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Omega-3 acids minimize the physical damage caused by smoking
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Omega-3 fatty acids can minimise the physical damage caused by smoking, say scientists from the Medical School at the Athens Institute in Greece.
Scientists analyzed how four weeks of Omega-3 fatty acid intake (2 grams per day) affects the arterial walls of smokers. It was found that even short-term treatment improves the elasticity of arterial walls and reduces the negative impact of smoking on vascular elasticity.
According to the authors of the study, this confirms that Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the harmful effects of smoking on arterial function, which is an independent prognostic marker of cardiovascular disease risk.
The American Heart Association advises people who do not suffer from coronary heart disease to eat a variety of fish (preferably fatty fish, which contains a lot of Omega-3 acids) at least twice a week. And the World Heart Federation strongly recommends that smokers immediately say goodbye to the bad habit; the only way to protect the body from the harmful effects of cigarettes is to stop smoking, scientists suggest.
The results of the study were announced at the Global Cardiology Congress, which was held in Dubai (UAE) from 18 to 21 April 2012.
Among other things, it has been confirmed that fatty acids control the biological clock of human aging, preventing the shortening of chromosome telomeres. Also, Omega-3 can reduce the risk of developing malignant tumors of the intestine (by 40%) and can help to avoid the accumulation of amyloid protein in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease. However, representatives of the stronger sex should be careful with Omega-3 acids, because a high concentration of DHA in the blood can increase the risk of developing aggressive prostate cancer.
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