Heart Health: Higher Omega-3s Needed to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk, Says Largest Study on Role of EPA and DHA
A new study confirms the effectiveness of omega-3s on the cardiovascular system and highlights the importance of higher dosages, compared to those currently recommended, to achieve better heart health benefits. Daily consumption of supplements containing at least 1000 milligrams of EPA and DHA is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack, with a protective effect that increases with the amount consumed. The vast amount of data considered for this research suggests that omega-3 supplementation is an excellent strategy for preventing pathological conditions that cause millions of deaths worldwide each year, and indicates the need to revise the recommended amounts of DHA and EPA to date.
The study was published today in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings and conducted by Aldo Bernasconi, Vice President of GOED (Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3), together with a team of American, Russian, and Finnish researchers.
Omega-3 and heart health: What do the studies say?
Despite significant progress in the prevention and treatment of heart and blood vessel diseases, these remain the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the Italian National Institute of Health, cardiovascular diseases account for 44% of all deaths in Italy; in particular, ischemic heart disease, which is the leading cause of death. The main defense against these conditions is adopting a proper lifestyle: a diet low in saturated fats, eliminating alcohol and cigarette smoking, and regular physical activity. The consumption of marine-derived EPA and DHA represents a promising strategy for cardiovascular disease prevention, as shown in animal and epidemiological studies. However, some research has reached divergent conclusions regarding the protective effect of omega-3s. The reasons for this variability are not well understood and, although a series of possible explanations have been proposed, definitive data are lacking. Hypotheses range from natural variability in studies that are not sufficiently large to interference in the mechanisms of omega-3 action by cardiovascular prevention and treatment strategies (particularly statin use). Moreover, previous meta-analyses have compared the effect of doses just above or below 1000 mg per day, using an arbitrary limit that would not allow a correct evaluation of the dose-response relationship. In 2006, one study observed that a much higher dosage was associated with greater cardiovascular protection.
Is more than 1000 mg per day of EPA and DHA necessary to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction?
The new study revealed that omega-3 supplementation is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular events; in particular, a 35% reduction in the risk of fatal myocardial infarction, 13% reduction in myocardial infarction, 10% reduction in coronary heart disease, and 9% reduction in coronary mortality. Unlike previous studies, this work considers all available studies on the effect of EPA and DHA quantities. The larger amount of data and wider dosage range allowed for more precise and robust dose-response estimates. The meta-analysis included 40 studies, analyzing data from 135,266 individuals. Dosages ranged from less than 800 milligrams per day up to 5.5 grams per day, with an average of 1,221 mg of omega-3. This is an update of a previous meta-analysis covering all studies relating EPA and DHA supplementation to cardiovascular events published before August 2019. The conditions considered in the study included myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease events, angina, stroke, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, sudden death, unplanned cardiovascular surgeries, and infarction mortality. According to the study authors, the results provide scientific evidence of the efficacy of EPA and DHA in preventing cardiovascular events, particularly myocardial infarction, supporting that people following a diet might be at higher risk of omega-3 deficiency. For Ellen Schutt, Executive Director of GOED, the study represents the most comprehensive analysis of the role of omega-3 doses on cardiovascular prevention to date and lays the groundwork to revise recommendations on EPA and DHA quantities.
Will it be necessary to increase the recommended doses of omega-3?
These results highlight that the protective effect of omega-3 supplements seems to increase with dosage, and intake recommendations for EPA and DHA should consider the new data. Considering the relatively low costs, the absence of side effects from omega-3 supplementation, and low interactions with other standard therapies used in cardiovascular prevention, GOED itself might modify its dosage recommendations, advising the intake of at least 1000 mg per day of omega-3. Currently, recommendations are between 250 and 500 mg of EPA and DHA per day, also considering that an average American in past years consumed 100 mg or less. Therefore, recommending a much higher dosage made little sense with the awareness that few consumers would reach it. Nowadays, with the marketing of dietary supplements with higher omega-3 concentrations, higher dosages are achievable by taking one or two capsules per day.
Achieving high doses of omega-3 can be done by taking a highly concentrated supplement like Omegor Vitality 1000, which contains 900 milligrams of omega-3 in each capsule. This product, based on the purest fish oil, has a blend of EPA and DHA in a 2:1 ratio in triglyceride form, the form that best allows absorption at the intestinal level. Furthermore, each capsule contains 10 mg of Vitamin E, a powerful natural antioxidant.
Another omega-3 supplement with a very high EPA and DHA content is Meaquor 1000: each capsule contains 1080 milligrams of omega-3. This product is particularly suitable to maintain normal triglyceride levels and blood pressure.
Source: Bernasconi AA, et al., 2020. “Effect of Omega-3 Dosage on Cardiovascular Outcomes”. Mayo Clinic Proceedings
