Omega-3 Can Reduce Chance of Irregular Heartbeat

A study out of the Harvard School of Public Health concluded that older adults who had the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, most commonly found in fish, were 30% less likely to later develop an irregular heartbeat than peers with the lowest blood levels of omega-3s.

Researchers are pleased with this result since currently there are not many treatments for the condition."These are meaningful reductions in risk," said Alvaro Alonso, a professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health in an article on MSNBC.

The omega-3 fatty acids measured in the new study were eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

They are found in oily fish and some enriched foods, such as eggs, as well as in fish oil supplements.

Other studies on omega-3 include the University of Maryland Medical Center states that research shows that omega-3 fatty may help lower risk of heart disease.

From their site:

Heart disease

The role of omega-3 fatty acids in cardiovascular disease is well established. One of the best ways to help prevent heart disease is to eat a diet low in saturated fat and to eat foods that are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (including omega-3 fatty acids). Clinical evidence suggests that EPA and DHA (eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, the 2 omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil) help reduce risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Fish oil has been shown to lower levels of triglycerides (fats in the blood), and to lower the risk of death, heart attack, stroke, and abnormal heart rhythms in people who have already had a heart attack. Fish oil also appears to help prevent and treat atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) by slowing the development of plaque and blood clots, which can clog arteries.

Large population studies suggest that getting omega-3 fatty acids in the diet, primarily from fish, helps protect against stroke caused by plaque buildup and blood clots in the arteries that lead to the brain. Eating at least 2 servings of fish per week can reduce the risk of stroke by as much as 50%. However, high doses of fish oil and omega-3 fatty acids may increase the risk of bleeding. People who eat more than 3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day (equivalent to 3 servings of fish per day) may have higher risk for hemorrhagic stroke, a potentially fatal type of stroke in which an artery in the brain leaks or ruptures.