COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF PROLONGED INTAKE OF HIGHLY PURIFIED FISH OILS AS ETHYL-ESTER OR TRIGLYCERIDE ON LIPIDS, HEMOSTASIS AND PLATELET-FUNCTION IN NORMOLIPEMIC MEN

Conflicting results have been reported about the absorption of eicosap entaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) either as an ethyl ester (EE) or in a triglyceride (TG) formula. We decided to conduct a randomized double-blind study to compare the effects of EE and TG on plasma fatty acids, platelet function and haemostasis. Thirty-one heal thy normolipaemic men were allocated to receive fish oil concentrate e ither as EE or TG with equal amounts of EPA (2.2 g and 2.2 g, respecti vely) and DHA (1.2 g and 1.4 g, respectively) or placebo daily for 7 w eeks. Total cholesterol and the triglyceride level were not influenced differently by the two compounds. Repeated measurement ANOVA revealed a difference between TG and EE regarding incorporation of arachidonic acid (P = 0.034) and EPA (P = 0.007) into plasma cholesteryl esters. A discrimination not observed within plasma phospholipids. Both formul as had equal inhibitory effects on collagen-induced platelet aggregati on and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) production in whole blood. Fibrinogen dec reased 16% in EE (P = 0.034) and 12% in the placebo group (P = 0.11), but variance analysis of DELTA change during intervention did not indi cate differences between groups. It is concluded that TG and EE fish o ils are well incorporated into plasma lipids and have similarly benefi cial influence one platelet function in men.