LONDON (dpa-AFX) - A recent study published in the open-access journal BMJ Medicine discovered that consistent use of fish oil supplements may increase the likelihood of developing heart disease and stroke in people with healthy hearts.
However, these supplements could also potentially delay the progression of existing cardiovascular problems and reduce the risk of death.
The study examined data from over 415,000 participants aged 40 to 69 enrolled in the UK Biobank, a long-term health study in the United Kingdom. Over nearly 12 years of follow-up, approximately one-third of the participants reported regular use of fish oil supplements.
For those without known cardiovascular problems at the study's outset, continuous use of fish oil supplements was associated with a 13% higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation and a 5% increased risk of stroke. Conversely, individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease who regularly consumed fish oil supplements had a 15% lower risk of progressing from atrial fibrillation to a heart attack and a 9% reduced risk of progressing from heart failure to death.
The study's limitation was a lack of information regarding the specific dosage and type of fish oil supplements taken by the participants and the applicability of the results to other ethnic groups may be restricted given that most participants were white.
The researchers concluded the study by saying, 'Regular use of fish oil supplements might have different roles in the progression of cardiovascular disease. Further studies are needed to determine the precise mechanisms for the development and prognosis of cardiovascular disease events with regular use of fish oil supplements.'
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