CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH & OMEGA FATTY ACIDS

Using omega-3 fatty acids may be more effective than statin drugs in reducing the risks associated with cardiovascular disease.

A systematic review of 97 clinical trials that enrolled more than 275,000 people confirms the well-documented value of omega-3 fatty acids for prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. The lipid-lowering treatments evaluated in these studies included statins, omega-3 fatty acids, fibrates, resins, niacin, and diet. The only interventions that produced statistically significant reductions in both total and cardiac mortality were statins and omega-3 fats.

Omega-3 fatty acids seem to exert the majority of their cardioprotective effects in ways other than lowering lipid levels. Such effects include inhibiting platelet aggregation, reducing plasma viscosity, and lowering plasma fibrinogen concentrations. In addition, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-arrhythmic activity, which may reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death. In regards to lipid levels, omega-3 fatty acid treatment produced a marked reduction in triglycerides, a variable LDL response and an average reduction in serum cholesterol levels of only 2%, compared with a 20% reduction for statins.

Statins appear to create their primary effect by decreasing LDL-cholesterol levels and inhibiting inflammation measured by C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. LDL cholesterol and CRP have each been shown to be independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease. While fish oil also has anti-inflammatory activity, it does not appear to reduce CRP levels, so its cardioprotective activity may be unrelated to its anti-inflammatory effects.

With this information, it seems statin drugs are most beneficial for people who have elevated levels of LDL cholesterol, CRP or both. Omega-3 fatty acids may be most effective for people who do not have these particular risks, but other contributing signs and factors.

This review confirms that a well-designed program incorporating nutrition, lifestyle modification, and nutritional supplementation is a viable alternative to statins for cardiac disease prevention. In addition, a successful naturopathic approach is likely to improve not only cardiovascular disease risk, but overall health as well.

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