Fish Oil and Cardiovascular Diseases
Fish Oil and Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases are known to be a leading cause of death globally. These are medical conditions that affect the heart or blood vessels which mostly result from the build-up of fatty deposits inside the arteries. Cardiovascular diseases can also be associated with damage to the arteries in organs such as the kidneys, heart, and brain.
Some risk factors for cardiovascular diseases are high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, lack of physical activity, obesity, and ethnic background.
Fish Oils a and heart health
Fish oils are excellent sources for omega 3 fatty acids; a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids, principally eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), obtained from fatty fishes and plants. Fish oil supplements have become common in the UK market and they are mostly promoted for supporting a healthy heart or in some cases, preventing cardiovascular diseases. EPA and DHA are known to contribute to the normal function of the heart. Typically, the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 250 mg of EPA and DHA.
Food sources of fish oils include salmon, mackerel, sardines, herring, anchovies, halibut. Some plant-based sources of omega 3 fatty acids are walnuts, flaxseed, rapeseed, soybeans and spinach. These foods can be converted to EPA and DHA.
Click here to read about the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids
A recent scientific study that has been carried out sought to evaluate the associations of habitual fish oil supplementation with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in a large prospective cohort. The research was carried out in the UK with a total of 427,678 men and women. The participants had no history of CVD or cancer and were aged between 40 to 69. The participants for the study were enrolled between 2006 and 2010 and followed up to the end of 2018. For the study, none of the participants were involved in setting the research question or the outcome measures, or in developing plans for the design or implementation of the study. Also, the patients were not involved in the interpretation or the writing up of the results.
The study observed that habitual fish oil supplementation was associated with a significantly lower all-cause mortality and incidence of, and mortality from, CVD and myocardial infarction.
One limitation of this study is that it did not capture a detailed description of the use of fish oil supplements such as the dose, formulation, and the duration of use. It is also fair to assume that the brand of the fish oil supplements was also not captured as part of the study. As a result, the study does not make conclusive statements on the dose required to achieve a clinically meaningful effect.
In conclusion, the study reported that the habitual use of fish oil seems to be associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular diseases.
References
https://www.bmj.com/content/368/bmj.m456
https://www.purefoodsupplements.com/product/purely-omega-3-6-9-fish-oil/
