Taking fish oil supplements may help improve heart function in heart failure patients, suggests a new study.
Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), omega-3 is a "good" fat that has been linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heartbeat, and atherosclerosis (clogged arteries).
The current research found giving heart failure patients fish oil increased their heart function by more than 10%.
For the study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, scientists randomly gave 133 heart failure patients with minimal symptoms and already on standard therapy, high-dose omega-3 fatty acid supplements, or a placebo. "Standard therapy" referred to patients receiving medications like beta-blockers.
And after one year, study participants getting the omega-3 supplement had a 10.4% increase in heart function. Conversely, people given the placebo suffered a 5% decrease in heart function. Additionally, individuals taking the fish oil had improved exercise capacity. For the fish oil group, time exercising went up 7.5%, but the placebo group lost 4.8% exercise time.
Blood oxygen also improved in study participants taking fish oil. Fish oil boosted blood oxygen levels 6.2%. The placebo resulted in a 4.5% decrease.
Even though the scientists insist more research needs to be conducted on the benefits of fish oil, they do say that omega-3 fatty acids show promise for improving quality of life in heart failure patients.
Derived fish oil supplements are not the only source of omega-3 fatty acids. Plant foods like walnuts and algae are rich in omega-3. Certain algae are often used to make vegan alternatives to fish oil supplements.
Simply consuming fish is another option. Fatty fish, such as salmon, swordfish, and sardines, are high in omega-3. The AHA recommends eating fatty fish like these at least two times a week.
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