Carotid stenosis, which involves clogs in the arteries in the neck, usually appears in concert with heart disease. It's possible that taking fish oil or eating fish may help protect against carotid stenosis, and in fact millions of people take fish oil daily as a supplement hoping it will help ward off cardiovascular diseases such as carotid stenosis. However, recent research indicates that fish oil may not protect against these diseases as well as previously thought.
Carotid Stenosis Basics
The carotid arteries, located on the sides of the neck, feed blood to the front of the brain, which is where you process language and speech and do most of your thinking. When you have carotid stenosis, your carotid arteries narrow due to deposits of plaque. This can lead to less blood flow to the brain and may lead to a complete blockage in the artery -- a stroke -- if it becomes severe enough. People who suffer from carotid stenosis almost always have narrowing of the arteries elsewhere in the body as well, particularly in the arteries leading to heart muscle. Most people with carotid stenosis don't have any symptoms; instead, their physician discovers the problem during a physical examination.
Fish Oil
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, considered healthy forms of fat because they can combat inflammation in the body and may help reduce the risk of heart disease and other chronic diseases. Fish oil seems to protect against many forms of cardiovascular disease, including carotid stenosis. For example, eating two or more servings of fish per week can reduce the risk of a stroke due to clogged carotid arteries by up to half. However, there's a trade-off: If you eat tremendous amounts of fish -- three servings a day or more -- you increase your risk of bleeding and of hemorrhagic stroke, another form of stroke that involves a burst blood vessel in the brain.
Supplements
It's not clear if taking fish oil supplements has the same effect on carotid stenosis as eating fish, and in fact there's evidence that fish oil supplements don't work any better than a placebo at preventing the types of strokes caused by carotid stenosis. Researchers reporting in the November 2010 issue of "British Medical Journal" followed about 2,500 patients who had had a stroke, a heart attack or some form of heart disease and took either 600 mg of fish oil or placebo daily for nearly five years. The researchers concluded that the fish oil worked no better than placebo in preventing additional cardiovascular problems, including strokes due to carotid stenosis.
Considerations
If you want to benefit from fish oil, you may need to eat fish, not simply take supplements, according to Harvard Medical School experts, especially if you already have a diagnosis of carotid stenosis. It's possible that in addition to fish oil, some other substance in fish could help to improve your odds of avoiding cardiovascular problems. Substituting fish for red meat might also possibly help improve your odds. In any case, including fish as part of an overall healthy diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables and whole grains may help you decrease your risk for carotid stenosis and other forms of cardiovascular disease.
References
- Cedars-Sinai: Carotid Stenosis
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; June 25, 2009
- British Medical Journal; "Effects of B Vitamins and Omega 3 Fatty Acids on Cardiovascular Diseases; P. Galan et al.; November 27, 2010
- Harvard Medical School; Fish Oil Questioned as Treatment for Heart Disease; March 2011
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