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How Fish Oil Prevents Heart Disease
Omega-3 fatty acids are healthy fats that serve multiple roles.
They are particularly concentrated in brain and heart muscle.6,7
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential for balancing inflammatory responses.8
Getting enough omega-3s helps counter several major contributors to heart and blood vessel disease, including:
1. Elevated triglycerides. High levels of these fats in the blood correlate with an increased risk of heart disease. Taking omega-3s reduces triglyceride levels.9,11 The American Heart Association has issued a science advisory that EPA and DHA doses of 2,000-4,000 mg per day are recommended for lowering triglycerides.12
2. High blood pressure. Increasing intake of omega-3 fatty acids can modestly +reduce blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease.13.14
3. Insulin resistance. When cells do not respond to the hormone insulin appropri¬ately, the body cannot optimally manage blood sugar. Fish oil intake is associated with improved insulin sensitivity in people with some existing degree of metabolic disease.11,15
4. Blood clotting. Heart attacks and strokes are frequently caused by abnormal clotting (thrombosis) within blood vessels.16 Higher intake of omega-3s can reduce the forma¬tion of blood clots.17-19
5. Chronic inflammation. Persistent inflam¬mation is a major driver of atheroscle¬rosis, the buildup of plaque in arteries. Omega-3s reduce the production of pro-inflammatory compounds and serve as precursors to anti-inflammatory com-pounds.6-8,20,21
The above actions may help slow or halt the devel¬opment and progression of cardiovascular disease.
Observational Studies
The omega-3 index is a blood test that measures the percentage of omega-3s in the blood. The higher the number, the more omega-3s in the body.
An index of 8% or higher is considered ideal.22
In an observational study that evaluated close to 30,000 individuals, having an omega-3 index of 8% or greater predicted about a 30% lower risk of death due to coronary artery disease than an omega-3 index below 4%.22
The Framingham Heart Study is one of the larg¬est and longest-running observational studies in existence.2,23 It has consistently found that a higher omega-3 index is associated with significantly lower risk of total mortality and cardiovascular-related events such as stroke and heart attack.
The Framingham study even found that the omega-3 index is as good at predicting risk of death as factors like smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and age.2 Those with a higher index live almost five years longer on average than those with a low index.
In one of the papers from the Framingham study, people with the highest omega-3 index levels com¬pared to those with the lowest, had a 34% lower risk of all cause mortality and their risk of developing car¬diovascular diseases was 39% lower.23
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