A recent UK study has raised concerns that fish oil supplements - long touted for their Omega 3 fatty acids and associated with improved brain function, heart health and gut wellness - could increase the risk of heart problems.
Despite its reputation for health benefits, the study suggests that regular intake of fish oil might up the chances of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke. However, for individuals already grappling with cardiovascular conditions, fish oil could potentially slow down the progression of these ailments.
"Regular use of fish oil supplements might be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation and stroke among the general population," the researchers stated in their report, which appeared in BMJ Medicine last Tuesday. The study delved into data from 415,737 participants, including a majority of women, aged between 40-69 years, all part of the UK Biobanka comprehensive database tracking the diets, habits, and health statuses of thousands across Britain.
Conducted from 2006 to 2010, the research collected demographic information and dietary habits concerning oily and non-oily fish and fish oil supplement consumption. The aim was to assess how these supplements might influence the journey from healthy hearts to atrial fibrillation and other severe cardiovascular events, even death.
Participants were split into groups and their health was tracked until March 2021 or until they passed away, using data from their medical records. Almost a third (130,365; 31.5%) of the participants reported regular use of fish oil supplements, reports Gloucestershire Live.
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This group had higher proportions of older white individuals and women. The researchers noted that the group consuming more oily fish and alcohol also had fewer current smokers and residents in deprived areas. The results suggested that regular use of fish oil supplements played varying roles in cardiovascular health, disease progression and death.
For those with no known cardiovascular disease at the start of the monitoring period, regular use of fish oil supplements was associated with a 13 per cent heightened risk of developing atrial fibrillation and a 5% heightened risk of having a stroke, according to a press release by the research team.
However, among those who had cardiovascular disease at the start of the monitoring period, regular use of fish oil supplements was associated with a 15 per cent lower risk of progressing from atrial fibrillation to a heart attack and a 9% lower risk of progressing from heart failure to death.
Digging deeper into the analysis, it was unveiled that various factors such as age, sex, smoking habits, intake of non-oily fish, high blood pressure, and the use of statins and blood pressure-lowering medicines heighten the risk for heart diseases, alongside the consumption of fish oil.
A recent study has linked the regular use of fish oil supplements to a six per cent increased risk of serious heart events in women and non-smokers, while men taking the same showed a seven per cent drop in death rates. The team behind the observational study was quick to point out that due to the nature of their research, establishing a definitive cause-and-effect relationship is not possible. They also noted the lack of information on the dosage or type of fish oil supplements taken by participants.
Despite these caveats, the researchers said: "Regular use of fish oil supplements might have different roles in the progression of cardiovascular disease. Further studies are needed to determine the precise mechanisms for the development and prognosis of cardiovascular disease events with regular use of fish oil supplements."
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