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Do Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Atrial Fibrillation Risk?
 

Atrial fibrillation (also referred to as AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). It is found in about 2.2 million Americans. The chance of developing AF increases with age. It was estimated that up to 9 percent of Americans would develop AF when they reach 80s.

AF might not cause any symptoms, but it is often associated with heart palpitations, fatigue or lack of energy, dizziness, chest discomfort or pain, or shortness of breath. People with AF are at a higher risk of getting stroke and heart failure. The degree of stroke risk can be up to 7 times that of the average population, and a third of all strokes are caused by AF. Chronic AF can usually lead to a small increase in the risk of death.

Many conditions including hypertension (high blood pressure), coronary artery disease, congenital (present at birth) heart disease, heart valve disease, previous heart surgery and cardiomyopathy (disease of heart muscle that causes heart failure), can cause AF.

A study, conducted by researchers from Harvard School of Public Health and other institutions, found that older adults with the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids were 30 percent less likely to later develop AF than those with the lowest blood levels of omega-3. A 30 percent lower risk of AF is considered a fairly big effect in the United States population. Their findings were published on January 26, 2012 in the journal of ‘Circulation’.

While some previous findings have suggested that people who eat a lot of fish have a lower risk of getting AF, they mainly relied on questionnaires answered by participants on how much fish they ate. This could only estimate the amount of omega-3 ingested. As a matter of fact, the amount of omega-3 found in different kinds of fish can vary by 10-fold.

In this study, the omega-3 fatty acids measured were eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They can be found in oily fish and some enriched foods, like eggs, and in fish oil supplements.

To ensure accurate measurement of how much fish oil actually ingested, the researchers sampled blood from 3,326 American men and women who aged over 65 and were free of AF or heart failure. The health of these participants was tracked over the next 14 years.

789 of the participants were found to develop AF. The analysis showed that those with the top 25 percent omega-3 levels in their bloodstream at the outset of the study were about 30 percent less likely to get AF, comparing to those with the bottom 25-percent blood levels.

The researchers also discovered that only high DHA levels were associated with a 23 percent lower risk for AF, but not EPA and DPA. As noted in the report, DHA is highly concentrated in heart muscle cell membranes.

Using similar approach of measuring fatty acids in the blood, another study from Finland found a similar reduction in the risk of AF among those with the highest levels.

Some health experts not involved in the study cautioned that the new findings could not really prove that eating fish is responsible for the lower rate of AF. However, they also admitted that there is some belief that fatty acids found in fish could work by stabilizing the excitability of heart muscle cells.

The new findings did highlight a need to evaluate whether increased dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids could be effective in preventing against AF. It is hoped that further studies into this area would be carried out.

As recommended by the American Heart Association, the United States Department of Agriculture and other groups, people should eat fish at least twice a week. Unfortunately, most Americans do not meet these goals. While the new findings will not change current guidelines, hopefully they could motivate people to adhere to the recommended guidelines.

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