Omega 3 supplements: a saving of more than 13 billion for the European Union

It is 12.9 billion euros the amount of healthcare spending that Europe would save, annually, if all citizens over the age of 55 consumed omega-3 supplements daily. In fact, it is predicted that there will be 38 million hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease in the next 5 years, costing the European Union 35,000 euros each. Thus, alongside the protective role of EPA and DHA against cardiac risk, an economic benefit also emerges that cannot be ignored by European policies.

This is according to a report commissioned by Food Supplements Europe (FSE) an organization committed to ensuring that European Union policies take into account the role of dietary supplementation on health. The paper, published May 10, was conducted by market research firm Frost & Sullivan.

Omega-3 on cardiovascular risk: effects confirmed by several studies

Cardiovascular diseases are a group of diseases of the heart and blood vessels, and are one of the most frequent causes of death in industrialized countries. In Italy they cause 44% of all deaths.Cardiovascular diseases are caused by several risk factors, such as age, sex, blood pressure, cigarette smoking, diabetes, and high cholesterol that contribute to their development.

Some of these predisposing factors can be modified by observing a healthy lifestyle, particularly by adopting a diet low in saturated fat and rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids such as those found in fish. Regular consumption of omega-3-rich fatty fish (e.g., mackerel, salmon, and herring) is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as shown by numerous research studies conducted over the past 30 years. Epidemiological and clinical studies demonstrate the positive effects of omega-3 EPA and DHA consumption on the risk of myocardial infarction, death from heart disease, and stroke.

The famous Italian "GISSI" study was conducted on more than 11,000 patients who survived myocardial infarction and showed that in these subjects omega-3 treatment was associated with a 10-15% reduction in mortality from heart attack and a 40% reduction in sudden cardiac death. The action exerted by omega-3 in the body prevents and counteracts cardiovascular risk factors, e.g., elevated triglycerides, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and arrhythmias. The mechanisms underlying these benefits can be traced to the different mechanisms by which omega-3 EPA and DHA act:

• thin cell membranes and stimulate the release of endothelium, the tissue that lines blood vessels, lowering blood pressure.
• They regulate platelet aggregation and inflammation by limiting the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.
• reduce the heart's susceptibility to arrhythmia and lower blood triglyceride levels.

Hospitalizations reduced by 4.8 percent and savings for National Health Systems

In order to better understand the value of omega-3 supplementation for European citizens, the ESF commissioned economic consultants to assess the healthcare cost savings that could result from the use of EPA and DHA supplements. The report produced, "The Healthcare Cost Savings of Omega 3 Food Supplements in the European Union," looked at data from 18 clinical trials and related the use of omega-3 supplements to reductions in cardiovascular disease-related costs attributable to hospitalizations and surgeries. According to the findings, cardiovascular disease-related hospitalizations in Europe could be reduced by 4.9 percent if everyone over the age of 55 consumed a 1-gram dose of omega-3 EPA and DHA daily.

This would result in savings of 12.9 billion euros per year for health care in the various European countries, with a total, calculated over 5 years, of 64.5 billion euros.It is clear, therefore, that proper policies on the use of omega-3 supplements could go a long way toward alleviating the financial burden on health care spending. In fact, according to data published in the report, 38.4 million hospitalizations due to cardiovascular disease are expected in the next 5 years, 2016 to 2020, among adults and the elderly in the European Union. About 24 percent of the population over the age of 55, in fact, will face hospital treatment for cardiac causes, costing Europe 34,637 euros per person, a total of several trillion euros. A huge burden on the European Union's health budget.

Commenting on these figures, Patrick Coppens director of regulatory and scientific affairs at ESF, stressed that these figures are unlikely to be ignored by EU policymakers, as well as the fact that health care can also come through dietary supplementation.

This type of economic analysis was the first to be carried out in Europe for this issue and, again according to Coppens, was a novelty among the arguments in favor of supplementation, because in addition to the sometimes insufficient scientific evidence, it highlights a very large cost-effectiveness. The cardiac health benefits of omega-3s are now well documented, and the EU has approved health claims indicating that EPA and DHA are important for maintaining normal blood triglyceride levels, blood pressure and heart function.

In Europe, 20 percent of the population at risk consumes omega-3 supplements

The results of this economic analysis provide a better understanding of the potential health care cost savings that could be realized through the use of supplements containing 1 gram of EPA and DHA. It should be noted that an estimated 20 percent of Europeans over the age of 55 are already taking omega-3 due to the potential health effects. Omega-3 supplements were selected for this first ESF economic analysis precisely because of the existence of substantial and abundant scientific evidence on their efficacy, but other nutrients may be examined in future reports.

Meaquor 1000: dietary supplement high in omgea-3

Among the various fish oil supplements produced by U.G.A. Nutraceuticals, which help keep the heart healthy, Omegor Meaquor 1000 is a highly purified and concentrated source of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Each capsule contains as much as 900 mg of EPA and DHA. It is especially recommended for those interested in maintaining normal triglyceride and blood pressure levels. 

Source: HEALTHCARE COST SAVINGS OF OMEGA 3 FOOD SUPPLEMENTS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION. Foods Supplements Europe.