Omega-3 pills ineffective for heart patients
FISH oil supplements of omega-3 fatty acids, found in oily fish such as tuna and salmon, may do little to ward off heart attacks and storkes in people who already have heart disease, according to a recent study.
The research, which was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, studied more than 20,000 people with heart disease. It found that there was no difference in the number of heart attacks, strokes, or even deaths among the people surveyed who were randomly assigned to take either fish oil supplements or fish-oil-free placebo pills.
Said JoAnn Manson, professor of epidemiology at Harvard University, who co-wrote a commentary published with the study, “There is a common perception that fish oil supplements have been proven to prevent cardiovascular disease, and in fact the evidence has been incosistent and inconclusive.”
“Long-term studies are needed,” added Manson. “But for now people should continue to take at least two servings of fatty fish a week.”
Category: Wellness and Complementary Therapies