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Omega-3 May Protect Diabetics
From Heart Failure...
Increased Intakes of Cardio-Protective Omega-3 Fatty Acids
May Protect Diabetics From Heart Failure, According To a
New Study From The Netherlands.
A protective effect of high intakes of omega-3 fatty acids EPA
(eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) was
observed according to findings published today in the European
Journal of Heart Failure.
Omega-3 fatty acids, most notably DHA (docosahexaenoic acid)
and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), have been linked to a wide
range of health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular
disease (CVD) and certain cancers, good development of a baby
during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behaviour and mood.
In this study the highest intake of marine omega-3 fatty acids linked
to a reduction in the risk of heart failure of 33 per cent. However,
larger intakes did not appear to offer any additional benefit.
"Scientists and health authorities are increasingly persuaded that
the intake of fish - even in small amounts - will protect against the
risk of fatal myocardial infarction," said nutrition investigators from
Wageningen University.
The Netherlands-based researchers recruited 5,299 men and
women in 1990 with an average age of 67.5 who were free of
heart failure. Over an average of 11.4 years of follow-up a total
of 669 people developed heart failure.
Heart failure, which arises when the heart can no longer pump
enough blood to meet the body's needs, is the leading cause of
hospitalisation among the over 65s, and is characterized by such
symptoms as fatigue and weakness, difficulty walking, rapid or
irregular heartbeat, and persistent cough or wheezing.
The highest average intake of EPA plus DHA (over 183 mg per day)
was associated with an 11 per cent reduction in the risk of heart
failure, compared to the lowest average intake (less than 34 mg per
day), but this was not statistically significant.
In women, the highest intakes were associated with a 25 per cent
risk reduction, and this was approaching significance, said the
researchers.
The strongest effects were observed for diabetics, with the highest
versus lowest intakes associated with a 42 per cent reduction in risk.
A study with older US adults, published in the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology in 2005 (Vol. 45, pp. 2015-2021),
reported risk reduction of about 20 per cent for one to two weekly
servings of fish.
"The mean intake of fish in our study was about 16 g, which roughly
equals one serving of fish per week," wrote the Dutch researchers.
It is possible that the type of fish consumed, or preparation methods,
differs between Europe and the USA.
Source: European Journal of Heart Failure
October 2009, Volume 11, Pages 922-928,
"Intake of very long chain n-3 fatty acids from fish and the
incidence of heart failure: the Rotterdam Study"
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