Fish oil is useless for the heart
Millions of people take fish oil preparations in the hope that the omega-3 fatty acids contained in it will have a positive effect on the state of their cardiovascular system. It should also be noted that the American Heart Association recommends that people with a history of heart disease regularly take dietary supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids.
Scientists from the University of Oxford, working under the leadership of Professor Robert Clarke, conducted a meta-analysis of the results of 10 earlier studies examining the effectiveness of dietary supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids as a means to prevent heart disease and improve the condition of patients with these diseases. As a result, they revealed only a slight positive effect in the group of patients who already have a history of heart disease or who have suffered a myocardial infarction.
A total of 78,000 patients participated in the analyzed studies. They took omega-3 fatty acid medications or placebo. Almost 2,700 of them died of heart disease, more than 2,200 suffered non-fatal myocardial infarction and 12,000 developed strokes or other serious circulatory disorders.
The analysis of the collected data did not reveal a statistically significant positive effect of the use of fish oil-based dietary supplements on the risk of death from myocardial infarction and other heart diseases, as well as from stroke and any other causes.
The authors were able to identify only minor (statistically insignificant) changes in the magnitude of risks in patients with previously diagnosed heart diseases. Thus, the use of fish oil reduced the risk of death of such patients by 7% and the development of non–fatal myocardial infarction by 3%.
Experts in this field who did not participate in the study agreed that people interested in the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system should not spend money on fish oil preparations. Apparently, moderate physical activity is a much more effective remedy.
At the same time, according to Dr. David Siscovick, First Deputy president for Research at the New York Medical Academy, despite the lack of a preventive effect, for people with a history of heart disease or myocardial infarction, the association's specialists have shown that taking fish oil medications reduces mortality by 10%, which is not so much different from the 7% identified by the authors. It should be noted that Dr. Siskovik is the first author of the recommendations of the American Academy of Cardiology on the use of dietary supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids.
Article by Theingi Aung et al. Associations of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplement Use With Cardiovascular Disease Risks is published in the journal JAMA Cardiology.
Evgenia Ryabtseva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru