Comparison of three species of fish consumed as part of a Western diet: effects on platelet fatty acids and function, hemostasis, and production of thromboxane.

This study examined the effect of the consumption of moderate amounts of three species of fish on platelet fatty acid profile (PFA), bleeding time (BT), platelet aggregation, and ex vivo production of thromboxane B2 (TXB2). Twenty-three healthy, young men consumed 200 g/d of Dover sole. Chinook salmon, and sablefish for 18 d in a three-way crossover design as part of a Western diet. Salmon and sablefish compared with sole caused significant increases in the eicosapentaenoic acid content of the PFA (P = 0.002). BT increased moderately when salmon diets were consumed (P = 0.06). Platelet aggregation decreased with collagen as an agonist on sablefish diets (P = 0.03) and with ADP as an agonist on salmon and sablefish diets (P = 0.04). TXB2 concentrations decreased moderately on sablefish and salmon diets (P = 0.06). Certain species of fish when consumed in reasonable amounts as part of a Western diet may cause modestly positive effects on platelet function.