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Jan 23rd 2024

Fish Oil & Heart Health

. . . fish oils outperform statins and reduce the risk of a first-time heart attack by 35%

The connection between fish oil and heart health has been studied for the past 40 years, and its many benefits for the cardiovascular system are well-documented. Our bodies need a whole host of nutrients every day to maintain health. If even one of these is absent or deficient long-term, disease is inevitable. For reasons discussed at length in The Roadmap to Choosing Supplements, both a very good diet AND high-quality supplements are necessary today to get all the nutrients we need. The reason fish oil has helped to correct heart disease is because it contains omega 3 fatty acids, and about 90% of our population is deficient in these essential fatty acids.

The omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil protect our hearts in many different ways. First they are anti-arrhythmic. That means they counteract and prevent cardiac arrhythmias. Next they are antithrombotic, which means they “thin the blood” and keep it from clotting too readily. They are also anti-sclerotic, which means they protect the inner lining of arteries and prevent atherosclerosis. They are anti-inflammatory. Studies have shown that they reduce blood pressure, greatly reduce triglycerides, and often reduce LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) while raising HDL cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol).

In a 2005 review of 97 clinical trials published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, fish oil significantly outperformed statin drugs in reducing both cardiac mortality and all-cause mortality, and in a more recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition, it was determined that those taking 250 mg or more a day of omega 3 fatty acids reduced their risk of a first time heart attack by 35%.

The two most important fats provided by fish oil are EPA and DHA. Eating fish 2.5-3 times a week would provide a combined intake of approximately 500 mg EPA and DHA a day. Although four times more than the average American consumes, this is still less than the 900-1,000 mg a day, or more, of total omega 3s many experts consider to be optimal. Eating a lot of fish also has a downside: our waterways have become highly polluted with mercury and other toxins, and so have our fish. Taking high-quality fish oil supplements, such as our Fish Oil Formula which has been purified of contaminants in the correct way, is a viable alternative. In addition to eating fish about once a week, I take and recommend a tablespoon of Udo’s Choice (a source of plant-derived omega-3 fats and other important fatty acids) and 2 teaspoons of cod liver oil each day.

Din JN.  Omega 3 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease - fishing for a natural treatment. British Medical Journal. January 2004; 328(7430):30-35.
Studer M.  Effect of different antilipidemic agents and diets on mortality:  A systematic review. Archives of Internal Medicine. April 2005; 165(7):725-730.
Musa-Veloso K.  Impact of low v. moderate intakes of long-chain n-3 fatty acids on risk of coronary heart disease.. British Journal of Nutrition. October 2011; 106(8):1129-1141.
Dolecek TA.  Epidemiological evidence of relationships between dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and mortality in Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Research. June 1992; 200(2):177-182.

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Information contained in NewsClips articles should not be construed as personal medical advice or instruction. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.