Lipid, lipoprotein, and hemostatic effects of fish vs fish-oil n-3 fatty acids in mildly hyperlipidemic males.

The effects of fish and fish oil on lipids, hemostasis, and blood pressure were compared in 25 mildly hyperlipidemic men who received 4.5 g eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plus docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily for 5 wk. Six additional subjects served as controls. Fish and fish oil lowered plasma triglycerides 20% and 28% and very-low-density-lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides 42% and 52%, respectively (all P less than 0.05 compared with control). High-density-lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased by 10% and 9%, with 34% and 32% increases in the proportion of HDL2 particles for fish and fish oil, respectively. Changes in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and blood pressure with fish and fish oil were not significantly different from changes for the control diet. The fish lowered fibrinogen (15.7%) and thromboxane (10.5%) and increased bleeding time (10.8%) (P less than 0.05 compared with control). Eating fatty fish and fish oil produced comparable lipid and lipoprotein changes, but only the fish improved hemostatic factors.