Thrombosis: Omega-3s fight it by reducing thrombin
Omega-3 supplements reduce blood coagulation and cases of thrombosis
The intake of Omega 3 reduces thrombin formation. Thrombin is a protein that promotes blood clotting by making clots more permeable, which block blood vessels in people suffering from coronary artery disease. This discovery, made by researchers at the Jagiellonian University Medical College in Krakow (Poland) and published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, adds new details to the antithrombotic action of Omega-3.
Thrombosis and Omega-3
Omega-3 fatty acids help maintain the cardiovascular system in good health. Their properties include the ability to reduce excess triglycerides and increase levels of so-called "good" cholesterol. These actions help reduce atherosclerosis, which is the formation of cholesterol deposits on artery walls. This phenomenon causes narrowing of blood vessels, obstructing blood flow and increasing the risk of thrombosis. Therefore, the increase of "good" cholesterol reduces the cardiovascular risk.
A new mechanism of action
The authors of this research investigated whether Omega-3 might also help modify clot properties and thrombin formation in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing angioplasty. To answer this, researchers asked 30 patients to take 1 gram per day of Omega-3 for 1 month.
Another 24 patients took the same amount of a placebo for the same period. At the start of the experiment, there were no significant differences in clot characteristics and thrombin formation between the two groups. In those who took Omega-3, after 1 month, fibrin clots were 15.3% more permeable compared to the control group. Moreover, the intake of these fatty acids reduced clot dissolution time by 14.3%. Similarly, thrombin production parameters were reduced by between 13% and 34%. After 1 month of Omega-3 intake, the expression of an oxidative stress marker was also lower (specifically, by 13.1%) compared to patients who had taken placebo.
The antithrombotic effectiveness of Omega-3
The results indicate that Omega-3 reduce the risk of thrombosis because they:
- increase levels of good cholesterol;
- reduce the formation of a molecule that promotes coagulation (thrombin);
- modify clot properties.
The intake of these fatty acids alongside standard therapies also counteracts oxidative stress in patients undergoing angioplasty.
