Increasing Heart Health with Omega 3's

There are literally thousands of studies on Omega 3's and improvement in cardiovascular function. One study I commonly hand out to patient in the office is from the Journal of the American Medical Association. The study of 60,000 women and 45,000 men shows that EPA/DHA taken regularly reduced the risk of stroke in men by 30% and in women by 40%. That is an awesome result! Here are some other good studies that point out the benefits of Omega 3's for your heart.

Omega-3 may reduce the risk of developing dysfunction in the heart muscle by 50 per cent

A study with almost 500 people with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were found to have reduced risks of developing left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) if they consumed moderate amounts of fish, according to findings published in the Journal of Food Science. "We revealed a dose-response association between fish consumption and the likelihood of developing left ventricular systolic dysfunction after an ACS," wrote the researchers from the University of Athens. “In particular, fish consumption of 1 to 2 times per week was independently associated with a considerable reduction of the odds of developing LVSD."

Acute coronary syndrome is an umbrella term used to cover any group of clinical symptoms compatible with acute myocardial ischemia (chest pain due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle that results from coronary artery disease).

The heart health benefits of consuming oily fish, and the omega-3 fatty acids they contain, are well-documented, being first reported in the early 1970s by Dr. Jorn Dyerberg and his co-workers in The Lancet and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To date, these essential polyunsaturated fatty acids have been linked to improvements in blood lipid levels, a reduced tendency of thrombosis, blood pressure and heart rate improvements, and improved vascular function.

Omega-3 fatty acids, most notably DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, healthy development of babies during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behavior and mood.

Study Details

The researchers recruited 934 people with ACS and followed them for three years. During the course of the study, 437 people developed LVSD, they said. Dietary habits were assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire, with the results showing that moderate fish consumption was associated with 53 per cent reduction in the risk of developing LVSD compared to no/rare consumption of fish.

In addition, moderate fish consumption was associated with a lower inhibition of the nitric oxide synthase, an enzyme which produces nitric oxide – a potent vasodilator that relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow. "Moderate fish consumption seems to offer significant protection against the development of systolic dysfunction in post ACS patients, merely attributed to its beneficial effect on oxidation process and endothelial function," concluded the researchers.

Source: Journal of Food Science
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01425.x
"Moderate Fish Consumption is Associated with Lower Likelihood of Developing Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Acute Coronary Syndrome Patients".

Evaluation of cadavers in Thailand show link between low heart cell omega-3 and cardiovascular disease

The benefits of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids on reducing cardiac mortality are supported by numerous studies. A recent study conducted in Thailand tested the hypothesis that high levels of omega-3 in heart tissues are associated with low cardiac mortality. One hundred fresh cadavers were examined in this study. The cause of death, history of coronary heart disease (CHD), and fish consumption habits were obtained from death certificates, medical record profiles, and a questionnaire to people who lived with the subjects before death. In each cadaver, biopsies of cardiac tissues were taken from the interventricular septum for measurement of fatty acid.

Of the 100 cadavers (average age, 69 ± 13 years), 60 were men. The frequency of fish consumption was directly associated with omega-3 in heart tissues (P < .01). In cadavers with a history of CHD, high levels of omega-3, particularly DHA , was associated with low cardiac mortality (P < .05). Fish consumption is associated with the level of omega-3 in cardiac tissues and a higher level of omega-3 is correlated with lower levels of cardiovascular disease mortality.

Corresponding author. Cardiac Electrophysiology Research and Training Center, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.