Bradycardia and Fish Oil

If you have bradycardia, you have a heart arrhythmia, which means that your heart rate is abnormally slow. Fish oil may help you reduce the risk for bradycardia, or it may improve your heart health if you have this condition, depending on what caused the arrhythmia. Pinpointing the cause of your bradycardia and developing a treatment plan with your doctor is essential, as is discussing any possible supplement use with a healthcare provider.

Identification

Bradycardia is defined as having a heart rate that's slower than 60 beats per minute. There are three types of bradycardia. The first is sinus bradycardia, in which your slow heart beat may be due to heart disease or a reaction to medication. Sinus bradycardia also can have positive causes, such as deep relaxation or excellent fitness. If you have sick sinus syndrome, your slow heartbeat is caused by a sinoatrial node malfunction. This node is your heart's natural pacemaker. The third type of bradycardia is caused by a heart block, commonly called an atrioventricular, or AV, block. In this case your unusual beat is caused by a blocking or slowing of electrical impulses in the conduction system of your heart. Before considering any supplement such as fish oil, it's important to work with a doctor to pinpoint the cause of your bradycardia. If you have a sinoatrial node malfunction, for example, you likely need a pacemaker .

Potential Fish Oil Benefits

Fish oil may help you reduce risk for underlying conditions that can lead to bradycardia because it reduces your risk for cardiovascular disease. You should also follow general advice to prevent development of heart disease. This includes maintaining a healthy weight, following a doctor-approved exercise program, quitting smoking, consuming a healthful diet that is low in saturated fat and high whole grains and produce, and treating health conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high triglycerides.

Dosage

The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil are responsible for its heart-healthy benefits, including potential antiarrhythmic effects. The effective dosage for the omega-3 fatty acids in fish, called eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, ranges from .5 to 1.8 g per day, notes a 2002 study published in "Circulation." You can gain heart-health benefits without supplements, the study notes, by eating fatty fish twice a week, as recommended by the American Heart Association.

Considerations

If you want to incorporate fish oil into your diet, discuss it with your doctor first. In some cases of heart arrhythmia, fish oil may actually worsen your condition, reports wsoctv.com in the 2005 article, "Fish Oil for the Heart." It also can interact with blood-thinning medicines and diabetes medication, and it may worsen your condition if you have a bleeding disorder. Purchase your fish oil from a reputable source, as fish oil can contain contaminants like heavy metals. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends seeking a company that tests its products for contaminants like mercury or pesticide residues.