Effects of fruits and vegetables and dairy foods on platelet activity

Our past research has shown that a dairy‐rich diet produces an ideal intracellular environment (significantly lower intracellular calcium (Ca)i to magnesium ratio) compared with two low dairy/calcium diets. This study examined the effect of dairy foods on platelet activity, which is regulated by (Ca)i. Adults with untreated hypertension (n=16) were fed 3 experimental diets (5 wk each) in a randomized crossover study design. Diets included a dairy rich, high fruits and vegetables diet (D‐F&V; 30% fat, 7% saturated fat [SFA], 3.4 servings [svg]/d dairy, 9.6 svg/d F&V), a high fruits and vegetables diet (F&V; 30% fat, 7% SFA, 0.4 svg/d dairy, 9.6 svg/d F&V), and an average Western diet (AWD; 36% fat, 15% SFA, 0.4 svg/d dairy, 3.6 svg/d F&V). (Ca)i mobilization in platelets was measured after treatment with vasopression (VP) by flow cytometry. As expected, VP induced a rapid elevation in (Ca)i from baseline on all diets (p's < 0.01). Peak change in (Ca)i was 130% higher on AWD vs D‐F&V and F&V diets (p's < 0.05). Serum P‐selectin, a marker of platelet activation, was higher on AWD vs. D‐F&V diet (p < 0.02), while the F&V diet was not different from either. Taken together, the AWD appears to detrimentally affect platelet properties in hypertensive subjects compared with diets high in fruits and vegetables; and dairy foods may offer additional benefits. Funding: National Dairy Council, GCRC of Penn State University NIH M01 RR10732