Changes in red cell shape in healthy elderly subjects taking low dose fish oil: pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
to investigate the effects of low dose fish oil on red cell shape and blood pressure in healthy elderly subjects during a 16 week treatment and an eight week follow-up.


METHODS
red cell shape analysis by scanning electron microscopy with data analysis by repeated measures analysis of variance.


RESULTS
in the preoil blood samples the percentage of cells with surface changes was much higher than that of younger healthy subjects (24.0% vs 14.4%). While taking fish oil the percentage of cells with surface changes declined to a minimum at the end of the eighth week, steadily increased during the next eight weeks then declined during the eight week follow up. Mean blood pressures were not altered by the fish oil although that of five subjects taking different types of antihypertensive drugs tended to show greater fall in blood pressure than those not on drugs.


CONCLUSIONS
that dietary supplementation with low dose fish oil was associated with changes in red cell shape. The observed changes are currently inexplicable.
Simpson
L O
LO
Department of General Practice, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin.
McQueen
E G
EG
Shand
B I
BI
Herbison
G P
GP
Campbell
A J
AJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects
D005395:Fish Oils