Fish Oil Does Not Help Control Irregular Heart Beat: Study
Intake of fish oil does not help reduce erratic heart rate, according to a study.
Abnormal heart rhythm or atrial fibrillation is the most common heart condition where a patient has over 150 beats per minute, severe chest pain and regular palpitation. A recent Canadian research found 64.1 percent of individuals suffering from irregular heart beat did not experience any improvement by taking omega-3 fatty acids for 16 consecutive months. The experts from the University of Montreal looked at over 370 participants of whom 63.2 percent received a placebo and the remaining consumed four grams of fish oily every day.
It was observed fish oil supplementation did not reduce symptoms like inflammation or oxidative stress that eventually leads to arrhythmia, a most common form of atrial fibrillation.
"Fish oil has no role to play in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. For most people without heart problems, we believe a healthy weight and healthy lifestyle, and a good control of risk factors, can probably help reduce the risk of developing this condition, although this has not been studied per se," said Anil Nigam, an associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of Montreal, reports the Web Md.
"However, people with poor heart function might still benefit from taking fish oil. What is better and should be recommended 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 fat and saturated fats," he adds, reports the Business Standard.
According to the data by the American Heart Association, nearly 2.7 million people in the U.S. live with this heart condition and almost 15 to 20 people who die from stroke have heart arrhythmia. Regular physical activity, intake of healthy diet, managing body weight and cutting down on smoking and drinking are the best ways to prevent the deadly heart condition.
More information is available online in the journal of the American College of Cardiology.
