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Is there something fishy going on with omega-3's?

For years, major health and medical organizations have recommended fish oil supplements rich in omega-3s to reduce the threat of heart disease.

But a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association clouded the picture further by concluding that omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids did not lower the risk of heart attack, stroke or premature death.

The study, by medical researchers at the University of Ioannina in Greece, did not involve a new clinical trial of the supplement. Instead, it reexamined the results of 20 previous studies dating back to 1989 that included nearly 70,000 patients.

Study authors said that early trials of omega-3 supplements and cardiovascular health "showed strong, significant effect." However, as more randomized studies were performed, "the effect became weaker and nonsignificant."

One early and influential trial involved mostly men who had suffered heart attacks, said Dr. Moses S. Elisaf, the study's senior author.

"This evidence," he said, "should not be generalized to any type of patients or apparently healthy individuals."

Dr. Robert Bonow, a Chicago cardiologist who was not involved in the study, said he tended to agree with the authors' conclusion. Bonow, said there was no evidence omega-3 prevented heart attacks and that for most people, any potential benefits of supplementation probably paled in comparison with exercising, maintaining a proper weight and addressing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

However, Bonow said it appeared the supplement was helpful to people with very weak hearts. One of the studies included in the analysis made a strong case that patients with chronic heart failure benefited from omega-3s. "There may be benefits here in stabilizing the rhythm of the heart," he said.
Omega-3s are also effective in reducing triglycerides, fats that circulate in the blood and can be dangerous at high levels.


Notes and Vocabulary
fishy adj.
seeming bad or dishonest [= suspicious]
- There's something fishy going on here. = I don't believe it.

cloud the issue/picture etc
to make a subject or problem more difficult to understand or deal with, especially by introducing unnecessary ideas

polyunsaturated adj. [化] (脂肪或油)多元未飽和的
/ˌpɑ:liˌʌnˈsætʃəˌreɪtəd/ 
technical — used to describe a type of oil or fat that is found especially in nuts and fish and that is better for your health than saturated fats and trans fats

clinical trial
a rigorously controlled test of a new drug or a new invasive medical device on human subjects; in the United States it is conducted under the direction of the FDA before being made available for general clinical use

cardiovascular adj.
/ˌkɑɚdijoʊˈvæskjəlɚ/
 of or relating to the heart and blood vessels  

randomize v.
technical : to arrange or choose (something) in a random way or order : to make (something) random  

influential adj.
having the power to cause changes : having influence  

generalized v.
to make a general statement or form a general opinion ; especially : to state an opinion about a larger group that is based on a smaller number of people or things within that group;
to apply (something specific, such as a theory or rule) to larger group — often used as (be) generalized

cholesterol n.
a substance that is found in the bodies of people and animals;
a chemical substance found in your blood. Too much cholesterol in your body may cause heart disease;
a substance containing a lot of fat that is found in the body tissue and blood of all animals, and which is thought to be part of the cause of heart disease if there is too much of it.

supplementation n.
to add something, especially to what you earn or eat, in order to increase it to an acceptable level

paled in comparison [idioms] (also pale beside sth/sb)
to seem much less serious or important when compared with someone or something else
- I thought I was badly treated but my experiences pale in comparison with yours.

triglycerides  [化]三酸甘油酯
 [traɪˋglɪsə͵raɪd]
為動物性油脂與植物性油脂的主要成分，一種由一個甘油分子和三個脂肪酸分子組成的酯類有機化合物，可以透過日常飲食攝取
triglycerides are the main constituents of natural fats and oils.

Discussion Questions
- What do you think: Is fish oil beneficial for heart health? Will you take it?

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