Dietary supplementation with omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids reduces induced white blood cell aggregation in healthy volunteers

Twenty healthy, non-smoking subjects were enrolled into a study to look at the effects of 3 months' dietary supplementation with long chain polyunsaturated essential fatty acids (EFAs) on white blood cell (WBC) aggregation. Ten subjects received 3 months' supplementation with long chain polyunsaturated omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids, 10 received 3 months of placebo (sunflower oil). Venous blood was sampled at 0 and 12 weeks; whole blood WBC aggregation in response to formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) was measured. The results showed that the 3 months' dietary supplementation with a combination of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids significantly reduced WBC aggregation to FMLP in healthy volunteers when compared to placebo. Since WBC aggregation to FMLP is dependent on the activity of WBC surface receptors and independent of eicosanoid production, we suggest EFAs may have other anti-inflammatory actions in addition to their role as modulators of mediator production.