Taking a supplement can help with everything from getting a decent night’s sleep to boosting your memory, but there’s always the risk of unintended negative consequences. Unfortunately, this can be true for even some of the more popular supplements on the market. As such, some doctors are raising the alarm after a recent study suggested that taking fish oil could increase the risk of heart disease.
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Fish oil supplements could increase one’s risk of atrial fibrillation and stroke.
If you’re one of the many who take omega-3 oils for heart health, you might want to consider the latest research that was published in the journal BMJ Medicine. In it, a team of scientists analyzed medical data from over 415,000 British patients between the ages of 40 and 69, collected over an average of 12 years.
The team hoped to establish whether patients who reported “regularly” taking fish oil supplements saw a difference in the progression of cardiovascular disease, including atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and heart attacks. In this case, they were comparing healthy patients with those who had already been diagnosed with heart disease.
After analysis, the researchers found some shocking data points. Most notably, patients who had not been diagnosed with heart disease and regularly took fish oil supplements were 13 percent more likely to develop atrial fibrillation—an irregular heartbeat that can lead to cardiac emergencies—compared to patients who didn’t take them. The same cohort was also found to be 5 percent more likely to suffer a stroke, per the British Heart Foundation (BHF).
However, findings were different for patients who were already diagnosed with heart conditions. For example, patients with atrial fibrillation regularly taking fish oil saw a 15 percent reduction in risk of a heart attack compared to those who weren’t, while patients diagnosed with heart failure were 9 percent less likely to die than their counterparts who didn’t take supplements.
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Other studies found similar results.
This isn’t the first time researchers have noticed benefits for patients with heart disease who take fish oil supplements. In a study published in October 2020 in the journal Pharmacological Research, a meta-analysis of 16 separate clinical trials found that patients with heart conditions taking omega-3 oils were less likely to die than those who weren’t.
Meanwhile, another study published in Circulation Research that same year concluded that there was no increase in atrial fibrillation for patients taking fish oil supplements compared to a cohort of participants taking a placebo, putting it at odds with the latest research.
But the negative results also echo some previous findings. In a 2021 meta-analysis of seven studies with a collective cohort of more than 81,000 patients published in the journal Circulation, researchers found that taking omega-3 fish oils raised the risk of atrial fibrillation compared to those not taking them.
Doctors warn that more research is needed.
The researchers admitted several limitations, most notably that the studies were observational and not clinical. The studies also failed to define what “regularly” taking fish oil and omega-3 supplements meant, and also didn’t clarify if patients were consistent with their regimen throughout the entirety of the data collection period.
In light of the findings, some medical professionals urged caution in making changes before more studies could be completed on the topic.
“Supplements such as omega-3 fatty acids are no substitute for a healthy diet and, instead of focusing on individual nutrients, it’s important to look at your diet as a whole to help lower your risk,” Tracy Parker, a senior dietitian at BHF, told The Guardian in 2024 in response to the most recent study.
“The traditional Mediterranean diet has been shown time and again to reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. This includes more fish—white and oily—and less red meat, along with plenty of fruit and vegetables, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, and wholegrains.”
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The takeaway.
Are fish oil supplements really as good for your health as we’ve been told? In a recent meta-analysis of data from over 415,000 patients, researchers found that healthy patients who reported “regularly” taking them were 13 percent more likely to develop atrial fibrillation than patients who were not.
Still, the study saw plenty of positives for patients with heart disease, including a 9 percent decrease in the likelihood of death compared to their counterparts who didn’t take supplements. There was also a 15 percent reduction in the risk of a heart attack in patients with heart disease compared to those who weren’t taking supplements.
Doctors say that more research is needed on the topic, and suggest adopting healthy eating habits such as the Mediterranean diet to address heart health concerns.
Content shared from bestlifeonline.com.