No effect of dietary trans isomers of alpha-linolenic acid on platelet aggregation and haemostatic factors in European healthy men: The TRANSLinE study

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of trans alpha -linolen ic acid on platelet aggregation and blood haemostasis. A randomized, double blind dietary intervention trial was carried out with healthy male volunte ers (n=88) in three European centers. After a 6-week washout period where s ubjects avoided foods containing all trans fats, subjects either continued for 6 weeks with a low trans diet or a diet where trans alpha -linolenic ac id provided 0.6% of energy (supplied as oil, margarine, cheese, muffins, an d biscuits). At the end of the washout period the intake of trans polyunsat urated fats was 58+/-115 mg/day; this increased in patients on the high tra ns diet by +1344+/-328 mg/day, compared with +10+/-67 mg/day in patients on the low trans diet (p<0.01). The change in trans a-linolenic acid in plasm a cholesteryl eaters was 0.26+/-0.20 on the high trans and 0.00+/-0.07% of fatty acids on the low trans diet (p<0.001). No effect of the high trans di et was observed on platelet aggregation: collagen ECS, high trans 157+/-100 , low trans 152+/-90 ng/mL (NS); U44619 EC50 high trans 81+/-61, low trans 59+/-27 nM (NS). The high trans diet did not affect platelet thromboxane pr oduction, fibrinogen levels, factor VII, activated factor VIIa, or plasmino gen activator inhibitor activity. There were no center-specific differences in response to the high traits diet. A relatively high amount of trans or- linolenic acid for 6 weeks does not increase the risk of coronary heart dis ease by promoting platelet aggregation and blood coagulation. (C) 2000 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.