Heart Health

Statin medications, despite being highly prescribed and often recommended as the first choice for treating high cholesterol, are not the only game in town for reducing cardiovascular risk. More than 15 years since their introduction to the pharmaceutical market, it is clear that statins do indeed block the liver's production of cholesterol and reduce the risk of dying from heart disease. But there's a natural agent, omega-3 from fatty fish or fish oil supplements, that's been shown to be more effective for reducing one's overall risk of death.

Omega-3 fatty acids come from fish, dietary supplements and by prescription in a highly concentrated product called Omacor. Though there are plant precursors of omega-3s in flax seeds, soy and walnuts, only small amounts of these plant precursors are converted into the active forms of omega-3 called EPA and DHA, which are found in fish such as salmon, rainbow trout, tuna, mackerel, sardines and herring.

Statins exist as a family of synthetic drugs including atorvastatin (Lipitor), fluvastatin (Lescol), lovastatin (Mevacor), pravastatin (Pravachol), rosuvastatin (Crestor), simvastatin (Zocor) and ezetimibe/simvastatin (Vytorin). Ultimately, both omega-3 fats and statins reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease. For people with diabetes, measures that reduce risk are especially critical since up to 80 percent of the people with diabetes will eventually succumb to this common complication.

In a first of its kind meta-analysis published in 2005 in The Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers set out to determine whether prescription medications (including statins) or omega-3 fatty acids were more effective for reducing the risk of death, particularly from heart-related causes.

Much to the surprise of many pharmaceutical companies, results of this meta-analysis revealed that foods and supplements rich in omega-3 fatty acids were significantly more effective than statin medications at reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular disease and all causes.

It is important to note that the design of this particular study, called a meta-analysis, is the highest form of evidence or research because it pools together the results from many (in this case, 97) different clinical studies and crunches all the numbers for more than 275,000 study participants. Furthermore, though it may seem gruesome, evaluating death rates is ultimately the most reliable way to determine how effective a treatment can be.

Although this study confirmed that both omega-3 fats and statin mediations reduce the risk of death, the study did not answer if a person would be better off taking fish oil, statins or both. Additionally, different studies used different amounts of omega-3 fats from various sources, including fish, fish oil and a few plant-based sources. As a result, it is difficult to say exactly how much omega-3 fats specifically would be recommended based on this meta-analysis.

What we do know is that the benefits of consuming two to three fatty fish meals each week is clearly beneficial for promoting a healthy heart for most healthy individuals. For those with pre-existing heart disease, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends 1,000 milligrams of omega-3 fat, preferably from fatty fish. The AHA goes further to recommend that those with high triglycerides consume 2,000-4,000 milligrams of omega-3 fats daily. It is important to note that different products contain differing amounts of EPA and DHA in the same size capsule. To determine the amounts, check the serving size on the bottle and add up the EPA and DHA.

Though statins are far more effective than omega-3 fatty acids for reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) levels, omega-3 fats are significantly more effective for lowering triglycerides. Omega-3 fats can lower triglycerides an impressive 20 to 45 percent while raising beneficial levels of good cholesterol (HDL) 5 to 10 percent. Other protective effects of omega-3 fats include reducing the tendency for blood to clot, reducing inflammation, lowering blood pressure and helping to normalize heart rhythms.

We clearly know that both statins and omega-3 fats reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, yet we now understand that nature has created foods that are actually more effective than prescription medications for achieving protection over the long term. Further research is expected to elaborate on ways for determining which therapies, or combination of therapies, are most effective for individuals with specific risk factors.

Eating right to protect your heart health can be simple if you have help from experts. eDiets members can enjoy constant support and personal contact with live nutritionists. Click here to learn more, or call 866-756-1510 to try it free!

Christine Miller is a registered and licensed dietitian, as well as a certified diabetes educator.

Labels: disease, health, healthy, heart, heart-disease, heart-healthy, nutrition, prevent, prevention