New evidence shows importance of generous omega-3 intake for heart health

Your Hungry, Healthy Heart

To paraphrase Bruce Springsteen: “Everybody wants a healthy heart…”

And it seems like just about everybody these days is aware that a generous intake of omega-3 fatty acids is necessary for optimal heart health (everybody who reads the e-Alert, anyway).

But day to day, how much do you need?

Just a couple of months ago, a special panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommended a daily intake of 250 mg per day.

In an important new study, researchers at New Orleans’ Ochsner Medical Center say the EFSA got it about half right.

Tremendous and compelling evidence

“This isn’t just hype,” Carl Lavie, M.D., lead author of the Ochsner study, told NutraIngredients-USA.

“We now have tremendous and compelling evidence from very large studies, some dating back 20 and 30 years, that demonstrate the protective benefits of omega-3 fish oil in multiple aspects of preventive cardiology.”

When Dr. Lavie and colleagues examined a wide range of evidence linking heart health with regular intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids – their research eventually settled on four key studies.

In a recent issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the Ochsner team writes: “The most compelling evidence for CV benefits of omega-3 PUFA comes from 4 controlled trials of nearly 40,000 participants randomized to receive eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) with or without docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in studies of patients in primary prevention, after myocardial infarction, and most recently, with heart failure.”

Their conclusion: At least 500 mg of EPA and DHA should be taken daily for those with no signs of cardiovascular disease. For those who have been diagnosed with coronary heart disease and heart failure, Dr. Lavie and colleagues recommend at least 800 to 1,000 mg daily.

Unfortunately, you rarely see omega-3 recommendations like this that include an important caveat: Some E might be in order.

Good as they are, polyunsaturated oils such as DHA and EPA also create free radicals. As HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., has pointed out in past e-Alerts, 400 IU vitamin E mixed tocopherols, taken twice each day, will help keep the free radical problem in check.

And an added bonus: Mixed tocopherols are also good for your heart.

And another bonus: You can read about the beneficial effects of omega-3s on memory in the e-Alert “Keeping it Mild” (8/3/09).

Talk to your doctor before adding fish oil supplements or vitamin E to your daily regimen.

Sources:
“Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Diseases” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Vol. 54, No. 7, 8/11/09, content.onlinejacc.org
“Omega-3 Review: Half a Gram Needed for Heart Benefits” Stephen Daniells, NutraIngredients-USA, 8/4/09, nutraingredients-usa.com