Fatty Acids Dominate Heart Health Arena

摘要

COVID-19 is heightening consumer awareness of health and wellness, as the pandemic's coronavirus strain has been found to affect not only the lungs but also the entire body, including the heart. Omega-3 fatty acids stand out as nutrients for heart health. They have a long history of association with protective benefits against heart disease and enjoy a solid presence in both supplements and food and beverages. However, at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2020, held in October of last year, a flurry of new studies questioned the association between heart health and ome- ga-3 supplementation. These new findings conflict with a solid and growing body of evidence in support of a protective relationship between fish oil, the main source of omega-3 fatty acids, and heart health. A large body of scientific evidence substantiates the positive benefits of omega-3s. Data analysis tools allow researchers to aggregate findings from multiple studies into a meta-analy-sis that presents a fuller picture than what might be observed in an individual study. Recently, Aldo Bernasconi, PhD, director of information and research at the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) along with Chip Lavie, MD, medical director of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention at John Ochsner Heart and Vascular Institute and others co-authored a meta-analysis. The work was published in 2020 in the peer-reviewed Mayo Clinic Proceedings on omega-3 dosage for reduced risk for heart disease. In an aggregated total of 40 studies with more than a combined 135,000 individuals, omega-3 supplementation was associated with a lower risk of heart attack and heart disease-related events; the relationships were dose-dependent.