It all started with a post that popped up on my social media feed.
Mixing about 20ml each of olive oil and lemon juice and drinking it daily improves skin quality.
I thought, “Hmm, okay.” I had the ingredients at home, it didn’t seem harmful, so I figured I’d give it a try.
I learned later that this is apparently called an “Ole-Shot.”
Originating from Korean social media, it’s called an Ole-Shot because you mix olive oil and lemon in a 1:1 ratio and drink it in one gulp.
It seems to have started appearing in Japan a little while ago as well.
So, I kept at it for a while.
Then, I felt like I had developed a bit of a glow. It might just be my imagination, but it didn’t feel bad.
But this is exactly when I feel like looking things up.If it’s really working, there must be a reason for it.
When I looked into it, I found that I was half right.
I’ll state the conclusion first.
There is evidence for olive oil. There is none for the combination with lemon juice.
First, regarding olive oil. A large-scale study in France reported that people who consumed more olive oil showed fewer signs of photoaging of the skin. There are also studies showing that people whose diets are closer to the Mediterranean style have better skin elasticity and less photoaging.
It makes sense in terms of components as well, as oleic acid and polyphenols have been confirmed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
In other words, “feeling like I developed a glow” might not just be my imagination.
However, as for the lemon part
I will be honest.
The vitamin C contained in 20ml of lemon juice is only about 10mg. Since the recommended daily intake is 100mg, that is only about 10 percent.
To expect it to work “for collagen” is quite a stretch.
Moreover, vitamin C is water-soluble. The logic that “taking it with oil increases absorption” does not apply here. That only applies to fat-soluble components found in carrots or tomatoes.
So, is lemon meaningless? Not necessarily. It makes it easier to drink. Drinking 20ml of oil alone is quite difficult, so as a trick to keep it up, it is probably excellent.
But it is not that “the lemon is working.” It is making it possible to continue, which I think is the accurate way to put it.
Also, one word of caution.
This is something I found while researching, and it gave me a bit of a chill.
There is a completely different folk remedy that claims to “detox the liver and gallstones with olive oil and lemon juice.”
This is completely different from the story above. And it has no basis in science. The “stones” that come out have been confirmed to be soap-like clumps formed by the reaction between the oil and the lemon. The Mayo Clinic has also clearly denied it.
It is dangerous for people with gallstones. Please do not confuse the two.
Now, this is where I was truly surprised.
I thought, “Wouldn’t it be faster to just apply it to my skin?”
But something bothered me. If I apply oil to my skin, wouldn’t it act like tanning oil?
When I looked it up, this intuition was correct. However, the reason was different from what I had thought.
It wasn’t about heat. It was a problem of light transmittance.
And I found an even bigger problem than that. Applying olive oil damages the skin barrier. This has been confirmed in human comparative studies.
In other words, this is what it came down to.
The components that might be beneficial when ingested can act as damaging agents when applied topically.
The same oil works in opposite ways depending on the route of entry. I certainly did not expect this.
What I am doing now
I am continuing it. However, the reason has changed.
I am drinking it not to “make collagen with lemon,” but to “change the quality of my oils.” In an article I wrote previously, I introduced research showing that the type of lipids is related to skin condition, and this is an extension of that.
→ Nutrients and Skin Aging | The Relationship Between Vitamin C, Linoleic Acid, Carbohydrates, and Wrinkles
And I have stopped applying it topically. Especially during the day.
I have written in detail while verifying the research on why applying oil makes it easier for UV rays to penetrate, why it works in reverse when ingested versus applied, and which oils are best if you are going to apply them in the summer.
→ Oleic Acid and Linoleic Acid | Drinking Olive Oil and Applying Olive Oil Are Different Matters
I hope that those who have been trying too hard can feel a little lighter.
About this article
This article is intended for sharing health-related information and is not medical advice for diagnosis or treatment. Many of the studies introduced in this article are observational studies and do not prove causality. 20ml of olive oil contains approximately 160–165 kcal. If you are adding it daily, please consider the balance with your overall dietary intake. If you have gallstones, underlying medical conditions, are currently visiting a hospital, are on medication, or are pregnant, please consult your doctor before changing your dietary habits. Methods such as “flushing out gallstones with oil and lemon” are baseless and dangerous. Please do not perform them.