Cardio-Vascular and Metabolic Effects of Fish Oil

Abstract

Fish is a valuable source of a large variety of nutrients, including high-quality protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and trace elements. Fish has an excellent nutrient density. A lot of attention nowadays is given to the nutritional significance of the fatty acids from fish, in particular, the omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids EPA and DHA. These fatty acids have been implicated in a range of effects, including cardio-vascular benefits, anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic effects, and anti-cancer effects, particularly in the colon. In Seafoodplus, an EU Integrated Project covering research over the whole food chain (with pillars on aquaculture, processing and new product development, food safety, consumer behaviour, and health and well-being and a horizontal activity on traceability), nutrition research is being performed within three large projects called: Young, FishGastro and Metaheart. Seafood plus started in 2004 and some results are already available from the Young and Metaheart study.

The Young study includes a multi centre trial on weight loss, to investigate the potential beneficial metabolic benefits of fish protein and omega-3 fatty acids from fish. The first results of the Young study indicate that fish consumption helps young overweight people to lose weight while protecting lean body mass. The effects were associated with improvement of the blood lipid profile and insulin and glucose levels.

The Metaheart study includes a large intervention study that was performed on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids from fish in capsules on arrhythmia. No significant effects of omega-3 fatty acids could be detected in patients with arrhythmia, neither on spontaneous PVC's (premature ventricular contractions) nor on changes in the ECG. This could imply that these markers are not sufficiently sensitive or specific to detect the beneficial effects of fish oil on the heart. Further analysis of the data revealed a decrease in the heart rate of the patients supplemented with the omega-3 fatty acids. This effect was considered as favourable.