According the Heart Rhythm Society, more than 250,000 people die from sudden cardiac arrest, or SCA, annually in the U.S. The cause of SCA is unexpected chaotic rhythms of the heart. A healthy heart beats at regular intervals and increases and decreases its pace with changes in physical activity. In cardiac arrest, the heart's beating becomes irregular and chaotic. Fish oil might be a weapon in the fight against this deadly enemy.
Heart Health
Healthy hearts maintain a regular rhythmic pattern. A balance of omega-3 and -omega-6 fatty acids is important to maintaining this healthy rhythm. A diet heavy in meat, dairy products and vegetable oils is high in omega-6, but lacks omega-3. The resulting imbalance increases the risk of cardiac arrest. According to Dr. Artemis Simpoulos, author of "Health Effects of Omega-3," fish oil plays an important role in improving heart health by restoring the balance.
Evidence
Research reported in the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine" found that increasing omega-3 by adding fish oil lowered the overall death rate of patients with heart problems by 6.4 percent. Based on these results, the journal recommends consuming omega-3 after heart problems have been identified. It further suggests omega-3 for those with healthy hearts to prevent the onset of heart problems.
Function
Omega-3 fish oil contains eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, called DHA. These two acids are important for maintaining the steady rhythm of the heart. Because the body cannot produce EPA and DHA, the only way to get them is by consuming foods or supplements containing omega-3.
The Big Picture
The effect of EPA and DHA in fish oil is not the whole story. Dr. Carl Lavie, director for Cardiac Rehabilitation and Preventive Cardiology at the Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute in New Orleans, says, "There are so many different mechanisms in play." For example, Lavie explains that fish oil may also affect clotting action in the blood. "This is probably the case for many things in medicine; we may learn something, but we do not have all the answers, so there is still a lot of work that could be done", explains Lavie.
Future of Fish Oil
Although the FDA has not approved fish oil and much research remains, Lavie believes it is gaining credibility among cardiologists and will play a central role in the future of cardiology. Lavie, who has researched fish oil for more than 25 years, notes that the low incidence of sudden cardiac death in those with omega-3-rich diets has been known for decades, "But we did not have nearly enough evidence from the giant randomized trials that we now have."
References
- "Health Effects of Omega-3"; Artemis Simpoulos; 2005
- "American Journal of Preventive Medicine"; "Preventing Sudden Death with n-3 (Omega-3) Fatty Acids and Defibrilllators"; T.E. Kotte et al; October 2006
- "The Heart Rhythm Society"; "Sudden Cardiac Arrest Facts"
- "Future Cardiology"; "Fish Oil Therapy: gaining credibility"; C.J. Lavie; November 2009
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