Review Finds Omega-3 Fats Beneficial for Arterial Stiffness

by | Jul 19, 2011 | 2011, Cardiovascular Health, DHA, Fish Oil Supplements

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS.  A study showed that 540 mg EPA and 360 mg DHA per day increased large artery elasticity by 21%. 

Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke, are the first and third leading causes of death for both men and women in the United States and account for 1 in 3 of all U.S. deaths. Heart disease and stroke are expected to cost our healthcare system $473 billion in 2009. If all major types of cardiovascular disease were eliminated, U.S. life expectancy would increase by nearly 7 years (1).

Research has shown that arterial stiffness is “a significant predictor of future cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality” (2). Now a new study (3) has suggested that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may be beneficial for arterial stiffness. In the study, the researchers reviewed 10 trials consisting of 550 subjects examining omega-3 fatty acids’ effect on arterial stiffness. The highest quality rating (a rating of “8” on a scale of 1-10 using criteria from previous research) (4)) was given to two studies, performed in 2007 (5) and 2010 (6).

In the 2007 study, 64 patients were given either 1560mg DHA and 360mg EPA per day or placebo for 12 weeks. By the end of 12 weeks, arterial compliance (measured as “endothelium-dependent vasodilation”) increased by 64% in the omega-3 group (0.014 to 0.023 mm) compared to 11% in the placebo group (0.018 to 0.020 mm) (p < 0.05).

The 2010 study consisted of 75 overweight adults aged 51 to 55 with an average Body Mass Index (BMI) 31.7 kg/m2. The study showed that 6 grams (1.56 grams DHA) of fish oil per day increased “large artery compliance” by 20% (14.7 to 17.6 ml/mmHg x10) compared to a 5% decrease in the placebo group (17.4 to 16.6 ml/mmHg x 10) (p = 0.006). Another study from 2008 (which received a 7/10 on the quality scale) involved 52 overweight patients with high blood pressure (8). This study showed that 3 grams (540 mg EPA, 360 mg DHA) of fish oil per day for 8 weeks increased large artery elasticity by 21% (12.8 to 15.5 ml/mmHg x 10) compared to no change in the placebo group (p = 0.027).

For the researchers, “The findings of the present study reveal that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids offers a scientifically supported means of reducing arterial stiffness.”

Source: Pase, Matthew P., Natalie A. Grima, and Jerome Sarris. “Do long-chain n-3 fatty acids reduce arterial stiffness? A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.” British Journal of Nutrition 106.07 (2011): 974-980.

© The Authors 2011

Posted July 19, 2011.

References:

    1. “Cardiovascular Disease at a Glance” posted on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
    2. Vlachopoulos C, Aznaouridis K & Stefanadis C (2010) Prediction of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality with arterial stiffness. A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Coll Cardiol 55, 1318–1327.
    3. Pase MP (2011) Do long-chain n-3 fatty acids reduce arterial stiffness? A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials” in the British Journal of Nutrition  doi:10.1017/S0007114511002819
    4. Jadad AR, Moore RA, Carroll D, et al. (1996) Assessing the quality of reports of randomized clinical trials: is blinding necessary? Control Clin Trials 17, 1–12.
    5. Hill AM, Buckley JD, Murphy KJ, et al. (2007) Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Am J Clin Nutr 85, 1267–1274.
    6. Sjoberg NJ, Milte CM, Buckley JD, et al. (2010) Dose-dependent increases in heart rate variability and arterial compliance in overweight and obese adults with DHA-rich fish oil supplementation. Br J Nutr 103, 243–248 .
    7. Wang S, Ma AQ, Song SW, et al. (2008) Fish oil supplementation improves large arterial elasticity in overweight hypertensive patients. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 1426–1431.