Omega-3 Fatty Acids help to maintain healthy triglyceride levels

Practically everybody knows the terms “good” and “bad” cholesterol. The term Triglyceride level is often not known or poorly understood by the majority of non-professionals. Like cholesterol, triglycerides are lipid-fats. When they are present in a moderate amount and well balanced with other lipids, triglycerides carry out an important and significant role in the human body. However, when the level of triglyceride is persistently high, it indicates that someone has too much fat in the bloodstream. Obviously, that may affect a person’s health.

The American Heart Association advises that triglycerides should be monitored to asses health risk. It is done by a simple blood test.

National Cholesterol Education Program recommendations for triglycerides are:

The study, conducted by Kaiser Permanente, involved 116 participants with Coronary Heart Disease and triglycerides greater than 200 Mg/DL. About 90 percent of them were taking cholesterol lowering medications from the statin group. The participants were divided in 2 groups. One group supplemented with DHA alone, and the other with DHA in combination with EPA.

In this study, triglyceride level was lowered by an average of 21.8 % in the group taking DHA and 18.3% in the group taking DHA and EPA. The higher number of participants in the group taking DHA achieved the triglyceride level goal of less than 150 Mg/DL as compare with the group taking combination of DHA and EPA.

In 2007, the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study conducted in the Institute of Natural Medicine at the University of Toyama in Japan. It was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Participants were randomized either receiving capsules containing Omega-3 EPA (660Mg)/DHA (280) combination or a placebo for 8 weeks. At the end of the study, a remarkable increase of the EPA level concentration and an impressive drop in triglyceride levels of 17% was observed in the group which was taking Omega-3.

Finally, a meta-analysis of 17 controlled studies revealed that elevated level of triglycerides of above 200 Mg/Dl is an independent risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease. Multiple controlled human clinical trials have confirmed that rising intakes of Omega-3 EPA/DHA considerably lowers blood concentration of triglycerides. The triglyceride-lowering effect of Omega-3 EPA/DHA increases with the dose. Clinically significant reduction of the level of serum triglycerides has been established at doses of 2 grams per day of Omega-3 EPA/DHA. The American Heart Association indicates that an EPA/DHA supplementation may be useful in patients with Hypertriglyceredemia (Elevated Triglycerides)who have an increased risk to develop Coronary Heart Disease.

Hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for CAD and the American Heart Association recommends 1000mg of omega-3's DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) daily for cardio protection and higher doses for triglyceride-lowering in patients with CAD.