How Much Omega-3 Should I Take for Heart Health?

Recent research from the British Journal of Nutrition found consumption of greater than 250 mg per day was associated with a 35% reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death.

Nutrition for Optimal Wellness | Jessica Patella, ND | Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and worldwide (1). Coronary heart disease accounts for approximately 35% of all cardiovascular deaths and 10.5% of all deaths worldwide (2). Most risk factors of coronary heart disease are changeable, meaning coronary heart disease is a largely preventable disease (3). Omega-3 oils have been shown to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, but how much is enough? Recent research from the British Journal of Nutrition found consumption of greater than 250 mg per day was associated with a 35% reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death (4).

The research included a review of eight observational studies which means participants were followed for a certain amount of time to observe different outcomes. Observational studies allow for conditions more typical in everyday life than those found in a case controlled studies and also allow for longer-term observations (4). Of all the studies, 214,426 participants were observed for how much omega-3 oil decreased the risk of cardiac death (4). All participants were free of known cardiovascular disease at the beginning of all the studies (4).

The relative risk (RR) of death from a sudden cardiac event was significantly lower (35.1%) in participants who consumedat least 250mg per day of omega-3 oil compared to participants who consumed less than 250 mg per day of omega-3 oil (P<0.0001) (4). Sudden cardiac death was defined as death within 5 minutes to 1 hour of symptom onset.

There was no significant difference in the risk of a non-fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack) between participants who consumed equal to or greater than 250 mg per day of omega-3 oils and those who consumed less than 250 mg per day. Other studies have indicated that intakes of 900-1,000 mg per day of omega-3 oils reduced the risk of non-fatal coronary events by 39%, while 1,300 mg per day reduced the risk by 43% and 2,100 mg per day reduced the risk by 67% (4,5).

In conclusion, intake of greater than 250 mg per day of omega-3 oil showed a significant 35% decrease in the risk of sudden cardiac death (4). This evidence suggests that 250 mg per day of omega-3 oils should be considered a minimum intake (4). Further research investigating optimal levels above 250 mg per day for reducing the risk of non-fatal coronary events is still needed.

*Coronary heart disease is narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the heart. Blockage of the vessels is what leads to a heart attack.

REFERENCES:

1. American Heart Association (2009) International Cardiovascular Disease Statistics. Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) (Statistical Fact Sheet — Populations 2009 Update). Dallas, TX: American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/downloadable/heart/
1236204012112INTL.pdf

2. World Health Organization (2002) Deaths From Coronary Heart Disease. Geneva: WHO.http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/
en/cvd_atlas_14_deathHD.pdf

3. World Health Organization (2009) Cardiovascular Diseases. Geneva: WHO. http://www.who.int/cardiovascular_diseases/en

4. Musa-Veloso K, et al. Impact of low vs moderate intakes of long-chain n-3 fatty acids on risk of coronary heart disease. 2011. Br J Nutr. Doi:10.1017/S0007114511001644

5. Iso H, Kobayashi M, Ishihara J, et al. (2006) Intake of fish and n3 fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease among Japanese: the Japan Public Health Center-Based (JPHC) Study Cohort I. Circulation 113, 195– 202.

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