foodconsumer.org: Omega-3s strike blow to heart failure

Omega-3s strike blow to heart failure
================================================================================
admin on 05/05/2009 23:22:00
 
Tuesday May 5, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- Consumers can reap one more benefit in
addition to the already impressive list of health advantages attributed to
adding omega-3 fatty acids to the diet: protection against heart failure. This
is good news, especially considering that heart failure is the number one reason
for hospitalization among those 65 and older, according to nutraingredients.com.
The study that illuminated the inverse relationship between omega-3 consumption
and heart failure was a joint venture by Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
and the Karolinski Institute in Sweden. A group of 40,000 Swedish men, ranging
from ages 45-79, were followed between 1998 and 2004.
According to lead author Emily Levitan, those who consumed the highest amounts
of omega-3s were up to 33% less likely to have heart failure. Those who averaged
one portion of omega-3-dense fatty fish per week were 12% less likely to have
heart health issues.
While the FDA hasn’t approved a prescription for a fish oil supplement, the
New York Times reports that the America College of Cardiology advises patients
with cardiac issues to increase their consumption of omega-3s to one gram per
day. Doing so significantly reduces cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
One of the key reasons that omega-3s are so beneficial to heart patients is that
they reduce inflammation throughout the body, including blood vessels and
joints. According to WebMD, several reputable studies over the years have
established the following benefits that these critical fatty acids add to the
healthy lifestyle equation:
*Provides relief of rheumatoid arthritis, an often excruciatingly painful
inflammatory disease
*Increases bone density in patients with osteoporosis
*Eases some of the uncomfortable symptoms of depression
*Insures a healthy pregnancy
*Assuages some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Omega-3s moderate nearly all aspects of cardiac function within the human body,
such as blood pressure, triglyceride levels, heart rate and heart rate
variability.
In addition to all of the previously listed benefits, omega-3s, at the very
least, help balance the American diet, which is saturated with omega-6s, or
saturated fats. By adding fish oil to the diet, whether through eating fatty
fish such as salmon, or by taking supplements, we are improving our health at,
quite literally, the cellular level.
(By Rachel Stockton, and edited by Heather Kelley)