Omega-3 fish oil

Featured study

Marine n-3 Fatty Acids and Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer ↗
The New England journal of medicine · 2019 · PMID 30415637

Who was studied

25,871 U.S. men aged 50 and older and women aged 55 and older at usual risk, followed for a median of 5.3 years.

How

Randomized, placebo-controlled two-by-two factorial trial of marine omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D3 for primary prevention.

What it found

Omega-3 did not significantly lower the main composite of heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular death (hazard ratio 0.92) or invasive cancer (1.03). In a secondary analysis, total heart attacks were lower (0.72); stroke and cardiovascular deaths were not.

Limits

A secondary finding such as fewer heart attacks needs confirmation, because many secondary outcomes were tested. The trial studied people at usual risk, so it does not speak to high-risk patients or prescription omega-3 drugs.

Safety & what remains unknown

No excess bleeding or serious adverse events were seen in VITAL. People taking blood thinners, or with fish or shellfish allergy, should check with a clinician; some studies of higher intakes have linked omega-3 to atrial fibrillation.

Talk to a clinician before starting a supplement, especially if you are pregnant, take prescription medicines or have a medical condition.

Where to find it

Search results and listings are not quality-checked or endorsed by PepsRadar. Look for third-party testing (for example USP or NSF marks) and check with a clinician about interactions.