According to , fish oil supplements can increase the risk of developing heart disease and stroke, but may reduce the risk for people who already have cardiovascular disease. the study.
Fish oil is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. The NHS recommends: Eat fatty fish at least once a week It helps prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases.
To find out how much protection fish oil offers, a team of researchers from China, the United States, the United Kingdom and Denmark monitored the health of more than 400,000 UK Biobank participants for an average of 12 years and tested fish oil and fish oil. We estimated the relationship between New cases of supplements and atrial fibrillation (arrhythmia). Heart attack, stroke, heart failure. Some deaths occur in people with no known cardiovascular disease.
They also evaluated whether these supplements affected the progression of heart disease.
The study, published in the journal BMJ Medicine, found that for people who had no known cardiovascular disease at the start of the monitoring period, regular use of fish oil supplements was associated with a 13% higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation and a 5% higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation. % found to be higher. Having had a stroke.
However, for patients who had heart disease at the beginning of the study period, fish oil supplements were associated with a 15% lower risk of progression from atrial fibrillation to heart attack and a 9% lower risk of progression from heart failure to death. It was related.
The benefits and risks of omega-3 supplements are not uniformly observed, the study noted. The risk of a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure in healthy patients was 6% higher for women and 6% higher for nonsmokers.
The beneficial effects were also greater for older adults and men with heart disease, who lowered their risk of death by 11% and 7%, respectively.
The authors caution that because this is an observational study, no conclusions can be drawn about cause and effect. Additionally, no information was available regarding the dosage or formulation of fish oil supplements. Given that most of the participants were white, the findings may not apply to other ethnicities, the researchers added.
Tracy Parker, senior nutritionist at the British Heart Foundation, said: “While this study should not concern people who regularly take fish oil supplements, it is important to note that fish oil supplements may be used to prevent heart and cardiovascular disease. “It’s not a green light to start taking it.”
“In the UK, the Nice guidelines do not recommend taking fish oil supplements to prevent heart and circulatory disease, or to prevent recurrent heart attacks. Supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids are not a substitute for a healthy diet, and to lower your risk it is important to look at your diet holistically, rather than focusing on individual nutrients.
“A traditional Mediterranean diet has been proven time and time again to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. It includes more white and fatty fish, less red meat, fruits and vegetables, and legumes. This includes eating lots of lentils, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
