Benefits of fish oil called into question

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Patients with an abnormal heart rhythm did not seem to be helped by taking fish oil supplements.
It has been suggested that the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil capsules may protect people from sudden cardiac death caused by abnormal heart rhythms, such as ventricular fibrillation. But more recent research into the impact of fish oil in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) - devices meant to correct the rhythms - has been less conclusive.

A team at Wageningen University now reports on a study where 546 patients with ICDs were given either 2 grams of fish oil a day, or a placebo, for around a year. There was no improvement in event-free survival for those in the fish oil group. Therefore, although it is very important to have a healthy diet if you have heart disease, including an abnormal heart rhythm, taking fish oil may not bring any added benefit.

Source
Journal of the American Medical Association 14th June 2006 Volume 295 pages 2613-2619