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Omega-3 fatty acids reduce the risk of arrhythmia by 30%
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Older people with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids in their blood have a 30% lower risk of developing cardiac arrhythmia compared to their peers with low levels of omega-3, American scientists claim.
By some estimates, up to 9% of people suffer from atrial fibrillation by age 80. The abnormal heart rhythm can lead to stroke and heart failure.
There are currently several treatments available for this condition, and they focus on preventing strokes by taking blood thinning medications.
A new study published in the journal Circulation looked at the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are found in fatty fish, eggs, and fish oil.
In earlier studies, researchers relied on data on the amount of fish consumed. "However, depending on the type of fish, the amount of omega-3 can vary tenfold," said study author Mosaffarian. So in the new study, which involved more than 3,300 people over the age of 65, all subjects consumed only fish oil to more accurately assess the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids.
Over the next 14 years, they checked the health of the participants and found that 789 participants had atrial fibrillation.
People who had 25% higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids at the start of the study than other participants had a 30% lower risk of developing arrhythmia.
"This is a significant reduction in risk," said Alvaro Alonso, a professor at the University of Minnesota in the US who was not involved in the study.
A 30 percent reduction in risk would mean that instead of 25 people, only 17 out of every 100 people would develop arrhythmia.
Of the three omega-3 fatty acids, high levels of DHA were associated with a 23% reduction in the risk of developing atrial fibrillation, while EPA and DPA did not reduce the risk of developing the disease.
Alvaro Alonso cautioned that the study was not a guide to action, as it only provided some insight into the possibility that fatty acids found in fish could stabilise the excitability of heart muscle cells.
He added that these results appear promising enough to warrant further research into the use of fish oil as a potential preventative measure against arrhythmia.