EDMONTON, Alberta, Dec. 25 (UPI) -- Fish body oil reduces deaths from heart problems, but doesn't provide a clear benefit in arrhythmias, or heart rhythm problems, Canadian researchers said.
Ross Tsuyuki and colleagues at the University of Alberta in Edmonton said consuming oily fish at least two to four times a week is recommended for patients after a heart attack. But the evidence for the protective effect of fish oil supplements is based on one large trial more than 10 years ago.
Tsuyuki and his team systematically reviewed randomized trials of fish oil. Six studies of more than 31,000 patients examined the effect of fish oil on sudden cardiac death and showed no benefit. A further 11 studies showed a 20 percent reduction in deaths from heart problems.
The review, published in the British Medical Journal, found no evidence for a dose-response effect between type of fish oil and reduction in deaths from heart problems, so it was not possible for the researchers to suggest an optimal dose or formulation of fish oil, Tsuyuki said.
The researchers call for increased funding to resolve the uncertainty surrounding the protective effect of fish oil.
