THE EFFECT OF N-3 FATTY-ACIDS ON LIPIDS AND HEMOSTATIC FACTORS IN PREMENOPAUSAL AND POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN

Previously observed gender differences in the response to fish oil led us to investigate the possible interaction between fish oil and female sex hormones. n-3 fatty acid supplementation was given as 85% pure ethylester of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoid acid for 4 weeks to 20 pre- and 18 postmenopausal healthy females in a placebo-controlled study. Fish oil lowered serum triglycerides (TG) by 25% in pre- and 38% in postmenopausal women (p<0.001 for both groups), and the response wets more pronounced in postmenopausal women (p<0.05; and significance of group difference). No significant changes were observed in the serum cholesterol fractions, in apolipoproteins A-I and B, or in lipoprotein(a) in any group. In both groups, fish oil intake was associated with a significant reduction in the platelet number (premenopausal: 19x10(9)/10(9)/l, p<0.001; postmenopausal. 16x10(9)/l, p<0.01), and in the mean platelet volume (premenopausal: -0.3 fl, p<0.01; postmenopausal: -0.2 fl, p<0.05). Tissue factor pathway inhibitor levels were initially higher in postmenopausal women (1.11+/-0.18 U/ml) and increased in this group after fish oil intake (+/-0.10 U/ml, p<0.01). The relevance of these fish oil-related effects on hemostatic function remains to be determined. This study indicated that the triglyceride-reducing effect of fish oil is not restricted by the sex hormone levels, but related to the initial TG level. Reducing serum TG may be of particular importance for women's risk of developing cardiovascular disease.