Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-dwq4g Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-02T05:52:20.910Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Does fish oil really help heart disease?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 September 2013

Get access

In a nutshell

Experts have recently differed on whether the RCT evidence supports the idea that Ω:3 fats protect against CV disease.

The main conclusion from analysing these differences is that further trials of good size and undisputed methodological quality are required. In the meanwhile, existing guidelines encouraging fish consumption still hold up.

Type
Brief Report
Information
Arbor Clinical Nutrition Updates , Volume 251 , May 2006 , pp. 1 - 4
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Kris-Etherton, PM. et al. Fish consumption, fish oil, omega-3 fatty acids, and cardiovascular disease. Circulation. 2002 Nov 19;106(21):2747–57.Google Scholar
2. Harper, CR. et al. Usefulness of omega-3 fatty acids and the prevention of coronary heart disease. Am J Cardiol. 2005 Dec 1;96(11):1521–9.Google Scholar
3. Hawkes, N. The benefits of fish and linseed oils as elixir of life are another health myth. The Times. March 24, 2006, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8122-2100878,00.html.Google Scholar
4. Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the Committee on Toxicity. Advice on fish consumption: benefits and risks. The Stationery Office, London 2004.Google Scholar
5. Oh, R.. Practical applications of fish oil (Omega-3 fatty acids) in primary care. J Am Board Fam Pract. 2005 Jan-Feb;18(1):28–36.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6. Brouwer, IA. et al. Dietary alpha-linolenic acid is associated with reduced risk of fatal coronary heart disease, but increased prostate cancer risk: a meta-analysis. J Nutr. 2004 Apr;134(4):919–22.Google Scholar
7. Wang, C. et al. Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on cardiovascular disease. Evidence report/technology assessment number 94. AHRQ publication number 04-E009-1. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Researchand Quality; 2004.Google Scholar
8. Bucher, HC. et al. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Med. 2002 Mar;112(4):298–304.Google Scholar
9. Natvig, H. et al. A controlled trial of the effect of linolenic acid on incidence of coronary heart disease. The Norwegian vegetable oil experiment of 1965–66. Scand J Clin Lab Invest Suppl. 1968;105:1–20.Google Scholar
10. Bemelmans, WJ. et al. Effect of an increased intake of alpha-linolenic acid and group nutritional education on cardiovascular risk factors: the Mediterranean Alpha-linolenic Enriched Groningen Dietary Intervention (MARGARIN) study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2002 Feb;75(2):221–7.Google Scholar
11. Burr, ML. et al. Lack of benefit of dietary advice to men with angina: results of a controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003 Feb;57(2):193–200.Google Scholar
12. von Schacky, C. Omega-3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2004 Mar;7(2):131–6.Google Scholar
13. Nilsen, DW. et al. n-3 Fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Jan;79(1):166.Google Scholar
14. Singh, RB. et al. Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of fish oil and mustard oil in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction: the Indian experiment of infarct survival--4. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther. 1997 Jul;11(3):485–91.Google Scholar
15. Stone, NJ. The Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto Miocardio (GISSI)-Prevenzione Trial on fish oil and vitamin E supplementation in myocardial infarction survivors. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2000 Sep;2(5):445–51.Google Scholar
16. Burr, ML. et al. Effects of changes in fat, fish, and fibre intakes on death and myocardial reinfarction: diet and reinfarction trial (DART). Lancet. 1989 Sep 30;2(8666):757–61.Google Scholar
17. Calder, PC. n-3 Fatty acids and cardiovascular disease: evidence explained and mechanisms explored. Clin Sci (Lond). 2004 Jul;107(1):1–11.Google Scholar
18. Leaf, A. et al. Clinical prevention of sudden cardiac death by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and mechanism of prevention of arrhythmias by n-3 fish oils. Circulation. 2003 Jun 3;107(21):2646–52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19. Siscovick, DS. et al. The fish story: a diet-heart hypothesis with clinical implications: n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, myocardial vulnerability, and sudden death. Circulation. 2003 Jun 3;107(21):2632–4.Google Scholar
20. Hirafuji, M. et al. Cardiovascular protective effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids with special emphasis on docosahexaenoic acid. J Pharmacol Sci. 2003 Aug;92(4):308–16.Google Scholar
21. Matthan, NR. et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of omega-3 fatty acids on selected arrhythmia outcomes in animal models. Metabolism. 2005 Dec;54(12):1557–65.Google Scholar
22. Christensen, JH. et al. n-3 Fatty acids and ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ischaemic heart disease and implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Europace. 2005 Jul;7(4):338–44.Google Scholar
23. Schrepf, R. et al. Immediate effects of n-3 fatty acid infusion on the induction of sustained ventricular tachycardia. Lancet. 2004 May 1;363(9419):1441–2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24. Raitt, MH. et al. Fish oil supplementation and risk of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation in patients with implantable defibrillators: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA. 2005 Jun 15;293(23):2884–91.Google Scholar
25. Leaf, A. et al. Prevention of fatal arrhythmias in high-risk subjects by fish oil n-3 fatty acid intake. Circulation. 2005 Nov 1;112(18):2762–8.Google Scholar
26. Cleland, JG. et al. Clinical trials update from the European Society of Cardiology meeting 2005: CARE-HF extension study, ESSENTIAL, CIBIS-III, S-ICD, ISSUE-2, STRIDE-2, SOFA, IMAGINE, PREAMI, SIRIUS-II and ACTIVE. Eur J Heart Fail. 2005 Oct;7(6):1070–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27. Monahan, KD. et al. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation augments sympathetic nerve activity responses to physiological stressors in humans. Hypertension. 2004 Nov;44(5):732–8.Google Scholar
28. Holguin, F. et al. Cardiac autonomic changes associated with fish oil vs soy oil supplementation in the elderly. Chest. 2005 Apr;127(4):1102–7.Google ScholarPubMed
29. Balk, EM. et al. Effects of omega-3 fatty acids on coronary restenosis, intima-media thickness, and exercise tolerance: a systematic review. Atherosclerosis. 2006 Feb;184(2):237–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30. Nestel, PJ. Fish oil and cardiovascular disease: lipids and arterial function. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 Jan;71(1 Suppl):228S–31S.Google Scholar
31. Khan, F. et al. The effects of dietary fatty acid supplementation on endothelial function and vascular tone in healthy subjects. Cardiovasc Res. 2003 Oct 1;59(4):955–62.Google Scholar
32. Dickinson, HO. et al. Lifestyle interventions to reduce raised blood pressure: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. J Hypertens. 2006 Feb;24(2):215–33.Google Scholar
33. Walser, B. et al. Supplementation with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids augments brachial artery dilation and blood flow during forearm contraction. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006 Apr 25; [Epub ahead of print]Google Scholar
34. Witte, KK. et al. Fish oils--adjuvant therapy in chronic heart failure? Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2004 Aug;11(4):267–74.Google Scholar
35. Bao, DQ. et al. Effects of dietary fish and weight reduction on ambulatory blood pressure in overweight hypertensives. Hypertension. 1998 Oct;32(4):710–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
36. Brunner, E. Oily fish and omega 3 fat supplements. BMJ. 2006 Apr 1;332(7544):739–40.Google Scholar
37. Guallar, E. et al. Mercury, fish oils, and the risk of myocardial infarction. N Engl J Med. 2002 Nov 28;347(22):1747–54.Google Scholar
38. Anon. Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E after myocardial infarction: results of the GISSI-Prevenzione trial. Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto miocardico. Lancet. 1999 Aug 7;354(9177):447–55.Google Scholar