OLIVE OIL SUPPLEMENTATION IN HEALTHY-ADULTS - EFFECTS IN CELL-MEMBRANE FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION AND PLATELET-FUNCTION

Ten healthy volunteers were given a daily supplement of 30 g olive oil for 6 weeks in order to evaluate how it would affect cell membrane co mposition and ultimately platelet function. Fasting blood and cheek ce ll samples were taken before commencing the study, after 21 and 42 day s of supplementation and also at 30 days after finishing the supplemen t (washout). C18:1n-9 was significantly increased (p < 0.01) in platel et and cheek cell phospholipids. Erythrocytes were not good markers fo r C18:1n-9 intake and no significant change was found in this tissue. There was a small nonsignificant decrease in platelet phospholipid 20: 4n-6 after the supplementation, in accordance with previously publishe d results. C18:1n-9 did not persist in platelet membranes after the vo lunteers stopped consuming the olive oil supplement, but in erythrocyt es a significant increase (p < 0.05) was found after the washout perio d. None of these changes in fatty acid composition in the different ti ssues were related to significant changes in serum cholesterol-related variables or in clotting factors or adenosine diphosphate-induced pla telet aggregation.