https://www.healio.com/cardiology/chd-prevention/news/online/%7Bd2cdda40-416c-48ce-9aee-86e978451ac9%7D/omega-3-fats-show-minimal-effect-on-cv-health-mortality?
An increased intake of
eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid from omega-3 fats had
minimal or no effect on CV health or mortality, according to a review
published in the Cochrane Library.
“We can be confident in the findings of this review, which go against the popular belief that long-chain omega-3 supplements protect the heart,” Lee Hooper, PhD, reader in research synthesis, nutrition and hydration at University of East Anglia Norwich Medical School in the United Kingdom, said in a press release. “This large systematic review included information from many thousands of people over long periods. Despite all this information, we don’t see protective effects.”
Asmaa S. Abdelhamid,
MD, MSc, research fellow at University of East Anglia
Norwich Medical School, and colleagues analyzed data of 112,059
participants from 79 randomized controlled trials that compared the
effects of an increase in long-chain omega-3 and alpha-linolenic acid intake with usual or lower intake. Trials included in this review lasted for at least 12 months.
Increased intake of long-chain omega-3 had little to no effect on CV mortality (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.87-1.03), all-cause mortality (RR = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.9-1.03), CHD mortality (RR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.79-1.09) and CV events (RR = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94-1.04). It also had minimal or no effect on the risk for arrhythmia (RR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.9-1.05) and stroke (RR = 1.06; 95% CI, 0.96-1.16).
Long-chain omega-3 reduced the risk for CHD events (RR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.97), although this effect was not seen in sensitivity analyses.
An increased intake in alpha-linolenic acid had a minimal effect on CV mortality (RR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.74-1.25), all-cause mortality (RR = 1.01; 95% CI, 0.84-1.2) and CHD events (RR = 1; 95% CI, 0.8-1.22). A slight reduction in the risk for CV events was seen with increased intake of alpha-linolenic acid (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83-1.07), and it has the potential to reduce the risk for CHD mortality (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.72-1.26) and arrhythmia (RR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.57-1.1). The effect it had on stroke was unclear.
“There are several large ongoing trials of supplemental long-chain omega-3 fats,” Abdelhamid and colleagues wrote. “We suggest that given the lack of convincing effects suggested for omega-3 fats in the large number of trials to date, no further trials should be initiated until the ongoing trials have reports. Further large and high-quality trials of [alpha-linolenic acid] carried out in lower and higher income countries and that assess baseline [alpha-linolenic acid] intake and use biomarkers to assess compliance would be helpful to clarify the cardiovascular effects of [alpha-linolenic acid].” – by Darlene Dobkowski
“We can be confident in the findings of this review, which go against the popular belief that long-chain omega-3 supplements protect the heart,” Lee Hooper, PhD, reader in research synthesis, nutrition and hydration at University of East Anglia Norwich Medical School in the United Kingdom, said in a press release. “This large systematic review included information from many thousands of people over long periods. Despite all this information, we don’t see protective effects.”
Increased intake of long-chain omega-3 had little to no effect on CV mortality (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.87-1.03), all-cause mortality (RR = 0.98; 95% CI, 0.9-1.03), CHD mortality (RR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.79-1.09) and CV events (RR = 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94-1.04). It also had minimal or no effect on the risk for arrhythmia (RR = 0.97; 95% CI, 0.9-1.05) and stroke (RR = 1.06; 95% CI, 0.96-1.16).
Long-chain omega-3 reduced the risk for CHD events (RR = 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.97), although this effect was not seen in sensitivity analyses.
An increased intake in alpha-linolenic acid had a minimal effect on CV mortality (RR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.74-1.25), all-cause mortality (RR = 1.01; 95% CI, 0.84-1.2) and CHD events (RR = 1; 95% CI, 0.8-1.22). A slight reduction in the risk for CV events was seen with increased intake of alpha-linolenic acid (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.83-1.07), and it has the potential to reduce the risk for CHD mortality (RR = 0.95; 95% CI, 0.72-1.26) and arrhythmia (RR = 0.79; 95% CI, 0.57-1.1). The effect it had on stroke was unclear.
“There are several large ongoing trials of supplemental long-chain omega-3 fats,” Abdelhamid and colleagues wrote. “We suggest that given the lack of convincing effects suggested for omega-3 fats in the large number of trials to date, no further trials should be initiated until the ongoing trials have reports. Further large and high-quality trials of [alpha-linolenic acid] carried out in lower and higher income countries and that assess baseline [alpha-linolenic acid] intake and use biomarkers to assess compliance would be helpful to clarify the cardiovascular effects of [alpha-linolenic acid].” – by Darlene Dobkowski
These huge studies include tons of healthy people which can mask the effects of treatment for high risk people.
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