Menopause, omega-3 EPA and DHA make people live longer
Menopause, omega-3 EPA and DHA make people live longer
After menopause, taking adequate amounts of omega 3 EPA and DHA could help reduce mortality not only from cardiovascular events but from all causes.
Fish omega-3s are allies in the health of women who have already gone through menopause. A new study in the pages of the Journal of Clinical Lipidology1 indicates that women in this age group who have higher levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in their blood run a lower risk of dying.
The study, funded by the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, began in 1996, involved about 6,500 postmenopausal women and was conducted by a team of researchers led by William Harris, an internationally renowned expert at the University of South Dakota in Sioux Falls. By monitoring the participants' health status for an average of 14.5 years, Harris and colleagues found that women still alive in 2014 had a higher percentage of EPA and DHA in the red blood cell membrane than those who had died.
Continuing their analysis, the researchers calculated that these two omega-3s, typical of fish, could help reduce mortality from any cause after menopause by 20 percent. In addition, higher levels of EPA were associated with a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The parameter evaluated by the researchers-the percentage of EPA and DHA in the red blood cell membrane-is known as the "omega-3 index" and is considered a cardiovascular risk factor. In fact, if its values fall below 4 percent, the risk of sudden cardiac death increases significantly2.
This study led to the conclusion that women with more circulating omega-3 (mean omega-3 index: 7.11%) had a 20% lower risk of dying than those with less circulating omega-3 (mean omega-3 index: 3.59%). "It is the largest study-but certainly not the only one-to show that the levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in the blood, in this case the omega-3 index, independently predict the risk of death," Harris commented. Adam Ismail, executive director of the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED), seems to agree. "This study," the expert commented, "adds to a larger body of evidence demonstrating the positive correlation between higher omega-3 index levels and general well-being. The results collected over 15 years support the argument that adequate omega-3 intake should be an integral part of a healthy lifestyle, just like exercise and a well-balanced diet."
Harris emphasizes how these findings point clearly to the fact that higher levels of EPA and DHA are associated with better overall health. To get enough, the researchers conclude, it is enough to eat 2 1/2 fillets of salmon per week. In the case of a low omega-3 index, to restore it to levels associated with a lower risk of death, however, it may be sufficient to take 1 gram of EPA and DHA per day..
- Harris SH, Luo J, Pottala JV, Espeland MA, Margolis KL, Manson JE, Wang L, Brasky TM, Robinson JG. "Red blood cell polyunsaturated fatty acids and mortality in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study." Journal of Clinical Lipidology. 2017 Jan;12.
- von Schacky C, Harris WS. "Cardiovascular risk and the omega-3 index". J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown). 2007 Sep;8 Suppl 1:S46-9.
