For Healthy Men, Omega-3s May Protect Against Chest Pains

Posted on 2009-10-20 06:00:00 in Cardio-Vascular | Fatty Acids, Lipids & Oils | Men's Health |

Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that are associated with an array of heart benefits, including healthy blood lipid levels, reduced instances of thrombosis, improvements in blood pressure and heart rate, and better vascular function. Albert M. Joensen, from Aalborg Hospital (Denmark), and colleagues analyzed data collected from 57,053 subjects enrolled in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort study. The team studied dietary intakes of omega-3 fatty acids, and correlated deaths, for a period of 7.6 years. The team found that men who consumed more than 0.39 grams of omega-3s per day were at a 27% lower risk of experiencing acute coronary syndrome chest pains, as compared to those men who consumed less than 0.39 grams daily. Among all the foods with polyunsaturated fatty acids eaten, the protective effect was observed to be the strongest for foods with higher levels of omega-3s.

Albert M. Joensen, Erik B. Schmidt, Claus Dethlefsen, Soren P. Johnsen, Anne Tjonneland, Lars H. Rasmussen, Kim Overvad. “Dietary intake of total marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid docosahexaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid and the risk of acute coronary syndrome – a cohort study.” British Journal of Nutrition, First View article, doi: 10.1017/S0007114509992170.

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