Omega-3 Lowers Cardiovascular Risks

[kala]

How do omega-3 lower cardiovascular risk? There has been a lot of research on this topic and there are several possible mechanisms for these beneficial effects:

Lowering triglycerides (lipids in your bloodstream)
Reducing endothelial dysfunction (making your blood vessels healthier)
Inhibiting monocyte adhesion and inflammatory mediators (reducing inflammation)
Reducing heart arrhythmias
Reducing hypercoagulability (reducing the chance of blood clots)

For more information, see the Omega-T (Omega 3) Advantage at http://www.yasoo.com/omega-t-adv.htm.

[jamesssss]

Meta-Analysis:
A meta-analysis recently published in the American Journal of Medicine reviewed 11 clinical intervention studies published between1966 and 1999. The relative risk ratio for patients supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids as compared to controls was 0.7 (P<0.001), 0.8 for nonfatal myocardial infarctions (P=0.16) and 0.7 (P<0.001) for overall death.

What does this mean for you? Well, a meta-analysis groups the results of several studies to make more meaningful conclusions. If you eat a significant amount of fish or take an omega-3 fatty acid supplement you can decrease your risk of dying by 30% or you risk of having a fatal heart attack by 20%. That is a pretty persuasive argument to supplement your diet with omega-3 fatty acids to fight heart disease!

Hypertension:
A meta-analysis on hypertension, that included 17 clinical trials, concluded that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in hypertensive patients. The effect on non-hypertensive patients was minimal.

Arrythmias:
Several clinical interventions, including GISSI-3 mentioned above, studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids reduce sudden death, especially in patients who have prior coronary artery disease. The decrease in sudden death is partly attributed to the reduction in fatal cardiac arrythmias. Recent animal studies are close to elucidating the mechanism behind this heart health benefit.