If you are not sick, don't take fish oil randomly! "BMJ" research confirms that healthy people may increase the risk of "two major cardiovascular diseases"
Many scholars support the benefits of fish oil on cardiovascular health. However, for healthy people who have never had cardiovascular disease, supplementing with fish oil may not be necessary. A recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) stated that fish oil intake does have a certain degree of protective benefit for patients with specific cardiovascular diseases, but for those without a history of cardiovascular disease, it may increase cardiovascular risk.
Is eating fish oil harmful to cardiovascular disease? Study: Healthy people have 13% increased risk of atrial fibrillation
A research team led by Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou Campus in China collected research data from 415,737 people without cardiovascular disease through the UK Biobank, aged between 40-69 years old. The research team conducted long-term follow-up for approximately 12 years; during this period, 18,367 patients developed atrial fibrillation, 22,636 patients developed major adverse cardiovascular events (heart failure, stroke, and myocardial infarction), and 22,140 patients died during the follow-up period.
The research team pointed out that 31.4% of all subjects had the habit of taking fish oil health products regularly, with the elderly taking higher proportions than young people, and women higher than men. Preliminary analysis results show that compared with subjects with good heart health but not taking fish oil, people with healthy hearts who take fish oil have a 13% higher risk of atrial fibrillation and a 5% higher risk of stroke. The risk of heart failure was reduced by 8%.
For subjects with atrial fibrillation, taking fish oil showed a protective effect: the risk of progression from atrial fibrillation to adverse cardiovascular events was reduced by 8%, the risk of progression to myocardial infarction was reduced by 15%, and the risk of progression to death was reduced by 8%. The risk was reduced by 9%; those with major cardiovascular events had a 1% reduced risk of death. In addition, if patients with heart failure take fish oil, the risk of death is reduced by about 9%.
Does taking fish oil increase the risk of cardiovascular events? Expert: Limited effect on “primary prevention”
Looking at factors such as age and gender, women and non-smokers who take fish oil supplements regularly have a 6% higher risk of adverse cardiovascular events. However, for men and the elderly, regular fish oil supplementation can help reduce the occurrence of events from health status to death, reducing the risk by 7% and 9% respectively. The results show that the positive and negative benefits of fish oil supplementation are significantly related to cardiovascular health.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Lin Hualiang, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, China, said that this trial has a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the role of fish oil in “primary prevention” and “secondary prevention”: in terms of primary prevention, for In cardiovascularly healthy individuals, regular fish oil use is associated with an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation. However, for individuals already suffering from atrial fibrillation (as secondary prevention), regular use of fish oil supplements may have a protective effect against progression to major adverse cardiovascular events and even death.
Is it necessary to take fish oil to supplement Omega-3? WHO warning: Daily dose should not exceed XX mg
Dr. Lin Hualiang pointed out that for healthy people, fish oil supplements should be used with caution as primary prevention, because their cardiovascular benefits are still unclear. It is recommended to eat natural foods such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, oysters, etc. Supplement with natural foods such as flax seeds, avocados, and walnuts. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily intake of 250-500 mg, and should not exceed 2000-3000 mg. For individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease, moderate fish oil supplementation under medical supervision is still recommended.
How do you know if your personal intake of Omega-3 is enough? The American Heart Association has issued guidelines recommending that you should consume at least 2 servings of fish per week, totaling about 85-113 grams. You can add more oily fish such as mackerel and salmon, and studies have proven that they have a certain protective effect on heart health. However, neither too much nor too little is too much. It is recommended that people maintain a diversified diet and avoid a single diet to help promote good health.
Finally, Lin Hualiang said that this study covered a large number of samples and conducted long-term follow-up, which makes the analysis of clinically diagnosed disease incidence and health outcomes more reliable. However, as an observational study, it is not possible to establish a causal relationship between fish oil supplementation and cardiovascular events, and confounding factors may still exist despite adjusting for multiple covariates. More research is needed in the future to determine the potential impact of fish oil supplements in cardiovascular disease.
Source:
Regular use of fish oil supplements and course of cardiovascular diseases: prospective cohort study
Extended reading:
“Omega-3” protects cardiovascular and lowers blood pressure? How many servings a day is enough?
