Fish Oil May Increase Heart Disease Risk in Healthy Individuals, Study Finds

A recent study has found that fish oil could potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in healthy individuals.

The research investigating the impact of fish oil on cardiovascular disease risk was published in The BMJ.

Many people consume fish oil as a supplement because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, believed to reduce inflammation and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, according to several studies, fish oil can also significantly negatively impact health.

The research team examined the medical and health records of 415,737 adults enrolled in the UK Biobank to study the effects of fish oil on cardiovascular disease risk. One-third of the study participants took fish oil supplements.

The results showed that those who consumed fish oil had a 13% higher risk of atrial fibrillation and a 5% higher risk of stroke compared to those who did not. However, among patients with cardiovascular disease, those who consumed fish oil had a 15% lower risk of heart attack from atrial fibrillation and a 9% lower risk of death from heart failure compared to those who did not.

Furthermore, women who consumed fish oil had a 6% higher risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure in a healthy state compared to men who consumed fish oil.

Based on these results, the researchers concluded that fish oil could potentially increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in those without pre-existing conditions.