Research shows that fish oil supplements may increase people’s risk of heart disease or stroke, but may reduce the risk in people who already have cardiovascular disease.
Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) recommends eating at least one serving of oily fish a week to help prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease.
To understand how protective fish oil might be, a team of researchers from China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Denmark monitored the health of more than 400,000 participants in the UK Biobank for an average of 12 years to estimate the differences between fish oil and fish oil. association. heart attack, stroke, and heart failure; and death in people without known cardiovascular disease.
They also evaluated whether the supplements affected the progression of heart disease.
The study, published in the journal BMJ Medicine, found that regular use of fish oil supplements was associated with a 13% increased risk of atrial fibrillation and a 5% increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation in people with no known cardiovascular disease at the start of the monitoring period. Stroke.
But for patients with heart disease at the beginning of the study, fish oil supplementation reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation progressing to a heart attack by 15% and the risk of heart failure progressing to death by 9%.
Studies indicate that the benefits and risks of omega-3 supplementation have not been consistently observed. The risk of heart attack, stroke or heart failure was 6% higher in women and 6% higher in non-smokers.
There were also greater beneficial effects among older adults and men with heart disease, who had an 11% and 7% lower risk of transition from health status to death, respectively.
The authors caution that this is an observational study, so conclusions about causal factors cannot be drawn. And there is no information on the dosage or formulation of fish oil supplements. They added that given that most participants were white, the findings may not apply to people of other races.
Tracy Parker, senior nutritionist at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study should not involve people who regularly take fish oil supplements, but it is also not a recommendation to start taking fish oil supplements to prevent heart and circulatory disease. Systemic diseases are given the green light.
“In the UK, the Nice Guidelines do not recommend taking fish oil supplements to prevent heart and circulatory disease or to stop another heart attack. Supplements such as Omega-3 fatty acids are not a replacement for a healthy diet, and rather than focusing on individual nutrients, it is better to look at the whole picture Review your diet to help reduce your risk.
“The traditional Mediterranean diet has been shown time and time again to reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke. This includes more fish – both white and oily – and less red meat, as well as lots of fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes. , lentils, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
