageal cancer) compared to the group that consumed the least.

• Reboredo-Rodríguez et al. (2018 / 2025 updates PMC) — “Olive Oil Polyphenols: A Promising Approach for Cancer Prevention and Therapy”

  • What does this show? These publications explain the specific molecular mechanisms of the polyphenols oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. They show that these substances trigger apoptosis (programmed cell death) in cancer cells and inhibit angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels to a tumor).

The PREDIMED Trial

• Toledo et al. (JAMA Internal Medicine, 2015) — “Mediterranean Diet and Invasive Breast Cancer Risk Among Heart Disease Patients in the PREDIMED Trial”

  • What does this show? This is one of the few large-scale, randomized clinical intervention studies in humans. Women who followed a Mediterranean diet explicitly supplemented with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) had a 62% lower risk of developing breast cancer than the control group following a low-fat diet.

Polyphenol-rich olive oil contributes to a healthy body and reduces the risk of cancer. It is not a replacement for medication. In that case, always consult your doctor.