The gap between what the oil does and what the shot delivers is wide.
The Oil Itself Is the Real Deal
Extra virgin olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, chiefly oleic acid, plus vitamin E and polyphenols like oleocanthal, which acts on the same enzymes ibuprofen does, though the amount in a daily serving is a small fraction of a painkiller dose.
PREDIMED, a Spanish trial of 7,447 people at high cardiovascular risk, found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with olive oil was associated with roughly 30 percent fewer major cardiovascular events. That trial was retracted in 2018 after irregularities in how about a fifth of participants were assigned to groups, then republished with the analysis corrected. The effect size held. The certainty did not, and the authors could no longer treat it as a clean randomized result.
Two Harvard analyses of the same 93,000 person cohorts point the same way. More than half a tablespoon a day was associated with 14 percent lower cardiovascular disease risk in one, and 19 percent lower total mortality in another. These are observational, and one finding is telling: the advantage showed up against butter, margarine, and mayonnaise, not against other vegetable oils.
The FDA allows a qualified claim, its weaker evidence tier, that about 1.5 tablespoons daily of high oleic oils may reduce heart disease risk.
What the Shot Actually Does
For heart health, the benefit is real, provided it gets you to one to two tablespoons a day. For digestion, small trials suggest a mild laxative effect, but the gut health hype is overblown, because oil has no fiber, which is what your microbiome needs. For the skin glow, any effect is indirect and anecdotal. For detox, metabolism, and weight loss, there is no support: your liver and kidneys handle detox, and the concentrated calories work against it.
It’s the Oil, Not the Shot
The shot is an inferior way to consume the oil. The biggest reason is absorption. The fats in olive oil help you absorb fat soluble vitamins and carotenoids from vegetables, so drizzling it on a salad unlocks more than drinking it alone. Then there are the calories, roughly 120 per tablespoon, and straight oil causes nausea or reflux in some. Note too that both the FDA claim and the cohort data depend on olive oil replacing worse fats rather than being added on top, so a shot piled onto your existing diet may not deliver at all.
How to Do It Well
One good reason to shoot it: if you do not otherwise eat much olive oil, a daily dose guarantees a minimum. Otherwise, use real high polyphenol extra virgin olive oil, known by the peppery throat catch of oleocanthal, in a dark bottle with a recent harvest date. Keep it to one to two tablespoons, take it with food, and count the calories. The trend is right about the ingredient and mostly wrong about the method. Pour the same tablespoon over your vegetables instead.
This article is educational and is not medical or dietary advice. Individual responses vary, and drinking oil can cause digestive discomfort for some people. Consult a doctor or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have any health conditions.
This story was originally published by Men’s Fitness on Aug 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the Nutrition section. Add Men’s Fitness as a Preferred Source by clicking here.