Medically Reviewed by Anthony Dugarte, M.D., C.S.C.S
What Is Gundry MD Olive Oil?
Gundry MD Olive Oil is an olive oil packed with 30 times the normal amount of a plant-based ingredient that the company claims can help with blood flow, joints, muscles, focus, skin, and your immune system.
The olives the company uses for its olive oil come from the Moroccan desert. Gundry MD says this challenging environment causes the olive trees to produce more health “polyphenols,” a chemical that has a myriad of purported health benefits.
In our review of Gundry MD Olive Oil, we will present the facts to help determine whether this product can produce the promised benefits.
How to Use Gundry MD Olive Oil
Unlike supplements, this product doesn’t have any specific rules for how to take it. Treat it the same way you would any type of olive oil you’d buy from your local grocery store.
This particular type of olive oil is, according to the back label, organic extra virgin olive oil. It comes in 8 oz. bottles (17 tablespoons), an important bit of information we’ll cover in the pricing section.
The “extra virgin” designation is important because that means the olive oil hasn’t been mixed with other oils and maintains the nutritional benefits present in the olives it uses.
Gundry’s website suggests drinking a shot of it each day, sprinkling some over the top of your food, make salad dressing and/or pesto with it or pour some into a smoothie.
Gundry MD Olive Oil’s Polyphenols: What Do They Do?
As we mentioned in the introduction to our review, the big selling point for this olive oil is the fact that Gundry MD claims the oil has 30 times the level of polyphenols you’d find in a bottle of conventional olive oil.
Polyphenols are the micronutrient in plants that give them their color and protect them from harm. When consumed, they are thought to offer protection against free radicals, molecules associated with cancer.
We talked with customer service to find out the polyphenol concentration level (measured in milligrams per kilogram) and discovered it is 1,269 milligrams per kilogram. This level of polyphenols is very high compared to European standards, which say an olive oil can claim to be “healthy” if it has more than 250 mg/kg.
Olive oil site The Greek Olive Estate notes that, on average, extra virgin olive oils contain between 100 and 250 mg of polyphenols per kilogram.
This boost in polyphenols provides the following benefits, the Gundry MD website says:
- Promote healthy arteries and great blood flow
- Support crystal-clear concentration
- Soothe worn-down joints and tired muscles
- Make skin feel softer and more hydrated
- Give your immune system a boost
What Science Says About Polyphenols and Olive Oil
Based on the research we did leading up to this review, we think that Gundry’s claims about the benefits of polyphenols are somewhat accurate.
For example, multiple studies are hailing the antioxidant properties of polyphenols. This means that polyphenols help keep your cells strong so that they don’t break down (oxidize) over time.
One study done in 2015 at the University of Florence said that polyphenols help maintain cell health and may provide an added defense to those cells. Also, the study’s author found that polyphenols found in olives are better at absorbing into the body than polyphenols from other sources.
Another study found that taking 3,000 mg of olive extract per day helped participants experience lower pain levels from rheumatoid arthritis and general inflammation.
In a general sense, olive oil has long been heralded as a heart-healthy fat that can replace butter and margarine.
The key behind olive oil’s health benefits may be related to its monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA’s) content. MUFA’s may lower your heart disease risk and could help with insulin and blood sugar control.
Keep in mind, though, that it’s best to use olive oil in moderation because it’s calorie-dense. Most studies seem to point to an association between olive oil-rich diets and weight loss, however.
Another well-known benefit of olive oil is that it can help lower your cholesterol, which is why it is touted as heart-healthy.
Based on this information, we believe that Gundry MD Olive Oil can follow through on its claims to promote healthy arteries (lower LDL reduces plaque buildup in veins) and ease joint pain.
Gundry MD’s claims that olive oil can help your skin is based on a study in which researchers gave surveys to Greek, Australian, and Swedish subjects asking them what their eating habits were.
While not the soundest methodology for research, the study found that those who ate more vegetables, legumes, and olive oil had better skin.
In general, we think that this product has the potential to provide multiple health benefits associated with olive oil in general. As for the effects of the boosted polyphenol content, we think research indicates there are some benefits.
However, exactly how present those benefits are and how much olive oil you have to consume to get those benefits is not clear.
Pricing and Return Policy
Every bottle of Gundry MD Olive Oil is about a quarter of a liter. These bottles cost $39.95 plus $4.95 for shipping. You can eliminate shipping costs if you buy three bottles for $107.85 or six bottles for $203.70.
You have 90 days from the date of purchase to do a return. You’ll need to call Gundry MD at (800)852-0477 to start the return. You will be responsible for return shipping charges.
IN our opinion, the $39.95 price tag for a single bottle of Gundry MD Olive Oil is high, considering you’re paying around $2.35 per tablespoon.
How Gundry MD Olive Oil Compares to Other High-Polyphenol Olive Oils
Finding high-polyphenol olive oil is tough. We were able to find a 16.9-ounce bottle of extra virgin olive oil from LifeExtension that claimed to have more than 800 milligrams of polyphenols per kilogram of olive oil.
This is a 30% reduction in concentration compared to Gundry MD Olive Oil is significant. However, so is the price and size difference.
A 16.9-ounce bottle of LifeExtension olive oil is $24.75. The weight to cost ratio is around $1.45 per oz. The same ratio for Gundry MD Olive Oil is $4.70 per oz.
It’s hard for us to say conclusively if the higher polyphenol concentration in Gundry MD Olive Oil is worth paying an extra $3.25 per ounce. What we do know is that Gundry MD’s price could be prohibitive even if you do think the extra polyphenols will make a difference.
The Bottom Line
Gundry MD Olive Oil has one significant advantage over average olive oil: polyphenol concentration.
Polyphenol concentration is the product’s clear strength, along with the fact that even average olive oil has health benefits unrelated to polyphenols.
So, not only are you getting a big boost of a known antioxidant, you’re getting all the other benefits that come with olive oil.
Because most olive oil provides a wealth of health benefits, we are hesitant to recommend Gundry MD’s product because it’s hard to measure the added benefits beyond other extra virgin olive oil that is significantly cheaper.
For example, a 67.62-ounce bottle of Kirkland Signature Extra Virgin Olive Oil is $24.40 on Amazon.com. For about 60% of the price of Gundry MD Olive Oil, you get around eight times more olive oil. For consumers on a tighter budget, Kirkland Signature’s olive oil—and even LifeExtension’s olive oil—are more affordable
Lastly, be sure to have a conversation with your physician if you are experiencing joint pain or some of the other symptoms this product claims to benefit. While Gundry MD Olive Oil is likely safe for use, your symptoms may be caused by an underlying condition that should be medically managed.
