About 20% of adults over 60 in the US take these products.
The study analyzed data of more than 4,15,000 people, aged between 40 and 69 years.
Fish is an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Taking fish oil daily is a popular way to keep your risk of cardiovascular disease under control. About 20% of adults over age 60 in the U.S. eat fish frequently to support their heart health. A new study shows that taking fish oil supplements regularly may increase the risk of first-time stroke and atrial fibrillation in people with good cardiovascular health. “Is it time to throw them away or not?” cardiologist Dr. Andrew Freeman, director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver, said in an interview. “I say this because over-the-counter fish oil is rarely recommended and is not included in any of the medical society guidelines, although that is what most people take,” said Freeman, who was not involved in the study. study.
The study analyzed data from more than 415,000 people aged 40 to 69 who participated in the UK Biobank, a longitudinal study of the health of people in the United Kingdom. Nearly a third of those people, who were followed for an average of 12 years, reported taking fish oil supplements regularly. In people without heart problems, regular use of fish oil supplements was associated with a 13% increased risk of atrial fibrillation and a 5% increased risk of stroke, according to the study, published Tuesday in the journal BMJ Medicine.
“Over-the-counter fish oil suffers from a lack of purity and consistency, as well as potential contaminants and heavy metals such as mercury contained in fish,” Freeman said.
“Also, studies done over the last 10 years have not been very positive for over-the-counter fish oil,” Freeman said, adding: “Fish oil has no benefit or can actually cause harm in some cases.” , like strokes and atrial fibrillation. So this is nothing new.”
The new study found that people with existing heart disease at the start of the study had a 15% lower risk of progressing from atrial fibrillation to a heart attack and a 9% lower risk of dying from heart failure if they took fish oil regularly.
