Associations of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplement Use With Cardiovascular Disease Risks

Abstract

Observational studies in Western and Asian populations have reported that regular consumption of fish once or twice a week is associated with lower risks of death from coronary heart disease (CHD).^1,2 These observations, together with the lower rates of CHD in populations that consumed large amount of foods rich in very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids containing omega-3 fatty acids have prompted interest in assessing whether consumption of marine-derived very-long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (abbreviated “omega-3 FA” in this article) may be protective for CHD.³ These marine-derived omega-3 FAs include eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) found in fish and other seafood, but not alpha-linolenic acid, which is plant-derived.