Fish OIl: Fish Oil Lowers Blood Vessel Inflammation

Blood vessel inflammation (BVI), according to the latest research, is a key independent risk factor for heart disease. According to many scientists, it is just as important as either high cholesterol or high triglycerides.

So you better not have high levels of C-reactive protein or interleukin-6. They are widely used, but little known to the public, BVI markers. (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Vol. 46: 120-24)

Scientists have believed for a long time that eating fish would help reduce blood vessel inflammation of the and, therefore, help prevent heart disease. But they had no clear, hard evidence to support the belief. That’s why a team of researchers from Harokopio University in Greece set out to resolve the relationship between fish consumption, blood vessel inflammation and cardiovascular disease.

After gathering data on 3,000 heart disease free men and women aged 18 to 89, the researchers discovered people who ate 10.5 ounces of fish a week compared to those who ate no fish had a 33% lower level of both C-reactive protein and interleukin-6. The fish eaters also had 21% and 28% lower levels of two other important BVI indicators. These four markers were also found to be significantly lower in people who ate between 5 and 10 ounces of fish a week.

The authors concluded that there is a clear and strong relationship between high dietary fish intake and low vascular inflammation. They believe this association is one of the major reasons why people who eat fish have much lower incidence of heart disease.

They recommend people eat more fatty fish with high levels of omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines or herring. One or two servings a week may be enough to get the fish oil health benefits, but more would be better. The American Heart Association (AHA), the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention agree. They recommend that everyone eat fatty fish at least two times a week.

For those who don’t eat fish, the Greek scientists suggested 600 mgs/day of omega 3 fatty acid supplements would provide the same results. The AHA recommends that patients with existing heart disease get one gram a day of combined DHA and EPA fatty acids and people with high triglycerides get at least 2 grams a day.

The AHA points out omega 3 fish oil fatty acids not only decrease BVI. They also lower blood pressure triglycerides, improve arterial health, decrease growth of atherosclerotic plaque and blood clots (thrombosis) and decrease risk of arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death, the number one killer in the U.S.

Those are pretty good reasons to eat more fish and take fish oil supplements, wouldn’t you agree?

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