By David Liu, PHD

Monday Oct 15, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- Veteran epidemiologist Dr. Susanna C. Larssona at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden and coleagues suggest in a study report published in Atherosclerosis that taking fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids supplements may help prevent stroke in women.

Dr. Larssona and colleagues analysed data on dietary fat, cholesterol and incidence of stroke from 34,670 women aged 49 to 83 years in the Swedish Mannograpy Cohort who were free of any cardiovascular disease at baseline in 1997.

During a mean follow-up of 10.4 years, 1680 stroke events including 1310 cerebral infarctions, 233 hemorrhagic strokes, and 137 unspecified strokes were idenfitied. 

After adjustment for stroke risk factors, intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was inversely correlated with risk of total stroke. 

Women in the highest quintile of intake of long chain omega 3 fatty acids were 16 percent less likely to suffer total stroke, compared with those in the lowest quintile.

On the other hand, dietary cholesterol was positively correlated with the risk of total stroke, that is, those in the highest quintile of cholesterol intake were 20 percent and 29 percent more likely to  experience total stroke and cerebral infarction, respectively.

Nevertheless, total fat, saturated fat, mono-unsaturated fat, poly-unsaturated fat, α-linolenic acid, and omega-6 PUFA intakes were not correlated with stroke risk.

The researchers concluded "intake of long-chain omega-3 PUFAs is inversely associated with risk of stroke, whereas dietarycholesterol is positively associated with risk."

Long chain polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA are found in fish oil.