
A
research article published in the April 11 issue of the New England
Journal of Medicine (NEJM) indicates that men with high blood
levels of long chain omega-3 fatty acids were strongly protected
against sudden death from heart attack.
(Note to Editor: Omega-3
fatty acids are also known as omega-3 fatty acids, and are highly unsaturated
fats that occur naturally in fish and other marine products.)
According to the Council for Responsible
Nutrition (CRN), one
of the dietary supplement industry's leading trade associations,
this is one more positive study highlighting the benefits of this
important nutrient. "We already know that omega-3 fatty acids
decrease the risk of sudden death after a heart attack," said
John Cordaro, president and chief executive officer, CRN.
"Now we have learned that omega-3 fatty acids significantly
reduce the risk of sudden death in people with no prior cardiovascular
disease. Good nutrition is an essential lifestyle component, but
unfortunately we don't always select our foods properly to provide
the nutrients we need. This study underscores the importance of
dietary supplements with omega-3 fatty acids to help reduce the
risk of sudden death from cardiac arrest."
The
study, conducted by Albert et al., was based on data from the Physicians'
Health Study.
The degree of protection was 72%
in men in the third quartile of omega-3 blood levels and 81%
in men in the top quartile, as compared to the risk among physicians
in the bottom quartile. The study subjects were 94 physicians "in
whom sudden death occurred as the first manifestation of cardiovascular
disease" and 184 matched controls.
The authors conclude that, "taken together with previous
data from observational studies and randomized trials, these prospective
data suggest that the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish
may reduce the risk of sudden death from cardiac causes, even among
men without a history of cardiovascular disease. Because more than
50 percent of all sudden deaths from cardiac causes occur in people
with no history of cardiac disease, preventive efforts must address
this segment of the population to have a substantial effect on
the overall incidence of sudden death from cardiac causes. If the
observed association is causal, increasing the intake of omega-3 fatty
acids by eating more fish or by taking supplements is an intervention
that could be applied to this segment of the population at low
cost and little risk."
In
an accompanying "perspective," Irwin H. Rosenberg,
M.D., calls the evolution of the research on the benefits of omega-3
fatty acids "a model for any scientific effort to identify
a functional food." He points out that, in addition to protecting
against sudden death from cardiac arrhythmias, long chain fatty
acids such as EPA and DHA confer other benefits. These include
lowering triglyceride levels, affecting thrombosis, supporting
the immune system, enhancing development of the central nervous
system in infants, and helping modulate blood pressure.
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