Omega-3s Reduce Risk of Heart Failure
According to a report published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, increasing the amount of omega-3s you consume could slash your risk of heart failure by 25%.
Heart failure occurs when the heart can no longer pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Characterized by such symptoms as fatigue and weakness, difficulty walking, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and persistent cough or wheezing, heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization among people over 65 years of age.
The results of this study come as no surprise. Hundreds of scientific studies have found that omega-3s from fatty fish and fish oil supplements have heart health benefits. Specifically, omega-3s have been linked to reducing blood clots, blood pressure and heart rate irregularities, as well as improving circulation. And this new study adds to previous data that found that omega-3 fatty acids may reduce heart failure by 33%. (European Heart Journal, 30:1495-1500.)
In the recent study, researchers analyzed data from 36,234 women participating in the Swedish Mammography Cohort. During 18 years of study, 651 cases of heart failure were documented. Eating one serving of fatty fish per week was associated with a 14% reduction in the risk of heart failure, compared with women who did not eat any fatty fish. Furthermore, eating two servings of fatty fish per week was associated with a 30% reduction. The association for total intake of omega-3 fatty acids was stronger, said the researchers, with the highest intakes of omega-3 associated with a 25% reduction in risk.
“Moderate consumption of fatty fish (1–2 servings per week) and marine omega-3 fatty acids were associated with a lower rate of first heart failure hospitalization or death in this population,” wrote the researchers. (Levitan EB et al. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.50.)
