HEMOSTATIC FACTORS AND PLATELET-AGGREGATION AFTER A FISH-ENRICHED DIET OR FISH-OIL OR DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID SUPPLEMENTATION

The effects of a fish-enriched diet or dietary supplements consisting of either fish oil or a docosahexaenoic acid-rich oil (DHA-oil) on pla telet aggregation and hemostatic factors were studied in healthy male students. After an experimental period of 15 weeks, the levels of tiss ue factor pathway inhibitor, prothrombin fragment 1+2 and fibrinogen a s well as factor VII activity were not changed. Factor X activity was slightly decreased by the fish diet (P<0.05). Collagen but not ADP-ind uced maximum platelet aggregation decreased in the fish diet and the f ish oil groups (P<0.05 in both). In the DHA-oil group there was a slig ht, statistically insignificant, increase of platelet aggregation whic h correlated significantly with the decrease of plasma triglycerides. Platelet aggregation measured 4 h after a standardized fat meal was lo wer than in the fasting state and this decrease correlated with the in crease of plasma triglycerides. These results show that a fish diet an d fish oil, but not DHA-oil, inhibit in vitro platelet aggregation and that hemostatic factors are not affected by moderate n-3 fatty acid s upplementation.