Hydroxytyrosol, olive oil, and use in aging

Aging is a complex process that, at cellular and molecular level, promotes the dysregulation of metabolic signaling pathways, impairment of mitochondrial functions, reduction of proteostasis, deficiency of stem cell regenerative capacity, increased cellular senescence, and release of senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Likewise, it enhanced continued inflammation, increased production of harmful reactive oxygen species, and genomic instability, a result of telomere erosion, and, finally, chromatin and epigenetic alterations. Aging is the main risk factor for chronic pathologies along with the increased multimorbidity associated with these diseases. Various strategies including antioxidants, exercise, and diet/caloric restriction are used to control the effects of aging of normal organism functions. For example, it has been reported that the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, reduced the risk of overall mortality, cardiovascular diseases, cancer incidence, and neurodegenerative diseases. One of the main microcomponents contained in olive oil, hydroxytyrosol, has shown antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, neuroprotection, and antitumor effect. We will describe in this chapter the beneficial properties of hydroxytyrosol in aging.