Omega-3 Fatty Acids help Manage High Triglyceride Levels

by | Jan 12, 2016 | 2013, Blood Lipids, Cardiovascular Health, Omega - 3

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Taking 4 grams of omega-3 fats per day decreased levels by 45%.

When it comes risk factors for cardiovascular disease (which also includes heart attack and stroke), most of the attention is paid to cholesterol levels. But another very important measurement is triglyceride levels, as high levels increase your risk for cardiovascular disease (1, 2, 3). Specifically, every 1 millimole/Liter (88 mg/dl) decrease in triglyceride levels decreases cardiovascular disease risk by 14% in men and 37% in women (4). Normal triglyceride levels are considered below 150 milligrams/deciliter, borderline high levels 150-200 mg/dL, high levels 200–499 mg/dL and very high above 500 mg/dL (5).

Now a new research review (6) highlights the use of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in helping manage high triglyceride levels. In the study, the researchers cite 1 gram per day of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA + DHA) as the recommendation for patients with documented coronary heart disease (7) but the optimal dosage appears to be 4 grams per day for those with high triglyceride levels.

For people with very high triglyceride levels (816 mg/dL before the study started), 4 grams of omega-3 fats per day decreased levels by 45% (p < 0.00001) and increased HDL cholesterol levels by 9% (p < 0.001 but number of patients in the study not given) (8). For subjects with high/very high levels (ranging from 500-2000 mg/dL), 4 grams of omega-3 fats per day in 42 patients decreased TG levels by 45% and very low LDL cholesterol by 32%, while increasing HDL cholesterol levels by 13% (no p-value given) (9).

Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation also appears to be an effective adjunctive treatment for people taking statin drugs. Specifically, 4 grams per day combined with 40 mg per day of simvastatin for 8 weeks in 254 patients significantly reduced triglyceride levels by 29.5% and VLDL-C by 27.5%, compared with taking simvastatin alone (6.3% and 7.2%, respectively, p < 0.001 ) (10). In another study in 123 patients of another statin drug called atorvastatin, 4 grams per day of omega-3 fats with 10 mg per day of atorvastatin reduced triglycerides by 45.4%, compared with a 26.9% reduction with atorvastatin alone (p < 0.001) (11).

When analyzing the possible mechanisms of how omega-3 fatty acids can optimize triglyceride levels, the primary mechanism is that omega-3 fats directly prevent triglycerides from being formed (12). Omega-3 fats also act on the liver, decreasing the rate at which LDL cholesterol is formed by affecting a protein called ApoB (13). Finally, omega-3 fats also increase fat-burning, which makes less fatty acids available to become triglycerides (12).

For the researchers, “Management of high triglyceride levels represents a crucial step to reduce cardiovascular risk, and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation represents a valid approach to correct triglyceride levels, which are an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.”

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com

Source: Pirillo, Angela, and Alberico Luigi Catapano. “Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of hypertriglyceridaemia.” International journal of cardiology 170.2 (2013): S16-S20.

© 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Posted May 22, 2014.

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