Study: What Dose of Omega-3 Helps the Heart?

In a new review of eight studies published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers say that a 250-mg dose of omega-3 fatty acids can help lower the risk of fatal coronary heart disease.

The review identified eight studies (seven cohort studies and one nested case-control study) that met inclusion criteria. It found that daily consumption of 250 mg of omega-3 fatty acids was associated with a significant 35% reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death and a near-significant 16% reduction in the risk of total fatal coronary events. However, the risk of non-fatal myocardial infarction was not significantly reduced.

The researchers noted that in several meta-analyses of U.S. studies, risk of cardiovascular disease-related death was dose dependently reduced by omega-3 intake, and that further risk reductions were attributed to omega-3 intake exceeding 250 mg/day.

“Thus, the intake of 250 mg n-3 LCFA per d may, indeed, be a minimum target to be achieved by the general population for the promotion of cardiovascular health,” the researchers stated.