EFFECT OF CATFISH AND SALMON DIET ON PLATELET PHOSPHOLIPID AND BLOOD-CLOTTING IN HEALTHY-MEN

The effect of diets containing either catfish or salmon fish on blood clotting and platelet phospholipid fatty acid composition was studied in 17 healthy, young men. The subjects received a control diet for 21 days followed by either catfish diets (n = 9) or salmon diets (n = 8) for an additional 19 days. Catfish and salmon diets prolonged the subjects' bleeding times (by 66% and 57%, respectively) and clotting times (by 25% and 31%, respectively), P < 0.05. The platelet count in catfish and salmon groups decreased by 7% and 9%, respectively. There were no differences in the prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). A small but significant increase (P < 0.05) in fibrinogen concentration was observed in catfish (243.7 mg/dL) and salmon diet groups (246.5 mg/dL) compared to the control group (223.9 mg/dL). Diets containing catfish and salmon led to significant incorporation of total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFAs (from 5.04% on the control to 6.14% and 10.26%, respectively) and total EPA + DHA (from 3.77% on the control to 4.84% and 8.83%, respectively). The n-3/n-6 ratio increased in both groups while the ratio of 20:5/20:4 increased only in the salmon group from 0.05 on the control diet to 0.14. The reduction in arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6) and total n-6 PUFAs was not statistically significant in the catfish group but was significant in the salmon group. The findings suggest that there were minor differences between hemostatic parameters in men fed catfish and salmon. The consumption of either diet led to incorporation of dietary n-3 PUFAs into platelet phospholipids, and may result in alteration in platelet and hemostatic function in men.