Effects of dietary flaxseed oil supplementation on equine plasma fatty acid concentrations and whole blood platelet aggregation.
Abstract: An 18-week feeding trial was performed to investigate the effects of an omega-3 (n-3) fatty acid-enriched ration on plasma fatty acid concentrations and platelet aggregation in healthy horses. Flaxseed oil served as the source of the n-3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Twelve horses were fed dietary maintenance requirements using a complete pelleted ration (80%) and timothy grass hay (20%) for a 2-week acclimation period before being randomly assigned either to a treatment (group 1) or control (group 2) group. Group 2 horses (n = 6) were fed the diet described in the acclimation period, whereas group I horses (n = 6) were fed a 10% flaxseed oil-enriched complete pellet (80%) and grass hay (20%). Biological samples and physical measurements were collected at one point during the acclimation period (week 0) and every 4 weeks thereafter (weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16). Body weight, CBC (including platelet count), plasma fibrinogen. electrolyte (Na, K, and Cl) concentrations, and biochemical profile enzyme activities (aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and creatine kinase) did not change markedly with diet. Platelet aggregation was not altered by the supplementation of flaxseed oil in these healthy horses, although increases in plasma cis-polyunsaturated 18-carbon fatty acids C18:3; n-3 (ALA) and C18:2; n-6 (linoleic acid), biologically active C20:5; n-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA]), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were evident. There were no marked decreases in C20:4; n-6 (arachidonic acid [AA]) or increases in C22:6; n-3 (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]), signifying that flaxseed oil may have had a high percentage of omega-6 (n-6) fatty acids as well as n-3 fatty acids, and this relatively high n-6: n-3 fatty acid ratio may have affected the biochemical effect of n-3 fatty acids. In healthy horses supplemented with flaxseed oil, platelet aggregation was not altered, which may have been due to the limited biologic effect in healthy subjects or the inability of flaxseed oil to induce the necessary biochemical effect of replacing n-6 fatty acids with n-3 types.
Publication Date: 2002-07-27 PubMed ID: 12141309DOI: 10.1892/0891-6640(2002)016<0457:eodfos>2.3.co;2Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Clinical Trial
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research examined if a diet enriched with Omega-3 fatty acids, whose source was flaxseed oil, affected the fatty acid concentrations in plasma and the platelet aggregation in healthy horses. The findings showed an increase in specific fatty acids and no significant effect on the platelet aggregation, indicating Omega-3 supplementation had limited biological effects in these subjects or flaxseed oil failed to effectively replace Omega-6 fatty acids with Omega-3 types.
Study Design
- The study was an 18-week feeding trial involving twelve horses which were fed a diet meeting their maintenance requirements for an acclimation period of two weeks.
- The diet consisted of a mixture of complete pelleted ration (80%) and timothy grass hay (20%).
- The horses were then randomly placed into two groups for the trial – a treatment group (group 1) and a control group (group 2).
- Group 1’s feed was enriched with 10% flaxseed oil while group 2’s feed remained the same as in the acclimation period.
Data Collection
- Biological samples and physical measurements were collected at the start of the acclimation period and every 4 weeks thereafter.
- The tests conducted on the samples included body weight, complete blood count (including platelet count), plasma fibrinogen concentration, electrolyte levels, and activities of several enzymes.
Research Findings
- The results showed no significant changes in the body weight, complete blood count, plasma fibrinogen, electrolyte concentrations, or enzyme activities.
- Contrary to the hypothesized effect of Omega-3 fatty acids on platelets, the horse’s platelet aggregation remained unchanged despite the flaxseed oil supplementation.
- However, there were increases in the levels of specific fatty acids such as alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), linoleic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and malondialdehyde (MDA).
- This suggested that the flaxseed oil used in the study had a high concentration of both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids and the high Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio could have affected the biochemical impact of the Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Importantly, no decreases were noted in Arachidonic acid (AA) or increases in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Conclusion
- The study concluded that flaxseed oil supplementation did not alter platelet aggregation in healthy horses. This effect could be attributed to a limited biological effect in healthy subjects or flaxseed oil’s inability to induce the expected biochemical effect of substituting Omega-6 fatty acids with Omega-3.
Cite This Article
APA
Hansen RA, Savage CJ, Reidlinger K, Traub-Dargatz JL, Ogilvie GK, Mitchell D, Fettman MJ.
(2002).
Effects of dietary flaxseed oil supplementation on equine plasma fatty acid concentrations and whole blood platelet aggregation.
J Vet Intern Med, 16(4), 457-463.
https://doi.org/10.1892/0891-6640(2002)016<0457:eodfos>2.3.co;2 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523, USA. rahansen@colostate.edu
MeSH Terms
- Alkaline Phosphatase / blood
- Animal Feed
- Animals
- Arachidonic Acid / blood
- Aspartate Aminotransferases / blood
- Blood Cell Count / veterinary
- Creatine Kinase / blood
- Dietary Supplements
- Docosahexaenoic Acids / blood
- Eicosapentaenoic Acid / blood
- Electrolytes / blood
- Fatty Acids / blood
- Female
- Fibrinogen / metabolism
- Horses / blood
- Linoleic Acid / blood
- Linseed Oil / administration & dosage
- Platelet Aggregation
- Reference Values
- alpha-Linolenic Acid / blood
- gamma-Glutamyltransferase / blood
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Wyrostek A, Czyż K, Sokoła-Wysoczańska E, Patkowska-Sokoła B, Bielas W. The Effect of Ethyl Esters of Linseed Oil on the Changes in the Fatty Acid Profile of Hair Coat Sebum, Blood Serum and Erythrocyte Membranes in Healthy Dogs.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jul 9;13(14).
- Mowry KC, Thomson-Parker TL, Morales C, Fikes KK, Stutts KJ, Leatherwood JL, Anderson MJ, Smith RX, Suagee-Bedore JK. Effects of Crude Rice Bran Oil and a Flaxseed Oil Blend in Young Horses Engaged in a Training Program.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 2;12(21).
- Sembratowicz I, Zięba G, Cholewinska E, Czech A. Effect of Dietary Flaxseed Oil Supplementation on the Redox Status, Haematological and Biochemical Parameters of Horses' Blood.. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 30;10(12).
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