Fantastic fish

It is well established that fish or fish oil supplements are a rich source of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) and are therefore beneficial for people at high risk for heart disease. The incidence of sudden cardiac death is much lower in those countries where ocean fish forms a major component of diet. Therefore supplementing the diet with n-3 PUFAs as marine (fish oil) or plant-derived (soy oil) sources could be a good approach for preventing heart disease.

A study led by Dr Fernando Holguin from Atlanta's Emory School of Medicine, with colleagues from Mexico and Canada, has investigated another beneficial effect of taking fish oil supplements – they provide greater variability between heart beats, reducing the risk of arrhythmia and/or sudden death.

The research, published in the American Journal for Respiratory Care and Critical Care Medicine, examined whether taking omega-3 fatty acids could improve heart rate variability in elderly people exposed to air pollution.

Exposure to airborne particulates has been associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in the elderly and reductions in heart rate variability (HRV).

HRV is defined as the variation of beat-to-beat intervals of the heart. A healthy heart at rest has a large HRV, while decreased or no variation may indicate cardiac disease. HRV is an independent risk factor for cardiac arrhythmias, heart attack or sudden death.

The researchers provided fish oil supplements to 26 residents of a nursing home in Mexico City, a place known for its significant air pollution. A control group of 24 residents was given soy oil supplements. The participants' average age ranged from 81 to 83 years old.

All participants spent 92 percent of their time indoors and were exposed to tiny indoor air pollutant particles. None of the patients suffered from cardiac arrhythmias, had a pacemaker or were being treated with oral anticoagulants. Prior to the beginning of the study, all participants had a low intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

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