EPA and DHA omega-3s reduce the risk
of coronary heart disease (CHD), according to results of a new, comprehensive
meta-analysis published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Among randomized
controlled trials (RCTs), there was a statistically significant reduction in
CHD risk in higher risk populations, including:
•
16 percent in those with high
triglycerides and 14 percent in those with high LDL cholesterol.
•
A non-statistically significant 6
percent risk reduction among all populations in RCTs, a finding supported by a
statistically significant 18 percent reduced risk of CHD among prospective
cohort studies.
"What makes this paper unique is
that it looked at the effects of EPA and DHA on coronary heart disease
specifically, which is an important nuance considering coronary heart disease
accounts for half of all cardiovascular deaths in the U.S.," said Dr.
Dominik Alexander, lead author and Principal Epidemiologist for EpidStat.
"The 6 percent reduced risk among RCTs, coupled with an 18 percent risk
reduction in prospective cohort studies -- which tend to include more real-life
dietary scenarios over longer periods -- tell a compelling story about the
importance of EPA and DHA omega-3s for cardiovascular health."
Additional study details include:
•
The study reviewed 18 randomized
controlled trials (RCTs) and 16 prospective cohort studies, with 93,000 and
732,000 subjects, respectively.
•
The study examined outcomes such as
myocardial infarction, sudden cardiac death and coronary death.
•
The study compared the results of
RCTs, which explore interventions under strict clinical conditions, to those of
prospective cohort studies that are observational, and followed larger
populations for longer periods of time.
"There are important public
health implications related to reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, and
therefore we are encouraged by the results of this comprehensive
analysis," said Dr. Harry Rice, Vice President of Regulatory and
Scientific Affairs for the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED),
which funded the study. "It's also important that the observed risk
reductions were even stronger in patient populations with elevated
triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels, two risk factors that affect more
than one quarter of the American population."
"The results confirm that
increasing omega-3s is a healthy lifestyle intervention that can contribute
towards reductions in CHD risk," added Adam Ismail, Executive Director of
GOED. "Remember that increasing omega-3 intakes is basically just
improving the quality of one's diet slightly, like reducing the amount of
sodium or increasing your dietary fiber. It is a simple, inexpensive, and
achievable change that most consumers need to make to optimize their
health."
An accompanying editorial in Mayo
Clinic Proceedings also acknowledges the importance of the study. "The
meta-analyses of Alexander and colleagues suggests that omega-3 fatty acid
intake may reduce risk of adverse CHD events, especially among people with
elevated levels of TGs or LDL-C....omega-3 fatty acid intake of at least 1 gram
of EPA+DHA per day, either from seafood or supplementation (as recommended by
the American Heart Association), continues to be a reasonable strategy,"
said the authors.
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