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Dear Colleagues and Friends,
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The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of our lifestyle and health, inspiring new research in the field of prevention and treatment of this new disease. In this context, an editorial has summarized the benefits attributed to the Mediterranean Diet (MD) and its potential for preventing and/or treating the novel coronavirus. It has been observed that obesity, visceral adiposity, and chronic diseases, such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease (CVD), predispose individuals to worse outcomes associated with COVID-19. The MD is already considered one of the healthiest dietary patterns as demonstrated by various studies showing its benefits on several chronic diseases. The high content of polyphenols in this diet, especially present in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), trigger antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory effects that could modulate the severity of the COVID-19 infection. In this context, a cross-sectional study evaluated the change in food habits and perceived stress during the lockdown in a group of adolescents and medical students in Croatia. The observed increase in adherence to the MD pattern with higher consumption of fruits and vegetables was explained by more time dedicated to cooking, trying new recipes and the closure of fast-food restaurants. In conclusion, there is evidence that supports the promotion of the MD within public health policies to both decrease the health impact caused by the coronavirus and to prevent and/or treat chronic diseases with high socioeconomic impact.
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Men's health and adherence to the MD is a new and growing line of research. A longitudinal observational study evaluated the benefits of the MD in CV hemodynamic and erectile dysfunction in men with chronic heart failure (CHF). Multifaceted benefits were observed related to erectile performance and improvement of cardiac pathology, such as anti-inflammatory, vasodilation or atheroprotective effects, as well as improved hemodynamic central CHF, right ventricular systolic function and decreased serum prolactin levels. Thus, adherence to the MD should be promoted in men with CHF to improve cardiac and sexual health. In the same line, a pilot study evaluated the effects of lycopene-enriched EVOO in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The antioxidant effects of 20ml of lycopene-enriched olive oil were studied in 10 healthy men and 10 men with BPH for 30 days. The results, although not statistically significant, showed an improvement in the level of prostatic specific antigen and symptomatology in patients with BPH. On the other hand, a statistically significant increase in antioxidant status was observed in healthy men. These results open a new line of research on lycopene-enriched EVOO and its benefits as prevention and/or treatment for BPH. To sum up, the MD with EVOO as one of its main components has proven to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects that expand beyond CVD, diabetes, or cancer. These studies promote novel approaches for infectious diseases such as the COVID-19 virus and better hemodynamic and sexual health in men.
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