At this time of year, during Lent, I know many Americans eat fish on Fridays. But the sad truth is, during all other times of the year, most Americans hardly eat any fish at all.
Which is one reason why I’ve always urged you to take a daily, high-quality fish oil supplement. And now, a new study has found that men and women who regularly take fish oil supplements have a much lower risk of suffering a deadly cardiovascular event—such as heart attack and stroke. And the folks with high blood pressure seem to benefit the most!
I’ll tell you all about that new study in a moment. But first, let’s back up to talk about why fish oil is so important to your health…
Fish oil is finally getting the attention it deserves
Eating fish is good for you because it contains a high concentration of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
But for decades, the mainstream questioned—and even bashed—the idea of taking fish oil supplements to support cardiovascular health. And to defend their view, they always pointed to the same small dose, poorly designed studies that failed to show the benefits of taking fish oil.
But as I’ve reported before, there’s one obvious reason why those studies turned up weak, inconclusive results…
The dose of fish oil they used was ridiculously low. In fact, it was nowhere near the therapeutic level required to prevent cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Remember, it’s important to take fish oil supplements that contain as many omega-3s as what you’d get by eating a healthy serving of fatty fish—like salmon.
Thankfully, more recent studies have begun to shine a light on the issue. In fact, a large clinical trial called VITAL, which followed more than 25,000 men and women over five years, found a strong link between fish oil supplementation and a lower risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack).
But even that trial has some shortcomings and limitations. So, I was pleased to read about the strong findings from the latest, well-designed study that I mentioned at the beginning of this Dispatch…
Regular fish oil supplementation offers impressive benefits
For the new study, researchers investigated the association between fish oil supplementation and CVD in almost half a million healthy men and women between the ages of 40 and 69 years.
At the study’s outset, the participants answered questions about their supplement regimen. And roughly 31 percent of them reported regularly taking fish oil.
Then, researchers took their answers and performed some data analysis.
It turns out, compared to men and women who didn’t regularly take fish oil, the regular fish oil-takers had a:
- 13 percent lower risk for all-cause mortality (death from any cause)
- 16 percent lower risk for CVD mortality
- 7 percent lower risks for CVD events, such as heart attack or stroke
Plus, men and women with high blood pressure who took fish oil seemed to gain the most protection against suffering a deadly CVD event.
The researchers concluded that the general population would likely benefit from regularly taking fish oil supplements. And I definitely agree.
But the problem is, the researchers didn’t take note of the dosage or the brand of fish oil consumed by the participants. And that’s critically important.
For one, most fish oil supplements contain pitifully low amounts of omega-3s. Remember, as I mentioned at the beginning of this Dispatch, it’s important to take a fish oil supplement that contains as many omega-3s as you’d get in a healthy serving of fatty fish—like salmon. So, make sure you know how much is right for you. Here are my recommended dosages, based on the latest science.
Second, it’s imperative to choose a high-quality fish oil supplement, as there are a lot of terrible brands that contain mercury and other harmful substances. (You can learn how to spot the real deal in the October 2013 issue of my Insiders’ Cures newsletter [“Science caught ‘sleeping with the fishes’”]. If you’re not yet a subscriber, click here to get started.)
Of course, in addition to taking fish oil, there are many natural approaches to preventing and even reversing CVD. You can learn all about them in my Heart Attack Prevention and Repair Protocol. For more information about this innovative online learning tool, or to enroll today, click here now.