Omega-3 for Heart Health

There is scientific evidence which links fish oil (mainly Omega-3 Fatty Acids) with sudden cardiac death reduction. Scientists also believe that Omega-3 fatty acids improve and balance cholesterol and triglyceride levels and diminish the risk of developing coronary artery blockage.

Scientific evidence behind protective cardiovascular effects of Omega-3 fatty acids come from animal, observational and controlled studies.

Animal Studies

In studies involving marmosets, rats and dogs, Omega-3 Fatty acids were discovered to prevent ventricular fibrillation which is the deadliest type of cardiac arrhythmia, when given to the animal right before experimentally induced heart attack. Moreover, Omega-3 was able to terminate ventricular fibrillation developed after experimentally targeted heart attack. Thus, scientists believe that Omega-3 fatty acids may significantly decrease the probability of developing ventricular fibrillation as the result of a heart attack in humans. Given that ventricular fibrillation is the most common cause of sudden death among victims of heart, Omega-3-fatty acids are believed to possibly prevent sudden death.

Observational Studies

Two large, observational studies have been available on the connection between dietary intake of Omega-3 fatty acids and the risk of developing heart disease and sudden cardiac death. These are the Nurses' and Physicians’ Health Studies.

The Physician's Health Study started in 1982. Over 20,000 healthy male physicians were observed for 11 years. Lifestyle, coronary heart disease risk factors, and diet data had been collected at the beginning of the study, as well as at 12 months and 18 months intervals. The outcomes of the study was published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in 1998. The title of the article was "Fish Consumption and Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death." The study established that individuals who consumed one or more fish serving per week had a 50% less risk to die suddenly from a cardiac cause compared with men who hardly ever ate fish (less than one fish serving per month).

Scientists also compared blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in individuals who died of sudden cardiac death against living men coordinated for age and smoking habits. They discovered that higher blood levels of Omega-3 fatty acids were associated with a lower risk of sudden cardiac death. In fact, participants with the highest Omega-3 Fatty acid levels had an 80% less risk of sudden cardiac death as compare with individuals who had the lowest Omega-3 Fatty acid blood levels.

The Nurses' Health Study started in 1976. Over 80,000 female nurses completed diet and life style questionnaires. They were observed for 16 years for the progression of Coronary Heart Disease. Omega-3 Fatty acid use was calculated from the questionnaires. The result of the study was published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). The study concluded that compared with women who hardly ever ate fish (less than one fish serving per month); females who ate fish once a week had a 29% less risk of developing coronary heart disease. Participants who consumed fish five times a week expressed a 34% decline in the risk of Coronary Heart Disease and a 45% drop in the risk of sudden cardiac death.

Controlled Studies

Controlled studies are prospective studies that assign participants to two groups at random. Subjects are divided in two groups: the treatment group and the control group. Participants of the treatment group are given the medication or diet being tested. Participants of the control group are given a neutral substance (placebo).

2 controlled studies on Omega-3 and fish oil have been published. The GISSI-Prevention trial researched the influence of Omega-3 on sudden cardiac death and the return of Coronary Heart Disease in participants who in recent times had survived a heart attack. The Lyon Diet Heart Study looked at the effect of a Mediterranean diet on the reappearance of Coronary Heart Disease in participants who just survived a heart attack.

The GISSI-Prevention trial indiscriminately assigned more over 11,000 patients with the history of recent Heart Attack to 4 groups. These groups were Omega-3-850 mg capsule daily, vitamin E, both-Omega 3 and Vitamin E, and no treatment which was the control group. The participants of all 4 groups had been monitored for 3.5 years. The results were published in The Journal of “Circulation” in 2002. Omega-3 participants had a 20% lower rate of death from Coronary Vascular Disease as compared with people in the vitamin E group and control. Omega-3 was mainly beneficial in preventing sudden death from a cardiac cause. There was an impressive 45% reduction of the rate of sudden cardiac death. The researches believed that the effects of Omega-3 are in the preclusion from developing ventricular fibrillation. In this study Vitamin E was found to have no protective effects compared to the control group.

The Lyon Diet Study assigned 600 individuals who survived a heart attack in recent time to either a Mediterranean diet or a Healthy Western diet (low saturated fat and cholesterol diet). The Mediterranean diet is rich in Omega-3, as well as in olive oils with a high concentration of monounsaturated fats. The Mediterranean diet is also rich in fruits and vegetables. These study participants had been monitored for four years. The results were published in The Journal of “Circulation” in 1999. The subjects consuming the Mediterranean diet had over 50% drop in the rate of sudden cardiac death and rates of both repeat fatal and nonfatal heart attacks when compared to participants on the Western diet.

The GISSI-Prevention trial discovered that Omega-3 prevented sudden cardiac death, but did not affect the rate of repeated Heart Attacks. The Lyon Diet Heart Study established that the Mediterranean diet not only prevented sudden cardiac death, but also significantly reduced the chances to have the recurrence of fatal and nonfatal Heart Attacks. The grounds for the variation in the 2 studies are not obvious. Possibly there are other cardiac defensive factors present in the Mediterranean diet.

The Scientific Board of ABCVitaminsLife strongly believes that every person after age of 40, or even below 40 with increased risk of Heart Disease, should strongly consider taking Omega-3 Fatty Acids supplementation.