Omega-3 fish oil supplements are not very effective in protecting people from heart diseases, a new study findsd.
The new study is part of a previous study conducted by a team of international researchers to examine the effects of omega-3 supplements and some vitamins on vision health.
Around 4,200 people aged between 50 and 85 with the age-related eye problem macular degeneration participated in the study. Some of the participants were randomly assigned to take omega-3 supplements or lutein and zeaxanthin (two popular eye vitamins) while others were given a placebo.
Researchers noted at the end of five years, 450 participants suffered from a cardiovascular problem, such as heart attack or stroke. They also found that the participants taking omega-3 supplements didn't have any additional health benefits and were as likely to have experienced a heart problem during the study period as people who took a placebo, according to Live Science.
Dr. Rajiv Chowdhury, lead author of the study also argued that contrary to guidance, there is no evidence that changing the type of fat you eat from "bad" saturated to "healthier" polyunsaturated cuts heart risk.
"Looking at the 17 randomized clinical trials that we combined, the majority of the trials -- especially the more recent and large-scale ones -- showed consistently little or no significant effect on reducing coronary heart disease events," said Chowdhury, according to BBC News.
The British Heart Foundation clarified that findings of the study did not change the advice that eating too much fat is harmful for the heart.
"This analysis of existing data suggests there isn't enough evidence to say that a diet rich in polyunsaturated fats but low in saturated fats reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. But large scale clinical studies are needed, as these researchers recommend, before making a conclusive judgment," the foundation's Associate Medical Director, Professor Jeremy Pearson, said in a press statement.
"Alongside taking any necessary medication, the best way to stay heart healthy is to stop smoking, stay active, and ensure our whole diet is healthy - and this means considering not only the fats in our diet but also our intake of salt, sugar and fruit and vegetables," he added.
Until now, doctors have said that saturated fats increase "bad" LDL cholesterol, which can cause plaques to form in your arteries and raise your risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Many health experts also claim that omega-3 fatty acids improve heart health because it increases the level of "good" HDL cholesterol, which helps the body rid itself of bad cholesterol. While this is still true, Chowdhury and his team found that neither effect seemed to make much difference for overall cardiac risk.
"Saturated fats are not essentially the main problem when it comes to risk of heart disease," Chowdhury said, according to WebMD. "Also, omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids have no or little impact on reducing cardiovascular disease outcomes."
Findings of the study were published online in the JAMA Internal Medicine.
