The research behind the benefits of omega-3 supplementation for heart health is so persuasive that the American Heart Association recommends people with heart disease supplement 1 g a day. While analyzing the relevant data, scientists observed that those patients who consumed the most omega-3s also enjoyed a proportionately large decrease in the risk of sudden cardiac death. Heart palpitations are responsible for most of these deaths, so scientists began to look for links between palpitations and omega-3. At the time of publication, the research is still supportive of a benefit.
About Palpitations
The formal medical term for a heart palpitation is an arrhythmia. People can feel them in the throat and neck as well as the chest. The sensations range from pounding to fluttering, and in most cases palpitations aren't harmful. However in the instance of sudden cardiac death, or SCD, palpitations can be lethal. According to physicians reporting in the September 2007 issue of "Circulation," a particular kind of palpitation called a ventricular arrhythmia is responsible for 80 to 90 percent of sudden cardiac deaths.
SCD Risk Reduction
An article devoted to the subject of the antiarrhythmic properties of omega-3s was published in the August 2006 issue of the "American Journal of Cardiology." A large portion of the research is dedicated to a review of studies performed on the association of omega-3s and SCD. The authors concluded that fish oil can help prevent heart palpitations and they were impressed by how quickly protective benefits can manifest. In less than 90 days, many heart disease patients dropped their risk of SCD by 40 to 50 percent.
Long Term Benefits
Researchers reporting in the April 2002 issue of "Circulation" poured through dozens of studies and analyzed the pattern of results demonstrating the anti-arrhythmic benefits of omega-3s. They noted that while none of the studies were looking for an SCD benefit as a primary endpoint, that most revealed a dramatic drop in death from SCD in association with omega-3 intake. In other words, even though researchers weren't looking for an SCD benefit, they found one anyway. The authors termed the results "remarkable" and reported that omega-3 intake for a year or longer reduced sudden cardiac deaths by 68 percent.
The Dosage
The researchers reporting in the "Circulation" article above found that one gram of omega-3s taken every day for eight months was sufficient to produce a 68 percent drop in fatal arrhythmia risk. Further, they calculated a formula relative to all cause coronary death in relation to omega-3 intake. To save one patient, out of a population at low risk of heart disease death, 164 patients would need to ingest 1 g of omega-3s for one year. Although this research is encouraging, it's very important you seek your doctor's advice before taking omega-3s for heart benefits.
References
- "Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology"; Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease - New Recommendations From the American Heart Association; Penny Kris-Etherton; February 2003
- "Circulation"; Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Cardiac Arrhythmias: Prior Studies and Recommendations for Future Research; Barry London et al.; September 2007
- "The American Journal of Cardiology"; Antiarrhythmic Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids; James Reiffel and Arline McDonald; August 2006
- "Circulation"; Early Protection Against Sudden Death by n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids After Myocardial Infarction; Roberto Marchioli et al.; April 2002
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