Olive oil phenolics are dose-dependently absorbed in humans

Olive oil phenolic constituents have been shown, in vitro, to be endowed wi th potent biological activities including, but not limited to, an antioxida nt action. To date, there is no information on the absorption and dispositi on of such compounds in humans. We report that olive oil phenolics, namely tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol, are dose-dependently absorbed in humans after i ngestion and that they are excreted in the urine as glucuronide conjugates, Furthermore, an increase in the dose of phenolics administered increased t he proportion of conjugation with glucuronide. (C) 2000 Federation of Europ ean Biochemical Societies.