Consuming fish once a month reduces the risk of heart failure by 30 percent
Heart problems: 30% less risk by eating fish at least once a month
Consuming fish once a month and higher levels of ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) and DPA (docosapenoic acid) in the blood reduce the risk of heart failure. Putting Omega-3 rich fish on your plate at least once a month may be enough to reduce the likelihood of heart failure.
In fact, according to a study published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the resulting increase in levels of ALA and DPA fatty acids in the blood lower the incidence of this disorder. The finding is the result of a collaboration between researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in Boston and the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis (United States).
Taking heart care with omega-3s
That Omega-3s are allies of heart and artery health has been a fact known to scientists for several decades. In fact, as early as the 1970s there was evidence of a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease in populations whose diets were particularly rich in these nutrients, taken in through fatty fish from the cold seas, which are rich precisely in Omega-3s.
Since then, several researches have confirmed these early observations, revealing that these fatty acids improve lipid content (in particular, triglycerides and cholesterol) in the blood, reduce the risk of thrombosis, positively affect blood pressure and heart rate, and improve blood vessel function. Experts were, however, still doubtful about the association between Omega-3 consumption and the risk of heart failure. Studies conducted in this regard had, in fact, produced mixed results. To get to the bottom of the issue, researchers in Boston and Minneapolis conducted two analyses involving, in total, nearly 21,000 men with an average age of 58.7 years.
Different omega-3s for different needs
Scientists have measured blood concentrations of several forms of Omega-3. Among these the best known areEPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which have anti-inflammatory properties and are essential for the development of the nervous system. Analyses did not, however, show a significant link between blood levels of these two omega-3s and the risk of heart failure. However, researchers have found that consuming at least one serving of fish per month reduces the likelihood of dealing with this disorder by 30 percent.
At the same time, the risk of heart failure is lower if blood levels of two other fatty acids belonging to this family are increased: ALA and DPA. The former is the Omega-3 in which some plant foods, such as nuts, are rich and which can be used only after being converted by the body into EPA and DHA. According to this study, men who have the highest levels of ALA in their blood have a 34 percent lower risk of heart failure than individuals characterized by the lowest levels. DPA, on the other hand, is particularly abundant in breast milk and seal oil, but is also obtained from EPA, which is, thus, activated within blood vessels. The team of U.S. researchers found that higher levels of DPA can reduce the risk of heart failure by as much as 45 percent.
Doubts vanished
These findings shed light on the controversial results obtained in previous studies, adding to the already proven benefits of Omega-3s for cardiovascular health by reducing the risk of heart failure. Only one detail remains to be clarified: will the benefits found in men also apply to women?
Source Wilk JB, Tsai MY, Hanson NQ, Gaziano JM, Djoussé L, "Plasma and dietary omega-3 fatty acids, fish intake, and heart failure risk in the Physicians' Health Study," Am J Clin Nutr. 2012 Oct;96(4):882-8. Epub 2012 Sep 5
