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Read Summaries of Important Scientific Studies on Omega-3's
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Omega-3’s and Heart Health
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Omega-3’s Exhibit Cardioprotective Effects |
In a pivotal study regarding the benefits of Omega-3 fatty
acids derived from fish oil and heart health, Italian researchers investigated
the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on survivors of myocardial
infarction over a 3 ½ year period. Over eleven thousand participants were
randomly assigned either supplements of Vitamin E, Omega-3’s or both, or no
supplements whatsoever.
The group receiving Omega-3’s alone experienced significantly lower mortality
rates within the first three months of the study. Not only was the risk of
sudden death notably reduced at four months, the fish oil subset enjoyed
significantly reduced rates of all causes of death, as well as non-fatal
myocardial infarction and non-fatal stroke. Overall, treatment with fish oil
supplements yielded lower rates of sudden cardiac death (by 45%) and improved
all-cause mortality (by 20%).
The researchers noted that the effects attributable to the fish oil supplements
support the postulation that Omega-3’s have an anti-arrhythmic effect on the
heart, consistent with prior experimental studies. The study also noted that
treatment with Vitamin E alone had no statistically-valid beneficial effect.
“Early Protection Against Sudden Death by n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids After
Myocardial Infarction: Time-Course Analysis of the Results of the Gruppo
Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell’Infarto Miocardico
(GISSI)-Prevenzione”. Circulation; 2002; 105;1897-1903.
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| Fish Oil Part of Regimen to Protect Against Heart
Disease |
In the first large-scale study of its kind, researchers from
the Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan investigated the
health effects of daily Omega-3 supplements in combination with a drug commonly
prescribed for those at-risk for heart attacks, angina and other coronary
events.
Patients were all identified as having higher than average levels of
cholesterol. They were divided into two groups: a main group that included
nearly 15,000 participants with no prior history of coronary artery disease,
and a secondary group with over 3,600 subjects with a prior history of coronary
artery disease. Some of each group were given highly-purified fish oil
supplements in addition to statins (enzyme blockers that lower cholesterol
levels in the blood by reducing the production of cholesterol by the liver),
while others were given only the prescription drug.
Over the course of the nearly five-year study, there was a significant
difference between those receiving the fish oil supplements and those who did
not. While both therapies proved effective in reducing levels of cholesterol,
participants taking the fish oil supplements and statins had a 19% reduction in
risk for heart illness. The research also noted that a similar, preventative
benefit from daily fish oil supplementation that may convey to those not
currently deemed at-risk for heart problems.
“Effects of eicosapentaenoic acid on cardiovascular events in Japanese patients
with hypercholesterolemia: rationale, design, and baseline characteristics of
the Japan EPA Lipid Intervention Study (JELIS).” American Heart Journal. 2003
Oct;146(4):613-20.
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Taking Fish Oil Supplements May Prevent Sudden Death by Cardiac Arrest |
In a recent study in the American Journal of Preventative
Medicine, fish oil supplements were found to be effective in preventing sudden
cardiac death.
The study measured the possible outcomes of using three variables with
live-saving potential in a simulated town of 100,000 subjects aged between 30 -
84: (1) portable defibrillators (AED’s), devices used to shock the heart during
cardiac arrest, placed in every home and public area in a medium-sized town,
(2) the implantation of cardioverter defibrillators (ICD’s) in candidates
exhibiting symptoms necessitating such a procedure (about half of those who die
from cardiac arrest have no symptoms prior to the event), and (3) the
preventative use of fish oil dietary supplements.
The use of fish oil supplements to boost levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in the
adult population resulted in a 6.4% reduction in death – 58 lives per year. In
fact, the preventative use of supplements proved eight times more effective
than distributing AED’s and two times more effective than the surgically placed
ICD’s.
Although the study was computer-simulated (thereby avoiding the prohibitive
costs associated with providing and implanting the two electronic devices used
as variables), it utilized data from two previously conducted, large-scale
studies of actual participants.
The study clearly suggests that by supplementing diets with Omega-3 fatty acids
from fish oil, those who appear healthy, but are at-risk for future cardiac
arrhythmias or cardiac arrest, have a better chance for survival than those who
do not.
“Preventing Sudden Death with n-3 (Omega-3) Fatty Acids and Defibrillators.”
American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2006 Oct;31(4):316. |
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| The Omega-3 Index and Coronary Heart Disease |
Low levels of Omega-3’s are implicated in numerous illnesses
and are considered a significant risk factor for coronary heart disease. A
study appearing in Preventive Medicine builds upon the broad base of studies
supporting the benefit of dietary fish oil supplementation.
Researchers used clinical and laboratory experiments to measure of the
composition of fatty acids in red blood cells to determine the Omega-3 Index,
an associated risk factor index for illnesses associated with coronary heart
disease. An index measure of 8% or greater is associated with better heart
outcomes, while a risk index of 4% or less seems to indicate susceptibility to
heart illnesses. Those who consume fish and fish oil supplements are able to
raise their index, decreasing the likelihood of negative cardiac events.
This new risk index appears to be a useful predictor of future heart problems –
especially for sudden cardiac death – and one that could be used easily by
medical practitioners with significant usefulness.
“The Omega-3 Index: a new risk factor for death from coronary heart disease?“
Preventative Medicine. 2004 Jul;39(1):212-20. |
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| These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and
Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or
prevent any disease. |
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| IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ: The information provided in
this section of the web site is for informational purposes only and is not
intended as a substitute for advice from your physician or other health care
professional or any information contained on or in any product label or
packaging. You should not use the information in this section of the web site
for diagnosis or treatment of any health problem or for prescription of any
medication or other treatment. You should consult with a healthcare
professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program,
before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health
problem. Of course, you should never stop taking any medication without first
consulting your physician. |
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