Omega-3 Fish Oil Pills Don't Really Lower Risk of Heart Disease, Study Says

Have doctors been duping patients?

Fish oil pills, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, don't lower the risk of heart disease, heart attack, stroke, or sudden death from such emergencies. A new study by the Lipid Disorders Clinic at the University Hospital of Ioannina in Greece found that although the rates of these events were lower among those taking omega-3 supplements, the differences were not statistically meaningful. Scientists reviewed 20 studies dating back to 1989 that involved 68,680 participants, most of whom were heart patients and were randomly assigned to take either 1.5 g of omega-3 supplementation or a placebo every day for two years. While the omega-3 users showed a 9% lower rate of heart-related death, these differences were too small to attribute to the pills. The American Heart Association (AHA) advises people with high triglyceride levels eat more fatty fish; it doesn't recommend the pills in general as a way to protect the heart. (TIME)

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