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Experts from Cleveland Clinic have found that fish oil did not improve heart health among the people they tested.
The study was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions. Its findings contrast with claims from a previous study that omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil help deter heart ailments and prevent abnormal heart rhythm.
The Cleveland study, which involved over 13,000 individuals, found no significant difference between people who took fish oil supplements and those who did not.
The study involved two different trials. The first was called the STRENGTH trial, which studied the effects of omega-3 on patients who were at high risk of heart disease. The second was the ONEMI trial, which observed omega-3 effects on heart attack survivors aged 70 and above.
The volunteers were divided into two groups. One group took fish oil supplements, and the other group was given corn oil instead. They were observed from June 2017 until January 2020. The study, which was supposed to last longer, was cut short because the researchers noticed that omega-3 was not doing any good for the participants.
Dr. Steve Nissen, a cardiologist who was involved in the study, said that the fish oil may have drawbacks on some people instead of improving their cardiovascular health. The oil was found to increase the risk of irregular heart rhythm. It also caused stomach problems in some of the participants.
According to Dr. Christine Albert, chair of the Department of Cardiology in the Smidt Heart Institute, lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, are still more effective in preventing heart disease. She hopes that future studies will focus on the effects of these kinds of intervention.