Dietary Arachidonic Acid Increases Risk of Thrombus (Blood Clot)
Bottomline: Eating a high arachidonic acid diet resulted in an increase of the potent compound, thromboxane, which may increase the risk of arterial blood clots.
Background: Since omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been in the headlines, this research brief reviews a classic study, which has striking implications on heart health.
In 1997, a series of metabolic studies evaluated the impact of eating a high arachidonic acid diet on healthy men. Arachidonic acid is the omega-6 fatty acid found in animal foods and is the potent precursor to thromboxane and prostacyclin. These compounds are key players in blood vessel physiology effecting the formation of intra-arterial blood clots. Thromboxane is a powerful inducer of platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction, while prostacyclin is its biological opposite.
Summary:This was a single blind crossover, feeding study in which 10 healthy volunteers lived in a metabolic unit for 130 days--with an intervention period of 50-days eating a high arachidonic acid diet (1.5 grams/day) and a control period of 65-days for each subject.
When the men ate a high arachidonic acid diet (1.5 grams/day), they experienced a marked increase in arachidonic acid-derived vasoactive compounds, compared to when they ate a stabilizing diet with 210 mg/d of arachidonic acid. Thromboxane levels increased by 41% and prostacyclin increased by 27%, compared to baseline levels. Since there was a considerable increase in thromboxane levels compared to prostacyclin, the researchers concluded that increasing dietary arachidonic acid could increase the risk of thrombosis.
Study Quote:”The magnitude of these increases is, in our opinion, remarkable as they occurred through the action of only 0.5 en% of added arachidonic acid and in the presence of relatively large quantities of dietary linoleate, the precursor of arachidonic acid.
Comment: Most cases of myocardial infarction are due to the formation of an occluding thrombus (blood clot) on the surface of the arterial plaque [Hansson]. For information on the the arachidonic acid content of foods, see: How Much Arachidonic Acid in Meats and Poultry? The Free Omega-6 Fat Tracker Widget
Links to Sources:
Ferretti A, Nelson GJ, Schmidt PC, Kelley DS, Bartolini G, Flanagan VP. Increased dietary arachidonic acid enhances the synthesis of vasoactive eicosanoids in humans. Lipids. 1997 Apr;32(4):435-9.
Hansson, G. Mechanisms of disease Inflammation, Atherosclerosis, and Coronary Artery Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 2005;352:1685-95.
Background: Since omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been in the headlines, this research brief reviews a classic study, which has striking implications on heart health.
In 1997, a series of metabolic studies evaluated the impact of eating a high arachidonic acid diet on healthy men. Arachidonic acid is the omega-6 fatty acid found in animal foods and is the potent precursor to thromboxane and prostacyclin. These compounds are key players in blood vessel physiology effecting the formation of intra-arterial blood clots. Thromboxane is a powerful inducer of platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction, while prostacyclin is its biological opposite.
Summary:This was a single blind crossover, feeding study in which 10 healthy volunteers lived in a metabolic unit for 130 days--with an intervention period of 50-days eating a high arachidonic acid diet (1.5 grams/day) and a control period of 65-days for each subject.
When the men ate a high arachidonic acid diet (1.5 grams/day), they experienced a marked increase in arachidonic acid-derived vasoactive compounds, compared to when they ate a stabilizing diet with 210 mg/d of arachidonic acid. Thromboxane levels increased by 41% and prostacyclin increased by 27%, compared to baseline levels. Since there was a considerable increase in thromboxane levels compared to prostacyclin, the researchers concluded that increasing dietary arachidonic acid could increase the risk of thrombosis.
Study Quote:”The magnitude of these increases is, in our opinion, remarkable as they occurred through the action of only 0.5 en% of added arachidonic acid and in the presence of relatively large quantities of dietary linoleate, the precursor of arachidonic acid.
Comment: Most cases of myocardial infarction are due to the formation of an occluding thrombus (blood clot) on the surface of the arterial plaque [Hansson]. For information on the the arachidonic acid content of foods, see: How Much Arachidonic Acid in Meats and Poultry? The Free Omega-6 Fat Tracker Widget
Links to Sources:
Ferretti A, Nelson GJ, Schmidt PC, Kelley DS, Bartolini G, Flanagan VP. Increased dietary arachidonic acid enhances the synthesis of vasoactive eicosanoids in humans. Lipids. 1997 Apr;32(4):435-9.
Hansson, G. Mechanisms of disease Inflammation, Atherosclerosis, and Coronary Artery Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 2005;352:1685-95.
Posted by Evelyn Tribole MSRD at April 1, 2009 12:58 PM 
Categories: Biomarkers,Omega-6 Fat,Cardiovascular,Arachidonic Acid,Full Text Studies-FREE,polyunsaturated fatty acids
Tags: omega-6 fat polyunsaturated fatty acids
Categories: Biomarkers,Omega-6 Fat,Cardiovascular,Arachidonic Acid,Full Text Studies-FREE,polyunsaturated fatty acids
Tags: omega-6 fat polyunsaturated fatty acids
I had bypass surgery 20 months ago. I started out with the AHA heart healthy diet but always kept fish as my main food. I went into your diet plan: significantly reduced omega 6 under 4000 mg a day and increased omega 3. I am no longer on any heart meds and my echocardiogram shows clear arteries and grafts and my heart is beating normal. Thanks for your book.
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