(RxWiki News) Omega-3s may reduce your risk of fatal heart disease, a large study found.
This study of more than 45,000 combined patients from 19 past studies found that higher blood levels of plant- and seafood-based omega-3 fatty acids were tied to a lower risk for a fatal heart attack.
The findings of this study echo those of past studies, but many studies have had conflicting results.
People who had the highest blood levels of omega-3s had about 25 percent lower risk of fatal heart attack when compared to those with the lowest levels, the researchers behind this study found.
Omega-3 levels did not, however, appear to be tied to nonfatal heart attack risk. The study authors noted that this could mean that omega-3s play a highly specific role in heart health.
Talk to your doctor before making major changes to your diet or starting a new over-the-counter supplement.
This study was published recently in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The National Institutes of Health funded this research. The authors of this study did disclose several potential conflicts of interest.
