A Professional Perspective on Omega-3 Fatty Acids

From the American Heart Association:

• An article included on the site suggests, "Randomized clinical trials have shown that omega-3 fatty acid supplements can reduce cardiovascular events (death, non-fatal heart attacks, non-fatal strokes)....However, more studies are needed to confirm and further define the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for preventing a first or subsequent cardiovascular event."

• The American Heart Association recommends people eat fatty fish (mackerel, tuna, etc.) at least twice a week.

From the New York Times:

• According to an October 3, 2006 article, "In the largest study of fish oil — conducted more than a decade ago — Italian researchers from the Gissi Group (Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell' Infarto), gave 11,000 patients one gram of prescription fish oil a day after heart attacks. After three years, the study found that the number of deaths was reduced by 20 percent and that the number of sudden deaths by 40 percent, compared with a control group."

• The article also states: "Dr. Harrison (a lead researcher in the study) said he believed that people should generally increase their intake of omega-3 acids, best done by eating more fish. Still, he acknowledged that it was difficult to eat foods containing a gram of omega-3 acids each day. ' you ask me do I take omega-3 supplements every day, then, embarrassingly, the answer is yes,' said Dr. Harrison, a professor at Bolton Primary Care Trust of the University of Manchester in England. 'I, too, am caught up in this hectic world where I have little time to shop and prepare the healthy foods I know I should be eating,' he said."

From the Mayo Clinic website:

• An article entitled "Fish FAQ: The Merits and Hazards of Eating Fish" declares "Some types of fish, particularly fatty, cold-water fish — such as salmon, mackerel and herring — are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s appear to decrease the risk of coronary artery disease. They may also protect against irregular heartbeats and help lower blood pressure levels.¨

• The article elaborates, "One study released in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that those who ate fish might reduce their risk of dying from heart disease by a third, and their overall mortality was 17 percent lower. The other study released by the Institute of Medicine, which advises the federal government on health policy, wasn't as strong in its endorsement. However, it indicated that eating seafood appears to promote heart health."

REFERENCES:

American Heart Association (2007). Fish and Omega-3 Fatty Acids. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from the World Wide Web: http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632

Mayo Clinic Staff (2006). Mediterranean Diet for Heart Health. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from the World Wide Web: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mediterranean-diet/CL00011

Mayo Clinic Staff (2007). Omega-3 in Fish: How Eating Fish Helps Your Heart. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from the World Wide Web: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/omega-3/HB00087

Mayo Clinic Staff (2007). Fish FAQ: The Merits and Hazards of Eating Fish. Retrieved March 6, 2007, from the World Wide Web: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/NU00292

Rosenthal, Elisabeth. In Europe It's Fish Oil After Heart Attacks, but Not in U.S., New York Times. (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Oct 3, 2006. pg. F.5

Copyright © MenScience Androceuticals 2007.

Men's Health recently covered the Omega 3 topic in 'Eat More Fish to Cheat Death.' After sampling the MenScience Omega 3 supplement, one Men’s Health writer was so impressed with his results, he produced a video on the subject. He recently requested more.