Does the Olive Oil Shot Trend Actually Work?

A tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, taken straight, usually first thing on an empty stomach — sometimes with lemon juice added for the "brightening" effect. Searches for "olive oil shot" rose 45% in a single month following one viral video. The habit has real, high-profile champions and a genuine scientific foundation underneath it. It also has a specific, well-documented gap between what the research shows and what the trend actually asks people to do.

TL;DR

• Extra virgin olive oil has a genuinely strong evidence base. It's linked to reduced inflammation, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and is a core component of the Mediterranean diet, one of the best-studied dietary patterns for cardiovascular health.
• The benefits come from olive oil consumed as part of a diet, not from taking it as an isolated shot. Registered dietitians consistently make the same point: this is olive oil research being applied to a format the research didn't actually test.
• Fat-soluble vitamin absorption is better with food, not on an empty stomach. Multiple dietitians note that olive oil's role as a "carrier" for nutrients in vegetables works when it's eaten alongside them, not taken alone before anything else.
• The claimed weight-loss and "detox" effects have little to no direct evidence. One physician quoted in coverage of the trend called it "more hype than medicine"; a widely shared Reddit comment on the trend read simply, "there is 0 evidence it has any positive effects besides the obvious nutritional content of the ingredients."
• Olive oil and lemon juice combined doesn't create a "supercharged" effect. Each ingredient has its own separate benefits; combining them doesn't multiply or unlock anything additional, according to registered dietitians who've specifically addressed this claim.
• Real downsides exist: olive oil is calorie-dense, taken straight it can cause nausea, acid reflux or loose stools in some people, and the calories add up meaningfully over a week if not accounted for.

What the Trend Actually Involves

The most common version, popularised in part through Kourtney Kardashian's wellness platform Poosh, involves one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil taken straight, on an empty stomach, with the stated logic that this lets the oil "coat your system and neutralise your stomach walls for optimal benefits." Some versions add lemon juice for taste or an additional claimed "brightening" effect. Claimed benefits circulating with the trend range from improved digestion and gut health to reduced cravings, better immunity, glowing skin, and in some more elaborate versions, weight loss or even dissolving gallstones.

Beyoncé, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Lopez have all reportedly been linked to versions of the habit, and celebrity endorsement is a significant part of why the trend keeps resurfacing.

Where the Real Evidence Actually Sits

Extra virgin olive oil is not a fad ingredient with no science behind it — quite the opposite. It's one of the more thoroughly researched components of the Mediterranean diet, and registered dietitians interviewed about the trend are consistent in praising the oil itself. As one put it: extra virgin olive oil "is brilliant for your health, offering many proven benefits," citing its role in reducing inflammation, its high antioxidant content, its monounsaturated fats, and links to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. The landmark PREDIMED trial found a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil reduced major cardiovascular events compared with a low-fat control diet.

The compounds driving most of these effects are polyphenols, specifically hydroxytyrosol and oleocanthal, which act as anti-inflammatory antioxidants — and these compounds are more concentrated in genuinely high-quality extra virgin olive oil than in the refined versions found on most supermarket shelves, which is a distinction worth knowing regardless of whether you're taking it as a shot or using it in cooking.

None of this evidence is in dispute. What's in dispute is whether taking it as an isolated morning shot delivers those benefits any better than simply eating olive oil as part of meals — and the research doesn't actually test the shot format specifically.

The Gap the Trend Skips Over

Multiple registered dietitians, independently, make the same specific correction when asked about this trend: you absorb more of olive oil's fat-soluble vitamins when it's consumed alongside food, not on an empty stomach.

As one dietitian explained it, foods like tomatoes, carrots and dark leafy greens contain fat-soluble nutrients that are better absorbed when eaten with some fat — olive oil can act as that "carrier," but only when it's actually accompanying those foods, which a shot taken alone first thing in the morning specifically isn't doing.

This is the core issue with the trend, stated plainly: the research supports olive oil consumption generally. It doesn't specifically support, or test, taking it as an isolated shot, and the mechanism some dietitians highlight — nutrient absorption alongside food — actively works against the empty-stomach framing the trend is built on.

On the added claims around mixing olive oil with lemon juice for a "supercharged" or gallstone-dissolving effect, one registered dietitian was direct: "there is little scientific evidence to support this." Both ingredients have genuine, separate benefits; combining them doesn't create a new or amplified effect.

What Doctors and Online Commentary Actually Say

Coverage of the trend has drawn consistent scepticism from health professionals asked to evaluate it directly. One family physician described the trend as "more hype than medicine," specifically recommending using olive oil in meals instead of as a standalone shot.

Public reaction has echoed the same scepticism. One widely quoted comment from a health-focused online community read: "The trend is nonsense. There is 0 evidence it has any positive effects besides the obvious nutritional content of the ingredients." Another response to the trend was more practical: "Just use the olive oil when you cook. Use it instead of butter or other oils. This is the recommendation I see. Not drinking it."

Individual anecdotal reports do exist on the positive side — some TikTok users have reported reduced snacking and no weight gain despite the added calories — but these remain self-reported, uncontrolled individual experiences rather than evidence the format itself produces the effect.

The Real Downsides

Calories add up. Olive oil is calorie-dense — a tablespoon runs to around 120 calories, and it has more calories per tablespoon than butter. Taken daily as an extra shot on top of normal meals rather than in place of another fat source used in cooking, this adds a meaningful number of extra calories across a week without necessarily being accounted for.

Digestive discomfort is common. Taking oil straight, particularly on an empty stomach, can cause nausea, acid reflux, or loose stools in some people — a direct physical response to a concentrated dose of fat hitting an empty digestive system.

What Actually Makes Sense

The consistent recommendation across dietitians and physicians commenting on this trend isn't "avoid olive oil." It's "use it the way the evidence actually supports" — as a substitute for less healthy fats in cooking and dressings, in line with NHS guidance on fat, incorporated into meals where it can help with the absorption of fat-soluble nutrients from vegetables, rather than taken alone as an isolated ritual.

If the appeal is genuinely the ritual — a consistent, small daily habit — that's a reasonable personal choice, provided the calorie content is accounted for and the format doesn't cause digestive discomfort. What it isn't is a distinct, evidenced intervention separate from simply eating good-quality olive oil as part of a normal diet. Our Reset guides take the same approach: build the habit that the evidence actually supports, rather than the version that photographs well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the olive oil shot trend have any scientific evidence behind it? The evidence for extra virgin olive oil generally is strong, particularly for cardiovascular health, inflammation and antioxidant intake. The evidence for taking it specifically as an isolated shot, particularly on an empty stomach, is much weaker — dietitians consistently note the research applies to olive oil consumed as part of a diet, not this specific format.

Is it better to take olive oil on an empty stomach or with food? With food, according to multiple registered dietitians. Fat-soluble vitamins in foods like tomatoes, carrots and leafy greens are better absorbed when eaten alongside a fat source such as olive oil, which is the opposite of the empty-stomach framing the trend typically promotes.

Does mixing olive oil with lemon juice create extra benefits? No credible evidence supports this. Both ingredients have their own separate, genuine benefits, but registered dietitians have specifically stated there's little scientific evidence that combining them creates any additional or "supercharged" effect.

Can olive oil shots help with weight loss? There's no strong direct evidence for this specific claim. Olive oil is calorie-dense, and while its monounsaturated fats can support satiety, the added calories from a daily shot can offset any benefit if not accounted for elsewhere in the diet.

What are the downsides of taking olive oil shots? The main downsides are digestive: nausea, acid reflux or loose stools, particularly when taken on an empty stomach. The calories also add up — roughly 120 per tablespoon, more than butter per equivalent amount — which matters if it's an addition to, rather than a substitute within, the rest of the diet.

Should I just add olive oil to my food instead? This is the consistent recommendation from dietitians and physicians who've evaluated the trend. Using olive oil in cooking, dressings, or as a substitute for less healthy fats delivers the evidenced benefits without the digestive risk or unaccounted calories of a standalone daily shot.

The Bottom Line

This is a case where the underlying ingredient has genuinely strong science behind it, and the trend has simply repackaged that science into a format nobody actually tested. Extra virgin olive oil is well-evidenced for cardiovascular and anti-inflammatory benefits, as part of an overall diet. A daily shot, taken alone on an empty stomach, isn't shown to deliver those benefits any better — and by the account of the dietitians who study nutrient absorption specifically, may deliver them somewhat worse.

If the routine itself brings you back to the kitchen and reminds you to use good olive oil consistently, that's a fine reason to keep it. If the goal is the actual evidenced health benefit, the more reliable route is simpler and less dramatic: cook with it, dress your vegetables with it, and skip the shot glass.

This is general information rather than medical advice. If you experience persistent digestive discomfort after taking olive oil, or have questions about how dietary fat fits your specific health needs, speak to a GP or registered dietitian.

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