The effects of dietary omega 3 fatty acids on platelet composition and function in man: a prospective, controlled study

Abstract

The rarity of atherosclerotic vascular disease and a mild bruising tendency in Greenland Eskimos has been linked to their ingestion of omega 3 fatty acids contained in foods obtained from the sea. Previous studies have shown that feeding salmon oil to normal volunteers resulted in reductions of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. We wished to learn whether salmon oil feeding would result in the incorporation of omega 3 fatty acids into platelets and whether platelet function or platelet-vessel interaction would be altered. Diets containing salmon oils led to the incorporation of eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5 omega 3) into platelets (6.1%) with a reduction in arachidonic acid (C20:4 omega 6). The ratio of C20:5/C20:4 increased from 0.0045 on the control diet to 0.3 on the salmon diet. Bleeding times were prolonged (from 6.75 to 10 min, p less than 0.005), platelet retention on glass beads was mildly reduced (from 89% to 78%, p less than 0.0005), and platelet aggregation in response to dilute concentrations of ADP was inhibited in the subjects ingesting the salmon oil. We conclude that in normal subjects dietary omega 2 fatty acids derived from salmon oil are incorporated into platelet phospholipids and that these changes are accompanied by alterations in bleeding time and platelet function.

Reticulocytosis in nonanemic dogs: increasing prevalence and potential etiologies

“…Supplementation with n ‐3 PUFA has also increased over recent years. These fatty acids are utilized by COX‐1 and COX‐2, producing the 3‐series of prostaglandins and the 5‐series of leukotrienes, ultimately resulting in the formation of thromboxane‐3, a less potent platelet activator than the normal thromboxane‐2 produced from arachidonic acid . Like GLN, n ‐3 PUFA appears to cause mild changes in platelet function in both people and cats, although most authors agree these changes are of minimal clinical significance.…”

Dietary fish lipids do not diminish platelet adhesion to subendothelium

“…Together these events lead to an important change in the platelet's ability to synthesize certain eicosanoid products which influence platelet function. Arachidonic acid is the major precursor for the synthesis of the potent platelet aggregating agent and vasoconstrictor, thromboxane A2, in platelets and endothelial cells (Goodnight et al, 1981). EPA acts as a competitive inhibitor of AA in this synthetic pathway and leads to a decrease in production of thromboxane A2.…”

Long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of psychiatric illnesses in children and adolescents

“…LCn‐3PUFAs have been shown to be very safe even when used in relatively high doses (67). LCn‐3PUFAs do not generally affect bleeding time; however, LCn‐3PUFA may reduce platelet activation (93–95) and should be used cautiously in patients with pre‐existing haematological conditions and, when high doses are used, any unusual symptoms of bleeding should be carefully monitored and reported.…”