Fish Oil Supplements Don’t Boost Benefit of Heart Drugs
A new study came out today (Mon Mar 30, 2009) from Germany claiming that heart attack victims who are already taking medication to prevent future heart attacks get no additional benefit by taking fish oil supplements.
The study that was conducted tested a 1-gram daily dose of prescription highly purified omega-3 fatty acid. This is known as the good fat contained in some oil fish that is said to help benefit the heart.
Fish Oil and placebo’s was given to 3,800 people who had suffered a heart attack in the past two weeks. These patients were already receiving medication to help prevent future heart attacks. These medications included cholesterol drugs, anti-clotting and aspirins.
After a year long study of some patients taking placebos and others taking fish oil supplements there was no difference in either group. Fewer than 2 percent suffered cardiac death, while four percent had another heart attack, and few than two percent actually suffered a stroke.
If patients are already getting good care and receiving the necessary medications to prevent future heart attacks, there is almost nothing that you can do, that will enchance your chances to eliminate the chances of a future heart attack.
By no means does this play down the benefits of fish oil. The research that was conducted did not address whether or not fish oil can help prevent heart disease.
The Omega-3 fatty acids are found in wild oily fish such as tune, sardines, macherel, herring, etc. Many scientists believe that it raises HDL (good cholesterol) and lowers harmful fats know as triglycerides. It is believed to slow the growth of plaque buildup that can block arteries.
This study was focused on patients that had already suffered heart attacks. These patients were not known to be taking fish oil prior to this study.