Vitamin E and ω-3 fatty acids: effectors of platelet responsiveness

This overview focuses on recent evidence in support of vitamin E and ω-3 fatty acids as positive effectors of cardiovascular health through their ability to influence signaling processes in platelets. Special emphasis is placed on vitamin E actions independent of antioxidant activity. The sometimes discordant findings among observational studies, clinical trials, and in vitro cellular studies have been scrutinized for clues to explain possible mechanisms of actions and suggest strategies for future work to define appropriate intakes of these two nutrients.