Phenols Help Maintain Blood Viscosity

CORDOBA, SpainVirgin olive oil with a high content of phenolic compounds changed postprandial hemostatic profiles to a less thrombogenic state in 21 hypercholesterolemic volunteers involved in a recent study (Am J Clin Nutr. Aug. 2007;86(2):341-46). Study volunteers received two breakfasts rich in olive oils with different phenolic contents (80 ppm or 400 ppm) according to a randomized, sequential crossover design. Plasma concentrations of lipid fractions, factor VII antigen (FVIIag), activated factor VII (FVIIa) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity were measured at baseline and postprandially.Concentrations of FVIIa increased less and plasma PAI-1 activity decreased more two hours after the high-phenol meal than after the low-phenol meal. FVIIa concentrations 120 min after intake of the olive oil with a high phenol content correlated positively with fasting plasma triacylglycerols and non-esterified fatty acids, and negatively with fasting HDL-cholesterol concentrations and hydroxytyrosol plasma concentrations at 60 min. PAI-1 positively correlated with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and fasting triacylglycerols, and inversely with adiponectin. In a multivariate analysis, non-esterified fatty acids and adiponectin concentrations were the strongest predictors of plasma FVIIa and PAI-1, respectively.