In the previous blog post I discussed the health benefits of coconut oil, and in this post I will be focusing on the benefits of olive oil.  Towards the end of this post I will also mention a few other healthier oils.  In addition, I will list a few oils you should avoid whenever possible.  I will also discuss how you can avoid olive oil fraud, as many people think they are consuming olive oil when this isn’t the case.

Basic facts: Olive oil is obtained from the olive.  With regards to its fatty acid content, olive oil is composed mostly of oleic acid, which is a monounsaturated fat that is responsible for many of the health benefits of olive oil.  But olive oil also consists of other fatty acids, including palmitic acid and linoleic acid.  In addition, olive oil has numerous polyphenols which also have many different health benefits.  What I’d like to do is discuss some of the health benefits of oleic acid and the polyphenols of olive oil.

Oleic acid.  Oleic acid isn’t exclusively found in olive oil.  Canola oil and sunflower oil are actually high in oleic acid as well.  Almonds are a good source, as are avocados, along with beef, chicken, and eggs.  As for some of the health benefits, one study showed that higher plasma oleic acid levels due to olive oil consumption was associated with lower stroke incidence (1).  There is also evidence that olive oil reduces blood pressure, and one study showed that it’s the oleic acid content that’s responsible for this (2).  Another study showed that oleic acid can help to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells (3).  Some studies suggest that oleic acid might also have a beneficial effect on autoimmune and inflammatory conditions (4).

Polyphenols.  Some of the different polyphenols of olive oil include tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleuropein, ligstroside, apigenin, luteolin, quercetin, rutin, and there are numerous others (5).  These polyphenols can have protective effects on cardiovascular risk factors, and one study showed that consumption of olive oil polyphenols decreased plasma LDL concentrations and LDL atherogenicity (6).  Another study showed that olive oil polyphenols enhance HDL function in humans (7).  LDL is known as the “bad cholesterol”, and HDL is referred to as the “good cholesterol”, and while these are actually lipoproteins, the important thing to understand is that olive oil can have a beneficial effect on our lipid markers by increasing HDL and decreasing LDL.

Here are some of the uses of olive oil:

• Olive oil is a great oil for cooking. Just as is the case with coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil resists oxidation at high temperatures.
• Put olive oil on your salad and/or mix with other vegetables. I’ve never been a big fan of salad dressings, but I do enjoy adding olive oil to my salads.  I also add olive oil to other vegetables, such as steamed broccoli.
• Add to your smoothie. I usually don’t add olive oil to my smoothies, as I usually have a daily salad and I add plenty of olive oil to it.  However, I commonly add one tablespoon of olive oil to my wife’s smoothies, which I prepare for her in the morning.

Why Choose Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

There are many different varieties of olives.  The reason why you want to always buy extra virgin olive oil is because this has higher amounts of nutrients and antioxidants.  Other types of olive oils are extracted using solvents and other chemicals, whereas extra virgin olive oil is obtained from the olive using a “cold-press technique”, which doesn’t alter the chemical natural (8).  In fact, the term “virgin” means that the oil was produced with no chemical treatment.

Other Research Studies on Olive Oil

Just as I did with coconut oil in the last blog post, I would like to mention some of the studies which discuss the health benefits of using olive oil.

Cardiovascular benefits.  Multiple studies show that olive oil can benefit cardiovascular health.  One study showed that olive oil decreased systolic blood pressure and increased HDL-C concentrations (9).  There is also evidence that extra virgin olive oil consumption can reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation (10).

Type 2 diabetes.  There is evidence that higher olive oil consumption is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in women (11).  Another study showed that extra virgin olive oil improves post-prandial glucose and lipid profile in those with impaired fasting glucose (12).

Inflammation.  There is evidence that olive oil can exert beneficial effects on markers of inflammation (13) (14).  One study discussed how extra virgin olive oil has joint protective effects by significantly reducing the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and prostaglandin E2 in the joint (15).

Osteoporosis.  A few studies show evidence that olive oil phenols can prevent the loss of bone mass and increase bone mineral density (16) (17).

Neuroprotective effects.  Olive oil phenols have been shown to have neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia, spinal cord injury, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s diseases, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, aging, and peripheral neuropathy (18).

Cancer.  Earlier I mentioned how the oleic acid in olive oil can help to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.  And there are a few other studies which show that olive oil can have a protective effect not only with breast cancer, but with colorectal cancer as well (19) (20).

Beware Of Olive Oil Fraud

For years I had purchased organic extra virgin olive oil, and just like millions of other people, I didn’t think twice about the possibility of it not being olive oil.  But Tom Mueller opened my eyes in his book entitled “Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil”.  He discusses how some unscrupulous companies use other unhealthy oils (i.e. soybean oil), and sell it as extra virgin olive oil.  You might be wondering how such companies can get away with it, and for more information I would recommend reading his book.  But for now I’ll provide a link to “Tom’s olive oil supermarket picks“.   When purchasing olive oil, you want to make sure it has a seal from the International Olive Oil Council (IOC), and it should also have a harvesting date on the label.

Other Healthy Oils

In addition to consuming coconut oil and olive oil, here a few other healthier oils you can consume.

Avocado oil

Palm oil

Macadamia nut oil

Flax oil

Avocado oil is probably the healthiest oil from this list.  If someone is following an autoimmune paleo diet, then consuming macadamia nut oil is somewhat controversial.  And while palm oil is allowed, the harvesting of palm trees for palm oil frequently results in the destruction of tropical forests, which in turns destroys the habitats of many animals.  Indonesia might be a potential source of palm oil without the concern of deforestation (21).  Although I like flax oil, keep in mind that it oxidizes easily, and so you want to make sure that when you purchase it that it’s refrigerated, and then when you bring it home you want to put in the refrigerator immediately.

Unhealthy Oils

On the other hand, the following oils are ones that are best to be avoided:

Cottonseed oil

Peanut oil

Rapeseed oil

Safflower oil

Soybean oil

Sunflower oil

Can Olive Oil Affect Thyroid Health?

Just as is the case with coconut oil, I didn’t find any studies which showed that olive oil directly affects thyroid health.  However, it might indirectly benefit people with autoimmune thyroid conditions by helping to reduce inflammation.  And while there are many other nutrients that can help to reduce inflammation, olive oil should be one that you consume on a regular basis.

So hopefully you learned some valuable information about the health benefits of olive oil by reading this blog post.  Most of the health benefits of olive oil come from oleic acid and the polyphenols.  Olive oil can be used for cooking, as a salad dressing, and you can even add olive oil to your smoothies.  Extra virgin olive oil has higher amounts of nutrients and antioxidants.  When you purchase olive oil please make sure it has a seal from the International Olive Oil Council, and it should also have a harvesting date on the label.  Some other healthy oils include avocado oil, palm oil, macadamia nut oil, and flax oil.  Some of the oils you want to avoid include cottonseed oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, and sunflower oil.

 

One of the biggest problems with eating out is that most restaurants use unhealthy oils.  And because you don’t have control over the oils these places use, you want to try to avoid consuming these oils as much as possible, and of course when you are cooking at home you want to use higher quality oils.  Olive oil and coconut oil are two of the healthier oils, and in this blog post I’ll discuss many of the health benefits of coconut oil, and the next blog post I will focus on olive oil.  In the next post I will also mention a few other healthier oils, and I will also discuss some of the oils you should try your best to avoid.

So let’s go ahead and talk about coconut oil…

Basic facts: coconut oil is extracted from the meat of coconuts.  It is an excellent source of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which have numerous health benefits.  There are a few different components of coconut oil, but three of the main ones include lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid.  Approximately 50% of coconut oil consists of lauric acid.  Let’s take a look at each of these compounds:

Lauric acid.  This is also known as dodecanoic acid, and as I mentioned above, it compromises approximately half of the fatty acid content in coconut oil.  One study looked at the antimicrobial effects of virgin coconut oil on Clostridium difficile (1).  The study showed that while exposure to lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid inhibited its growth, lauric acid had the greatest inhibitory effect (1).  Another study showed that lauric acid can be an alternative for the antibiotic treatment of acne vulgaris (2).

Capric acid.  This is also known as decanoic acid, and like lauric acid, it’s a type of saturated fatty acid in coconut oil.  Like lauric acid, capric acid also has numerous antimicrobial properties, as while a study I mentioned earlier showed that lauric acid had the greatest inhibitory effect on C. difficile, the study showed that capric acid also had inhibitory properties (1).  Both capric acid and lauric acid demonstrate bactericidal and anti-inflammatory activities against Propionibacterium acnes, which might be involved in acne inflammation (3).  Another study showed that capric acid caused the fastest and most effective killing of three strains of Candida albicans, although lauric acid was the most active at lower concentrations and after a longer incubation time (4).  Another study showed that capric acid has inhibitory effects on osteoclast development (5).  Osteoclasts break down bone, and so capric acid might be useful for the treatment of bone resorption-associated conditions (5).

Caprylic acid.  This is also known as octanoic acid.  Caprylic acid also has antimicrobial properties.  In fact, one study claimed that caprylic acid is superior to Diflucan, which is a potent prescription antifungal (6).  The same study also claimed that caprylic acid has potential application for anti-cancer, anti-aging, anti-Alzheimer’s disease, anti-autism, anti-infection, and general circulatory improvement (6).

Uses: Coconut oil has many different uses.  Here are just a few of them:

• It’s a great oil for cooking. Because of its high saturated fat content it is slow to oxidize, and thus is less likely to become rancid like most other oils.
• Add coconut oil to your smoothies (like I do!). I usually rotate between coconut oil and avocados, and when I add coconut oil to my smoothies I’ll add approximately one tablespoon.
• Use it as a lotion or moisturizer for dry skin
• It’s great for oil pulling. This is something I commonly do, as I will put a little less than one tablespoon of coconut oil in my mouth a few days per week and swish it around.  And there is a study which shows that oil pulling with coconut oil can decrease plaque formation and gingivitis (7).
• Many people use coconut oil as a carrier oil for essential oils
• Coconut oil can also be used as a hair conditioner, although I can’t say that I personally have used it in this manner.

What Type Of Coconut Oil Should You Use?

Coconut oil needs to be extracted from the coconut.  Virgin coconut oil is the least refined type.  Virgin coconut oil has a higher antioxidant status than non-virgin coconut oil (8).  I add virgin coconut oil to my smoothies.  However, some sources claim that you want to use refined coconut oil when cooking at very high temperatures, as it has a higher smoke point than virgin coconut oil.  The smoke point of an oil is the temperature under which volatile compounds and other potentially harmful products are released.  If you are using coconut oil as a carrier oil for essential oils then you want to use either virgin coconut oil, or fractionated coconut oil.

Other Research Studies on Coconut Oil

Although earlier I discussed some of the research with regards to the individual components of coconut oil (lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid), there are many other studies which discuss the health benefits of using coconut oil.

Cardiovascular health.  Coconut oil can benefit cardiovascular health, and one study showed how virgin coconut oil has cardioprotective effects (9).  Another study showed that virgin coconut oil prevents blood pressure elevation and improves endothelial function (10).  Another study shows that coconut oil can lead to a beneficial lipid profile (11).

Candida.  Coconut oil has antimicrobial properties, and can be especially effective against Candida species.  I mentioned some of the research regarding Candida earlier, and one study discussed the problems with drug-resistant Candida species, and suggested that coconut oil should be used in the treatment of fungal infections (12).

Insulin resistance.  Can coconut oil help with insulin resistance?  One study showed evidence that virgin coconut oil might prevent the development of insulin resistance (13).  Another study showed that coconut oil can lead to lower glucose and insulin concentrations (14).

Alzheimer’s disease.  One study showed that the medium-chain fatty acids of coconut oil might be beneficial in Alzheimer’s disease by converting to ketones, which are an alternative energy source in the brain (15).

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties.  One study I came across showed that virgin coconut oil has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties (16).

Bone density.  A rat study I came across showed that rats who consumed virgin coconut oil had greater bone volume, and the study concluded that virgin coconut oil was effective in maintaining bone structure and preventing bone loss (17).

Can Coconut Oil Increase Thyroid Hormone Production?

Can coconut oil have a direct effect on thyroid health?  Well, some sources claim that coconut oil can raise basal body temperatures and increase metabolism.  And because of this some feel that coconut oil can benefit people with hypothyroid conditions, and if you do some searching on the Internet you’ll find some websites which claim that taking coconut oil can help to boost thyroid function.  And if this is the case, then those with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease might be concerned that taking coconut oil can be harmful by increasing thyroid hormone production.  Well, there are no studies I’m aware of which show that taking coconut oil can improve thyroid function.  In addition, I commonly recommend coconut oil to those with both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid conditions, and I can’t say that I’ve seen problems with people with hyperthyroidism and Graves’ Disease taking coconut oil.

So hopefully you learned some valuable information about coconut oil in this blog post.  Although it is questionable as to whether coconut oil has a direct effect on thyroid health, it seems to have many other health benefits.  One of the greatest benefits is that it has antimicrobial properties.  Coconut oil is also a great oil for cooking, it can be used for oil pulling and as a carrier for essential oils, it can be used as a lotion or moisturizer, and it can be added to your smoothies.  Virgin coconut oil is the least refined type, and it has a higher antioxidant status than non-virgin coconut oil.  In the next blog post I’m going to talk in detail about olive oil, and I’ll also briefly mention a few other healthier oils you can consume.

Occasionally someone will ask me what the difference is between Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’ Disease, and so I figured I’d write a brief blog post which discusses the main differences and similarities between these two conditions.  First of all, both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis are autoimmune conditions that affect the thyroid gland.  However, they both affect the thyroid gland differently, and because of this the treatment for managing the symptoms are also different.

Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences between Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis:

Here Are The Similarities Between Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis:

1. Both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis are Autoimmune Thyroid Conditions.  Both of these are autoimmune conditions which affect the thyroid gland.  And so while managing the thyroid symptoms frequently is necessary, the overall goal should be to restore the health of the immune system.

2. Both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Involve The Triad of Autoimmunity.  The triad of autoimmunity involves 1) a genetic predisposition, 2) an environmental trigger, and 3) a leaky gut.  To be honest, it hasn’t been proven that everyone with an autoimmune condition has a leaky gut, although the evidence is very strong.  But assuming this is true, then the goal with both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis should be to detect and remove the environmental trigger, along with doing things to heal the gut.  Of course nothing can be done for the genetic predisposition, but the good news is that the autoimmune component can be reversed if the trigger is removed and the gut is healed.

3. Most Endocrinologists Don’t Address The Autoimmune Component.  Unfortunately, most endocrinologists focus on the thyroid gland, while not doing anything to improve the health of the immune system.  This comes down to the training they receive in medical school.

4. Both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Can Be Treated Naturally.  Even though there isn’t a permanent cure for autoimmune thyroid conditions, following a natural treatment protocol can help to reverse the autoimmune component.  And so it is possible to get into remission and then maintain your health thereafter.

Here Are The Differences Between Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis:

1. Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Affect the Thyroid Gland Differently.  Most people reading this know that Graves’ Disease is typically associated with hyperthyroidism, while Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis is usually associated with hypothyroidism.  And the reason for this is because the immune system attacks different parts of the thyroid gland with different autoimmune conditions.  So with Graves’ Disease the immune system attacks the TSH receptors, which causes the thyroid gland to secrete an excess amount of thyroid hormone.  Here is an article I wrote on the symptoms of hyperthyroidism.  “On the other hand, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis involves damage to either thyroglobulin, which is a protein of the thyroid gland, or thyroid peroxidase, which is an enzyme involved in the production of thyroid hormone.  Here is an article I wrote on the symptoms of hypothyroidism.

2. Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis are characterized by different thyroid autoantibodies.  I mentioned how with Graves’ Disease the immune system attacks the TSH receptors, and because of this, most people with this condition will have TSH receptor antibodies, with the most common type being thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins.  On the other hand, Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis typically involves either thyroglobulin antibodies, thyroid peroxidase antibodies, or in some cases both of these antibodies are elevated.

Can Someone Have Both Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’ Disease At The Same Time?

It is possible for someone to have the antibodies for both Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  This is actually common, as a lot of people with elevated thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins also have elevated thyroid peroxidase antibodies.  Some people have elevated thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins and elevated thyroglobulin antibodies.  And there are some people who have all three thyroid antibodies elevated.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that people with the antibodies for both Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’ Disease will have symptoms of both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.  For example, many people with elevated thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins and thyroglobulin antibodies will primarily experience hyperthyroid symptoms initially.  However, if the autoimmune component isn’t addressed then they very well might become hypothyroid in the future due to damage to the thyroid gland.  With that being said, there are some people with both types of antibodies who do experience a fluctuation of hypothyroid and hyperthyroid symptoms.

Keep in mind that if someone does have the antibodies for both Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis and Graves’ Disease then the treatment approach will be similar to someone who only has one type of antibody.  In other words, the primary goal is to reverse the autoimmune component.  However, the symptom management will of course differ depending on whether the person is experiencing hyperthyroid or hypothyroid symptoms.

So hopefully you understand some of the similarities and differences between Graves’ Disease and Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis.  Both of these are autoimmune conditions that affect the thyroid gland, and both involve the triad of autoimmunity.  However, these conditions affect the thyroid gland differently, and they are characterized by different thyroid autoantibodies.  And it is possible to have the antibodies for both Hashimoto’s and Graves’ Disease.  The good news is that it is possible to reverse the autoimmune component of these conditions.

I’d like to wish you a happy Thanksgiving!  I want you to know that I sincerely appreciate you!  Thank you so much for reading my articles and blog posts.  I’d also like to thank all of the other healthcare professionals who educate their patients, email subscribers, etc.  Even though we still have one more month to go in 2016, I’m already preparing to share more great content with you in 2017!

Best of health,

Dr. Eric

Last month I wrote a blog post entitled “What’s Your Experience With Gluten?”  Not surprisingly, many of the comments received were from people who felt better upon eliminating gluten from their diet.  While not everyone who gives up gluten notices an improvement in their symptoms or labs, many people do.  And the same is true with dairy, although I will say that in general people seem to be more resistant to give up dairy.  And while having pasteurized and homogenized milk might not be healthy for you, other forms of dairy do have health benefits.

For example, many people do well when consuming raw dairy.  Others do fine eating fermented forms of dairy, such as kefir.  And many people do well when eating grass fed butter and ghee.  But if someone is following a strict autoimmune paleo diet, or even a standard paleo diet, then all forms of dairy should be excluded.

Anyway, I’d like for you to share your experience with dairy.  You can talk about milk, cheese, butter, ghee, etc.  You can talk about pasteurized dairy, raw dairy, and fermented dairy.  If you have been dairy free for awhile and feel like it has benefited your health please let me know!  And if you consume dairy regularly and are doing well please let me know!  Thank you in advance for participating!