Heart Disease Prevention - Would You Eat Tuna Everyday?

Being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, tuna fish contains 2 main kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, namely DHA and EPA. People who eat foods rich in DHA and EPA will have a lower risk of developing heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and stroke. Unfortunately, fresh and canned tuna do contain methylmercury, a contaminant that builds up in water… Check it out via the following link:

Heart Disease Prevention - Would You Eat Tuna Everyday?

Heart Disease Prevention - Why Should Pregnant Women Consume Fish?

FDA, therefore, suggested that consuming at least 8 and not more than 12 ounces per week could maximize the benefits of health and development of a fetus and children while minimizing any potential risk of exposure to significant amounts of methyl mercury. 

But in order to minimize the potential risk of getting too much mercury, pregnant and breastfeeding women and children should avoid 4 types of fish. Find out more by clicking the following link:

Heart Disease Prevention - Why Should Pregnant Women Consume Fish?

Can Eating Fish Prolong Life?

American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that people who have no coronary heart disease (CHD) should eat a variety of fish, preferably oily fish such as salmon and tuna, at least twice a week.  

Eating fish is good for the health because of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA (Eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid), These fatty acids have been shown to benefit the heart of healthy people and those at high risk for or who already have cardiovascular disease.

In a study released on April 2, 2013 in the journal ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’, researchers from the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of Public Health, University of New Mexico, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and University of Washington reported that people, who were 65 and older and ate fish, may live an average of 2 years longer than people who did not consume the omega-3 fatty acids.

While other studies have found link between omega-3 fatty acids and lower risk of heart disease, this study aimed to determine the link between fish eating and mortality risk.

Researchers analyzed records of older people by scanning 16 years of data on about 2,692 American adults aged 74 years (plus or minus 5 years) without prevalent CHD, stroke, or heart failure. These participants were not taking fish oil supplements.

Their findings indicated that those with the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids had the lowest risk of dying from any cause, and lived an average of 2.2 years longer than those with low levels. Omega-3 fatty acids were found mainly in fish like salmon, tuna, halibut, sardines, herring and mackerel.

DHA was found to be the most strongly linked to lower risk of CHD death. EPA, on the other hand, was strongly related to lower risk of nonfatal heart attack and DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) was most strongly associated with lower risk of dying from a stroke. Even after adjusting for demographic, lifestyle and diet factors, the results persisted.

Importance of adequate blood omega-3 levels for cardiovascular health was indeed supported by the findings, which also suggested that in life these benefits could extend the years of remaining life.

According to AHA, people who had CHD are advised to consume about 1 gram of EPA and DHA per day, preferably from oily fish, though EPA & DHA supplements could be taken as well but should be in consultation with their doctors. People who have elevated triglycerides require 2 to 4 grams of EPA and DHA provided as capsules on a daily basis under doctor’s care.

Eat Fish Might Prolong Your Life!

Eating fish is good for health. As recommended by the American Heart Association (AHA), people should consume every week two 3.5-ounce servings of fatty fish, such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines and tuna, that are high in omega-3 fatty acid.

In a paper that was published on April 1, 2013’s in the journal ‘Annals of Internal Medicine’, researchers from Harvard School of Public Health reported that people aged 65 and older who eat fish might live an average of 2 years longer than people who do not consume the omega-3 fatty acids.

The study also showed that people with higher level of omega-3 fatty acids had 27 percent lower overall risk of dying and 35 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease, comparing to those who had lower levels of omega-3 fatty acid.

To determine whether there is any link between fish eating and risk of death, researchers scanned 16 years of data on about 2,700 American adults aged 65 or older. Those taking fish oil supplements were eliminated to avoid confusion over the use of supplements or dietary differences. During the 16-year of follow up, 1625 people died including 570 from cardiovascular disease.

Participants with highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids in the blood had the lowest risk of dying from any cause, and they lived an average of 2.2 years longer than those with low levels.

3 forms of omega-3 fatty acids were identified in the study. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) was most strongly associated with a lower risk of death from coronary heart disease, EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) was strongly related to a lower risk of non-fatal heart attack, and DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) was most strongly linked to a lower risk of dying from a stroke.

Nevertheless, the researchers stressed that their study noted an association without establishing a cause-and-effect relationship. They could not determine if the omega-3 intake was directly responsible for the reduced risk of death or just a marker for a healthier lifestyle.

For example, people having the highest level of omega-3 also had consumed more fruit and vegetables than those having a lower level of omega-3. This also suggested that simply taking a fish oil supplement might not produce the same effect.

Those who are currently not fish eaters need not worry because they can always start some intake of fish and should be able to get most of the benefit for their blood level, according to researchers.

How To Lower Irregular Heartbeat Risk?

According to some estimates, up to 9 percent of Americans will develop atrial fibrillation (AF) by the time they reach their 80s. AF is the most common heart arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat). Though it may cause no symptoms, it is often associated with palpitations, fainting and chest pain. It could eventually lead to stroke and heart failure.

AF might be treated with medications to either slow the heart rate to normal range (range control) or revert the heart rhythm back to normal (rhythm control). People with AF are often prescribed with blood-thinning drugs to prevent stroke.

A new study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health reported on January 26, 2012 in the journal ‘Circulation’ that older adults who had the highest blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids were 30 percent less likely to later develop an irregular heartbeat than those with the lowest blood levels of omega-3.

The omega-3 fatty acids measured in the study were eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They can be found in oily fish and some enriched foods like eggs and in fish oil supplements.

While some previous studies have suggested that people who ate a lot of fish had a lower risk of developing AF, these studies relied on questionnaires answered by participants about how much fish they ate, which could only estimate the amount of omega-3s they consumed.

To get a more accurate measurement, the researchers sampled blood from 3,326 adults aged over 65. These participants’ health was tracked over the next 14 years (1992-2006) and 789 were found to develop AF.

Researchers’ analysis showed that those with the top 25 percent omega-3 levels in the bloodstreams at the beginning of the study were about 30 percent less likely to develop AF, comparing with those with the bottom 25 percent blood levels. Of the 3 omega-3 fatty acids, high DHA levels were linked to a 23 percent lower risk for AF, but no reduced risk was found for EPA and DPA.

Other heart experts not involved in the study cautioned that the study did not prove eating fish could lower AF risk. The study, however, did provide some idea that the fatty acids found in fish could work by stabilizing the excitability of heart muscle cells. Meanwhile, they also suggested further studies should be carried out to find out how fish oil might be used as a potential preventive measure against AF.

Why Fish Should Be On Your Diet List?

Fish, like salmon, mackerel and albacore tuna, that high in omega-3 fatty acid is good for the heart because omega-3 fatty acid could reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Perhaps this is why American Heart Association (AHA) advice people to eat at least 2 servings of fish a week.

Despite concerns on the impact of increased exposure to mercury in fish, Swedish researchers from Umea University in Sweden argued in their paper published in November 2010 in ‘American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’ that the benefits of consuming fish still outweigh the harmful effects of mercury. However, they also advised people to avoid eating fish high in mercury, which include perch, shark, swordfish and halibut.

More than 900 Swedish men and women took part in a study that required them to answer questionnaires about the amount of fish in their diet. Their mercury and selenium levels in red blood cells were analyzed.

While the mercury levels were generally low for Scandinavians, participants who had higher mercury level in their red blood did not have a higher risk of cardiac problems. It is possible that the protective nutrients in fish offset any harmful effect of mercury at these low levels of mercury, as explained by the researchers.

Meanwhile, the researchers admitted that relying on the participants’ memories on the amount of fish consumed could have drawbacks as this could have an impact on the results obtained. They also highlighted one finding from their study: participants who had elevated traces of selenium in their red blood cells appeared to have higher risk of sudden cardiac death.

Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health but only small amounts are needed. It appears to act as an antioxidant that can reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Nevertheless, previous findings on effect of selenium on heart were mixed. Several studies suggested risk of heart disease and stroke might be reduced by about 40 percent by an added 100 mg per day of dietary selenium. On the other hand, a study by researchers from University of Warwick found that total cholesterol levels increased by 8 percent with an increase of 10 percent in LDL (so called bad cholesterol) in participants having more than 1.2 mol/L of selenium in their blood, leading to increase in risk of cardiovascular disease.

As such, the Swedish researchers felt that the health effect of selenium should further be probed.