Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-hgkh8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T16:59:28.427Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids from plant and marine origin on platelet aggregation in healthy elderly subjects

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

A. G. C. L Wensing
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
R. P. Mensink*
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
G. Hornstra
Affiliation:
Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
*
*Corresponding author: Dr Ronald Mensink, fax +31 43 367 0976, email R.Mensink@HB.Unimaas.nl
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

In the present intervention study we compared the effects of α-linolenic acid with those of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on platelet aggregation in vitro and ex vivo in healthy non-institutionalized elderly subjects. We also compared the effects of α-linolenic acid on platelet aggregation in elderly subjects with those in younger volunteers. During a run-in period of 3 weeks all subjects (thirty-eight elderly (> 60 years) and twelve younger volunteers (< 35 years)) received a diet rich in oleic acid. For the next 6 weeks the elderly subjects received a diet rich in oleic acid (n 11), α-linolenic acid (n 14) (6·8 g/d) or EPA/DHA (n 13) (1·05 g EPA plus 0·55 g DHA). The younger subjects were given a diet rich in α-linolenic acid. The diets did not affect ADP- or collagen-induced platelet aggregation in vitro in either platelet-rich plasma or whole blood. The ex vivo platelet aggregation as measured with filtragometry was significantly decreased in the elderly group that received EPA/DHA compared with the α-linolenic acid (P = 0·006) and the oleic acid (P = 0·005) diet groups. Effects of α-linolenic acid were not age-dependent. Our results suggest that α-linolenic acid and EPA/DHA do not change in vitro platelet aggregation. Compared with oleic acid, EPA/DHA, but not α-linolenic acid, favourably affects ex vivo platelet aggregation in healthy elderly subjects.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1999

References

Abbate, R, Favilla, S, Boddi, M, Costanzo, G & Prisco, D (1986) Factors influencing platelet aggregation in whole blood. American Journal of Clinical Pathology 86, 9196.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Allman, MA, Pena, MM & Pang, D (1995) Supplementation with flaxseed oil versus sunflowerseed oil in healthy young men consuming a low fat diet: effects on platelet composition and function. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 49, 169178.Google ScholarPubMed
Bligh, EG & Dyer, WJ (1959) A rapid method for total lipid extraction and purification. Canadian Journal of Biochemistry and Physiology 37, 911917.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Debry, G & Pelletier, X (1991) Physiological importance of ?-3/?-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in man. An overview of still unresolved and controversial questions. Experienta 47, 172178.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Emken, EA, Adlof, RO, Rakoff, H & Rohwedder, WK (1988) Metabolism of deuterium-labeled linolenic, linoleic, oleic, stearic and palmitic acid in human subjects. In Synthesis and Applications of Isotopically Labelled Compounds 1988, Proceedings of the Third International Symposium, Innsbruck, Austria, pp. 713716 [Baillie, TA and Jones, JR, editors]. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.Google Scholar
Fleischman, AI, Justice, D, Bierenbaum, ML, Stier, A & Sullivan, A (1975) Beneficial effect of increased dietary linoleate upon in vivo platelet function in man. Journal of Nutrition 105, 12861290.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Freese, R & Mutanen, M (1997) α-Linolenic acid and marine long-chain n-3 fatty acids differ only slightly in their effects on hemostatic factors in healthy subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 66, 591598.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Freese, R, Mutanen, M, Valsta, LM & Salminen, I (1994) Comparison of the effects of two diets rich in monounsaturated fatty acids differing in their linoleic/α-linolenic acid ratio on platelet aggregation. Thrombosis and Haemostasis 71, 7377.Google Scholar
Hepburn, FN, Exler, J & Weihrauch, JL (1986) Provisional tables on the content of omega-3 fatty acids and other fat components of selected foods. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 86, 788793.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hornstra, G (1989) The significance of fish and fish-oil enriched food for prevention and therapy of ischaemic cardiovascular disease. In The Role of Fats in Human Nutrition, pp. 151235 [Vergroesen, A and Crawford, M, editors]. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hornstra, G, Lewis, B, Chait, A, Turpeinen, O, Karvonen, MJ & Vergroesen, AJ (1973) Influence of dietary fat on platelet function in men. Lancet 26, 11551157.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hornstra, G & ten Hoor, F (1975) The filtragometer: a new device for measuring platelet aggregation in venous blood of man. Thrombosis Diatheses and Haemorrhage 34, 531544.Google ScholarPubMed
Hunter, JE (1990) n-3 Fatty acids from vegetable oils. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 51, 809814.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kaluzny, MA, Duncan, LA, Merritt, MV & Epps, DE (1985) Rapid separation of lipid classes in high yield and purity using bonded columns. Journal of Lipid Research 26, 135140.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kinsella, JE, Broughton, KS & Whelan, JW (1990 a) Dietary unsaturated fatty acids: interactions and possible needs in relation to eicosanoid synthesis. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 1, 123141.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kinsella, JE, Lokesh, B & Stone, RA (1990 b) Dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and amelioration of cardiovascular disease: possible mechanisms. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 52, 128.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kleinbaum, DG, Kupper, LL & Muller, KE (1988) Applied Regression Analysis and Other Multivariable Methods. Boston, MA: PWS-Kent Publishing Company.Google Scholar
Meade, TW, Vickers, MV, Thompson, SG, Stirling, Y, Haines, AP & Miller, GJ (1985) Epidemiological characteristics of platelet aggregability. British Medical Journal 290, 428432.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miettinen, M, Karvonen, MJ, Turpeinen, O, Elosuo, R & Paavilainen, E (1972) Effect of cholesterol-lowering diet on mortality from coronary heart-disease and other causes. A twelve-year clinical trial in men and women. Lancet i? 835838.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morrison, WR & Smith, LM (1964) Preparation of fatty acid methylesters and dimethylacetals from lipids with boron fluoride methanol. Journal of Lipid Research 5, 600608.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mutanen, M, Freese, R, Valsta, LM, Ahola, I & Ahlström, A (1992) Rapeseed oil and sunflower oil diets enhance platelet in vitro aggregation and thromboxane production in healthy men when compared with milk fat or habitual diets. Thrombosis and Haemostasis 67, 352356.Google ScholarPubMed
O'Brien, JR, Etherington, MD & Jamieson, S (1976) Effect of a diet of polyunsaturated fats on some platelet-function tests. Lancet ii, 995997.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vericel, E, Croset, M, Sedivy, P, Courpron, P, Dechavanne, M & Lagarde, M (1988) Platelets and ageing. 1-Aggregation, arachidonate metabolism and antioxidant status. Thrombosis Research 49, 331342.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vilén, L, Jacobsson, S, Wadenvik, H & Kutti, J (1989) ADP-induced platelet aggregation as a function of age in healthy humans. Thrombosis and Haemostasis 61, 490492.Google ScholarPubMed
Voskuil, DW, Feskens, EJM, Katan, MB & Kromhout, D (1996) Intake and sources of α-linolenic acid in Dutch elderly men. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 50, 784787.Google ScholarPubMed