New evidence on Cochrane Health challenges the belief that omega-3 supplements reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, or death



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New evidence released today shows that there is little or no effect of omega 3 supplements on our risk of suffering from heart disease, dementia. A stroke or death.

Omega 3 is a type of fat. Small amounts of omega 3 fatty acids are essential for good health, and they are found in the foods we eat. The main types of omega 3 fatty acids are; alphalinolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA is normally found in fats derived from plant foods, such as nuts and seeds (nuts and rapeseed are rich sources). EPA and DHA, collectively referred to as long chain omega 3 fatty acids, are naturally present in oily fish, such as salmon and fish oils, including cod liver oil [19659003]. it will protect against heart disease. There is more than one possible mechanism to help prevent heart disease, including lowering blood pressure or lowering cholesterol. Omega 3 fatty acids are readily available as over-the-counter supplements and are widely purchased and used.

A new systematic review of Cochrane, published today in the Cochrane Library combines the results of seventy-nine randomized trials involving 112,059 individuals. These studies evaluated the effects of consuming additional omega 3 fats, as compared to usual or lower omega 3, on heart and circulation diseases. Twenty-five studies were rated as highly reliable because they were well designed and conducted.

Studies have recruited men and women, some healthy and others with existing diseases in North America, Europe, Australia and Asia. Participants were randomly assigned to increase their omega 3s or maintain their usual fat intake for at least one year. Most studies have examined the impact of administering a long-chain omega 3 supplement in capsule form and compared it to a dummy pill. Only a few have evaluated the consumption of whole fish. Most ALA trials have added omega 3 fatty acids to foods like margarine and have given these fortified foods, or naturally ALA-rich foods like nuts, to people in intervention groups and regular foods ( not enriched) to other participants.

Cochrane researchers found that the increase in long-chain omega 3s brings little or no benefit to most of the results they have examined. They found strong evidence that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids had little or no significant effect on the risk of death for any cause. The risk of death for any cause was 8.8% for those who increased their intake of omega 3 fatty acids, compared to 9% for those in the control groups.

They also found that more long-chain omega 3 fats (including EPA and DHA), mainly through supplements, probably made little or no difference with the risk of cardiovascular events, deaths coronary heart disease, coronary heart disease, stroke or heart irregularities. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids have probably reduced some blood fats, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. Reducing triglycerides is likely to protect against heart disease, but reducing HDL has the opposite effect. The researchers collected information on the damage of the studies, but information on bleeding and blood clots was very limited.

The systematic review suggests that eating more ALA through food or supplements probably has little or no effect on cardiovascular deaths. . However, eating more ALA probably reduces the risk of heart irregularities from 3.3 to 2.6%. The review team found that reductions in cardiovascular events with ALA were so small that about 1,000 people would need to increase ALA consumption for one day. between them to benefit. Similar results were found for cardiovascular death. They have not found enough data from studies to measure the risk of bleeding or blood clots attributable to ALA.

The increase in omega 3 or long chain ALA probably has no impact on body weight or overweight

author, Dr. Lee Hooper of the University of East Anglia, UK said, "We can be confident in the results of this review that go against the popular belief that omega-3 supplements long chain protect the heart. This large systematic review included information from thousands of people over long periods. Despite all this information, we do not see any protective effects.

"The study provides good evidence that taking long-chain omega 3 (fish oil, EPA or DHA) supplements does not benefit the heart or reduce death from any cause. The most reliable studies have consistently shown little or no effect of long chain omega 3 fatty acids on cardiovascular health. On the other hand, while oily fish is a healthy food, the small number of tests does not tell if eating more oily fish protects our heart.

"This systematic review has found moderate evidence that ALA oils (such as rapeseed or canola oil) and nuts (especially nuts) can slightly protect some heart disease and However, the effect is very small, 143 people would need to increase their consumption of ALA to prevent a person from developing an arrhythmia.A thousand people should increase their consumption of alcohol. ALA to prevent a person from dying from coronary heart disease or from having a cardiovascular event ALA is an essential fatty acid, an important part of a balanced diet, and intakes may be slightly beneficial for the prevention or treatment of cardiovascular disease. "

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