Over 50% Less Heart Problems with Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids have a protective effect on the heart and blood vessels, significantly reducing the likelihood of cardiovascular events: high plasma concentrations of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) are associated with about a 51% reduction in heart risk.

This is reported by a study published in the Journal of American Heart Association, conducted by researchers from the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston (USA).

PUFAs and Cardiovascular Risk

Current dietary guidelines recommend increasing the intake of Omega-3 and Omega-6 and reducing saturated fats. These recommendations are based on the beneficial effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on cholesterol and blood pressure. Epidemiological and clinical studies also show positive effects of PUFA consumption on the risk of cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction, death from heart disease, and stroke. Nevertheless, some clinical studies do not confirm additional benefits on cardiovascular mortality or morbidity from Omega-3 consumption. 

These studies were mainly conducted on patients already at high cardiovascular risk, who were taking statins or other therapies, making it difficult to demonstrate benefits from small amounts of EPA and DHA. For this reason, information from large studies on heterogeneous populations regarding the relationship between PUFAs and cardiovascular risk is useful, especially when such studies examine fatty acid concentrations in the blood rather than dietary intake estimates prone to measurement errors.

A Multiethnic Study 

The research conducted by Boston University researchers involved 2,837 American adults of diverse ethnic backgrounds (Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics, and Chinese Americans), whose health status was monitored over 10 years. The participants, with an average age of 62, had no cardiovascular disorders at the start of the study. Researchers analyzed plasma fatty acid concentrations in each subject and assessed diet via a frequency questionnaire. Results showed the population had low fish consumption, one of the main sources of Omega-3, and that circulating EPA and DHA levels were inversely correlated with cardiovascular disease risk. In particular, the highest EPA and DHA levels were associated with over a 51% risk reduction, while no relationships were found with alpha-linolenic acid or linoleic acid. The results also confirmed a weak relationship between alpha-linolenic acid and heart disease mortality but no risk reduction related to linoleic acid. Moreover, high plasma Omega-3 quantities were associated with a strong reduction in inflammatory mediators. Inflammation is widely recognized as an important factor in the origin of cardiovascular diseases.

Circulating Omega-3s Reduce Cardiovascular Risk

According to the study authors, these results not only support increased EPA and DHA consumption but also broaden observations on the protective effects of blood PUFAs against coronary heart and cardiovascular diseases, across different ethnic groups with low Omega-3 diets.

Source: de Oliveira Otto MC, Wu JH, Baylin A, Vaidya D, Rich SS, Tsai MY, Jacobs DR Jr, Mozaffarian D. Circulating and dietary omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence of CVD in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. J Am Heart Assoc 2013;2:e000606.