Fish Oil Supplements Do Not Help Reduce The Risk Of Atrial Fibrillation

Previous studies have shown that fish oil supplements can help reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation--a common type of irregular heartbeat that can reach up to 150 beats per minute when the normal range is 70. Unfortunately, recent findings published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reveal that high doses of fish oil supplements are unlikely to help this health problem.

"Fish oil has no role in the rhythm-control management of atrial fibrillation," said lead study author Dr. Anil Nigam, Cardiologist at the Montreal Heart Institute and Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Montreal, in a news release. "What is well-known and should be recommended to prevent heart disease and reduce blood pressure is a Mediterranean-type diet rich in natural omega-3 fats and other nutrients, including fresh fruits and veggies, legumes, olive oil, while lowering intake of red meat, trans fats and saturated fats. We believe that such a strategy might also be beneficial for the treatment of atrial fibrillation although more studies are required."

For the study, researchers examined 337 patients with atrial fibrillation who were randomly assigned to 4 grams of fish oil a day or a placebo for up to 16 months. More than 60 percent of patients who received fish oil experienced a recurrence of atrial fibrillation compared to 63.2 percent of those taking the placebo.

Findings revealed that fish oil supplements, unfortunately, did not reduce inflammation or oxidative stress markers.