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Arrhythmias: The Heart-Protective Benefits Of Oily Fish
A newly published study from Berlin, Germany, illustrated just how versatile omega-3 fatty acids can be in protecting the heart.
Setting the pace
In the biomedical science journal Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes & Essential Fatty Acids, the Berlin researchers note that very little clinical data is available regarding the use of omega-3 fatty acids to treat arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms).
Arrhythmias can be triggered by a number of factors, including diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, prescription drugs and even some herbal supplements. There are several types of arrhythmias; some cause only mild chest discomfort, while others prompt heart attacks and strokes.
The Berlin researchers recruited 65 patients who had been diagnosed with arrhythmias, but not coronary heart disease or heart failure. Divided into two groups, 33 subjects received daily supplements containing three grams of fish oil, which delivered one gram of omega-3 per day. The other subjects took a placebo.
Blood samples were taken from all subjects throughout the six-month trial period and for an additional follow up period of six months. Heart rhythms were measured throughout both periods as well. The fish oil group took no supplements during the follow up period.
At the end of the supplement period, researchers found the results to be dramatic. Overall, subjects in the fish oil group showed a decrease in several types of arrhythmias. In addition, triglyceride and LDL cholesterol levels dropped, while HDL cholesterol went up. In the placebo group, none of these levels changed, and arrhythmias that were noted at the beginning of the study remained the same.
These results alone would point to the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids in promoting heart health and helping to regulate arrhythmias. But even more telling was the fact that all of the positive benefits experienced by subjects in the fish oil group were reversed within six months of discontinuing the supplement intake.
Standard oil
Long time e-alert readers know that the easiest way to increase consumption of omega-3 fatty acids is by increasing your fish intake; dark meat fish like mackerel, salmon, sardines and swordfish contain the most concentrated sources, with an average of 1.51 grams of omega-3s per serving. Most other fish, including canned tuna, provide about 0.45 grams per serving, while shrimp, lobster and scallops contain about 0.32 grams per serving.
But as the Berlin study demonstrates, fish oil supplements also provide an effective source of omega-3. And with the disturbing reports we're hearing more often these days about mercury levels in fish, supplementing with fish oil might be the safest way to go.
Unfortunately, some fish oil supplements contain traces of mercury and other pollutants. To insure the highest quality supplement, look for pharmaceutical grade fish oil that's been molecularly distilled. The molecular distillation process effectively separates toxic heavy metals from the oil.
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