A new study that assessed the benefits of fish oil supplements has yielded mixed results.
Regular use of fish oil supplements could increase the risk of first-time heart disease and stroke among those in good cardiovascular health. However, for those with heart problems the supplement may slow progression of the disease and lower the risk of death, according to a long-term study published in BMJ Medicine.
A rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, fish oil is often recommended for good heart health. To find out the associations between fish oil supplements and new cases of atrial fibrillation; heart attack, stroke, and heart failure; and death from any cause in those with no known cardiovascular disease, the researchers used data from 4,15,737 participants aged 40–69, nearly 55 per cent of them women.
About 32 per cent of them regularly used fish oil supplements.
The research team then tracked the health of participants for an average of nearly 12 years, watching to see how many died, developed heart problems or suffered a stroke. During an average follow up of nearly 12 years, 18,367 participants developed atrial fibrillation, 22,636 had a heart attack/stroke or developed heart failure, and 22,140 died, of whom 14,902 did not have any previous heart issues.
For healthy adults, regular use of fish oil supplements was associated with a 13 per cent increased risk of atrial fibrillation and a five per cent increased risk of stroke. The increased risk was six per cent higher in women and in non-smokers.
But for those who already had heart issues, regular use of fish oil supplements was associated with a 15 per cent lower risk of progressing from atrial fibrillation to a heart attack, and a nine per cent lower risk of progressing from heart failure to death.
"Regular use of fish oil supplements might have different roles in the progression of cardiovascular disease,” the study concluded.
