Omega-3s Reduce Cardiac Death Risk: Study

For years we’ve been told that the omega fatty acids — the healthy oils found in cold water fish and fish oil supplements — are heart healthy, and a new study confirms the validity of that advice. Results from the study that reviewed 14 randomized, controlled trials found that EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids reduced the risk of cardiac death up to 30 percent.

The studies involved 71,899 people, and found that consumption of EPA and DHA omega-3s reduced the overall risk of cardiac death by a statistically significant average of 8 percent.

Omega-3s reduced the risk of cardiac death by 17 percent in people who had elevated triglycerides or LDL cholesterol. But patients who took more than 1 gram of EPA and DHA every day reduced their risk by almost 30 percent.

“It’s important to note that these results align with the conclusions in the recent Science Advisory from the American Heart Association, which states that EPA and DHA omega-3 treatment ‘is reasonable’ for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and sudden cardiac death,” said Dr. Kevin Maki, lead study author and Chief Scientist for Midwest Biomedical Research’s Center for Metabolic and Cardiovascular Health.

“One notable feature of EPA and DHA omega-3 supplementation is the low risk associated with its use,” Maki said. “Because of the low risk for adverse effects, even a modest benefit is clinically meaningful.”

The American Heart Association recommends eating two servings of fish each week. Two servings supply 250-500 mg of EPA and DHA per day. In addition, the AHA also recommends 1 gram of EPA and DHA per day for those who have been diagnosed with heart disease.

Fish oils can also be obtained from supplements, and can cost as little as $10 a month.

The new study was published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology

Last year, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston found that taking fish oil tablets can help the heart heal after a heart attack. The supplements, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, helped reduce scarring in the heart muscle of heart attack victims when taken daily for six months.

Researchers gave heart attack survivors either four one-gram capsules of a prescription fish oil every day, or corn oil capsules. After six months, MRIs found that those who took fish oil had less thickening and scarring of the heart muscle than those who took the corn oil, and their hearts also pumped more efficiently.

According to the American Heart Association, cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack and stroke, account for one out of every three deaths in the U.S.