Do fish oil supplements boost heart health?<\/b><\/p>\n
Diet-based studies in the 1970s linked higher omega-3 levels to a significant reduction in cardiovascular risk, especially stroke risk<\/a>. Based on that, Natarajan says, there was a flurry of interest in \u201ccapturing that macronutrient in a pill to see if that similar efficacy could be achieved outside of food.\u201d<\/p>\n But efforts to bottle the benefits haven\u2019t panned out. While some studies show possible advantages, many large randomized controlled trials failed to show clear cardiovascular benefits from fish oil supplements, Natarajan says.<\/p>\n At the same time, concerns emerged as studies linked high doses of fish oil to an increased risk of irregular heart rhythm. A 2021 meta-analysis published in Circulation found that people taking fish oil supplements had a 25 percent higher risk of atrial fibrillation<\/a> compared to those who didn\u2019t take them.<\/p>\n \u201cBack in the day, I used to take over-the-counter fish oil,\u201d says Andrew Freeman, M.D., director of cardiovascular prevention and wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver. \u201cAs time has gone on, the evidence now points away from it. \u2026 None of the professional society guidelines for cardiology recommend over-the-counter fish oil at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n The only exception, Freeman says, is for patients with very high triglyceride<\/a> levels, who may be prescribed a type of highly purified, prescription-grade fish oil.<\/p>\n Do fish oil supplements support brain health?<\/b><\/p>\n Plenty of research shows that eating fish can protect memory<\/a>, improve thinking skills and slow cognitive decline. But when it comes to fish oil supplements, the evidence is less clear, says Lynne Shinto, M.D., professor of neurology at Oregon Health & Science University.\u00a0<\/p>\n So far, most randomized controlled trials have found no brain benefits among people who take fish oil capsules, she says, but more research is needed.<\/p>\n Still, some recent findings are promising. A 2022 systematic review that included nine randomized clinical trials found that taking fish oil may improve memory,<\/a> learning, mental sharpness and blood flow in the brain.<\/p>\n And a 2023 analysis that followed 1,000 older adults for six years found that those who regularly took omega-3 supplements<\/a> had a 27 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer\u2019s disease<\/a>. However, the fish oil supplementation in that study was based on patient reporting, which limits the study\u2019s reliability compared to randomized controlled trials, Shinto says.<\/p>\n