There is conflicting data on the health benefits of omega-3s. A new study in treated diabetics reveals their uselessness in the fight against the risks of cardiovascular disease. A result to put into context.
Observational studies in different populations have suggested that eating fish once or twice a week may reduce the risk of heart disease. In fact, we find in fish, a beneficial fatty acid, omega 3, alpha-linoleic acid (ALA), a nutrient essential for the proper functioning of the body.
In 2002, a systematic review showed that the consumption of the equivalent of 40 to 60 grams of fish per day (providing 0.2 to 1 g of omega 3 per day) was associated with a reduction of nearly 50% of mortality. cardiovascular. However, at the same time different randomized trials have shown conflicting results regarding the effects of taking omega 3.
Mixed results in diabetics
For this new randomized trial ASCEND (A Study of Cardiovascular Events in Diabetes), published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the independent researchers from Clinical Trial Service Unit from the University of Oxford worked with 15,480 patients with diabetes and no evidence of cardiovascular disease. They prescribed them 1 gram capsules that contained either omega 3 or a placebo (olive oil), once a day.
In both groups of patients, doctors evaluated the occurrence of serious vascular events over a period of 7.4 years. According to the conclusions of this study presented to European Congress of Cardiology at this time, these serious cardiovascular events were not lower in the patients who received omega 3 supplementation (8.9%) than in the placebo group (9.7%). There were also no significant differences between groups in the rates of serious non-fatal adverse events.
An essential nutrient
Omega-3 is alpha-linoleic acid (ALA). It is an essential nutrient for the proper functioning of the body because the latter is unable to manufacture it. ALA must therefore be provided by food. Omega-3 is alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) and is found in high amounts in nuts, canola and soybean oil, and oily fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. It is provided in smaller quantities by meats, eggs and dairy products.
According to current nutritional recommendations, for people prone to coronary heart disease, it should consume 800 to 1000 mg of omega-3 per day, while for people without apparent risk 500 mg would be sufficient.
Stop Omega 3 Supplements?
While some recommendations still advocate the use of omega 3 for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease and recommend the consumption of fish once or twice a week to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in primary prevention, researchers at the University of ‘Oxford point out that all previous randomized trials have not been conclusive on the benefit of omega 3.
The lack of benefit from taking an omega 3 supplement on cardiovascular results in patients treated with other drugs can, however, be explained by the fact that statins, the cholesterol drugs that are generally prescribed in patients with diabetics, are very potent, which can “crush” a modest effect of omega-3s.
But, everything is a matter of proportion, as often in nutrition. Modern lifestyles have encouraged the consumption of omega-6s, which are easier to obtain than omega-3s, and an imbalance has been created in favor of omega-6s. Rebalancing by increasing the omega-3 ration is therefore recommended as well as a maximum consumption of five times more omega-6 than omega-3. Currently, the trend is to ingest fifteen times more. It is therefore necessary to reduce omega-6 but it is useless to increase the consumption of omega-3 beyond a certain limit.
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