Omega 3 has no effect on heart disease

Do you take Omega 3 in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases? If so, discontinue now, says a Swedish professor.  

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  According to a new study led by Swedish Professor Lars Rydén, Omega 3 has no effect on cardiovascular diseases.

• “I hope people don’t pay for Omega 3. There’s no reason to spend your money,” says Professor Lars Rydén to Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet. The effects of Omega 3 have now been researched in the so-called Origin study in which 12 600 patients partook, 463 of whom were Swedes. It was led by Professor Rydén. According to him, the study concludes that Omega 3 has no effect whatsoever when it comes to preventing cardiovascular diseases.

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  Fat fish, three times a week instead of Omega-3 supplements...

• “The Omega 3-fatty acids had no effect on mortality in patients with cardiovascular diseases, nor did they have any effect on strokes or heart attacks, compared with placebo.” The Origin study was made in order to see whether taking one gram of Omega 3 a day could decrease mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes or in people in the preliminary stages of diabetes. It is this group that run the highest risk for cardiovascular diseases. The study took six years to complete, and is thus the longest ever to be done on Omega 3. According to Aftonbladet, the result that Omega 3 has no effect, is interesting as earlier studies have been ambiguous.

• “Now we have a huge and absolutely negative study,” Rydén says. “There are clear results.” Rydén suggests however that we continue to eat fish: “We ought to eat a lot of fish instead with lots of Omega 3 in it. Fat fish, three times a week.”