home Go to Doctors Page
ScienceBased Health
1 888 433 4726
  • Doctor
  • Consumer
Facebook Twitter

Free Shipping with Auto-Delivery & Savings up to 20% with a Package Plan

more +
Auto-Delivery & Free Shipping!
Save money and add convenience! Your product(s) will be automatically sent to you each month
Select the "Auto Delivery" box at checkout.
Save Packages:
Save up to 20% & Free Shipping!
Purchase 3-5 bottles: save 5%
Purchase 6-11 bottles: save 12%
Purchase 12+ bottles: save 20%

phone

Menu
  • Products
    • Products A-Z
    • Dry Eye
    • Eye & Whole Body Health
      • OcularProtect® Robust Whole Body Formula
      • OcularEssentials® Whole Body Formula
    • Macular Health Concerns
      • MacularProtect Complete® AREDS-Based Formula & Multinutrient
      • MacularProtect® AREDS-Based Formula
    • Omega-3
    • Optic Nerve Health
    • Retinal Circulation
    • Bone & Joint Health
      • BoneProtect
      • JointProtect
  • Faqs
  • Resources
    • Staying Healthy Newsletter
    • EduFacts Newsletter
    • Product Monographs
    • Educational Links
  • About us
    • Company
    • Advisory Boards
    • Press Releases
    • In the News
    • Events
  • Contact
  • Login
  • View Cart
  • (0)
Facebook Twitter

EduFacts Newsletter

Research Roundup: Recent Omega-3 Findings in Cardiovascular & Eye Health

Research Roundup: Recent Omega-3 Findings in Cardiovascular & Eye Health

Research Roundup: Recent Omega-3 Findings in Cardiovascular & Eye Health

Ω-3s Further Reduce Lipids with Statin Treatment

Over all, statins lower high triglycerides by 10-20% (or more if baseline levels are greatly elevated). EPA and DHA are also known to lower elevated triglycerides by inhibiting their release from the liver, and by increasing their rate of clearance from plasma. Is there value in combining statins with omega-3 supplements?

High dose omega-3 supplementation does appear to benefit patients, at least when triglyceride levels remain elevated despite statin use, according to results of a multicenter controlled trial of patients with hypercholesterolemia and at high risk for CVD (1).

After a 4-week run in treatment period with 20 mg daily of rosuvastatin, 201 patients with residual elevated triglycerides (mean 263 mg/dL) remained on the statin and were randomized to receive omega-3 (1,520 mg DHA + 1,840 mg EPA) or placebo for 8 weeks.

Average triglyceride levels decreased by 26% in the omega-3 group vs. 2% reduction in placebo takers. A greater reduction in non-HDL cholesterol of 11% was also seen in those taking the statin with omega-3s compared to 2% in those taking stain alone.

Higher Fish Intake Linked to Less Severe DR

Recent studies have shown favorable associations between fish consumption and diabetic retinopathy (DR). A relative decrease in risk for sight-threatening DR of 48%, for example, was seen in a Spanish population of type 2s consuming at least 500 mg/day of omega-3 and followed for 6 yrs. A newly published paper (2) lends some credence to this observation.

The study evaluated the association of dietary fish intake with varying severity of DR and retinal vascular caliber (RVC) in 357 Asians with type 2. RVC provides information about microcirculation in the eye and the risk of DR. Increasing frequency of fish consumption was significantly associated with lower odds of having severe DR. The likelihood of severe DR was reduced by almost 10% per a one serving increase of fish weekly. In addition, the highest level of fish intake was also associated with wider RVC among diabetics with no signs of diabetic retinopathy.

Meta-analysis: Ω-3s May Reduce Resting Heart Rate

Elevated resting heart rate (HR) has emerged as a risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. It’s been suggested that marine omega-3s may influence sudden cardiac death by reducing HR. In a recently conducted meta-analysis of 51 randomized controlled trials that included about 3000 people, researchers found that EPA and DHA supplementation mildly but significantly reduced HR (mean − 2.23 beats per minute) compared to controls (3). In the few trials where DHA and EPA were administered alone, DHA rather than EPA slowed HR.

The authors note that “the HR of the majority of participants included in this meta-analysis was within normal range – the state where reducing HR is conventionally not a medical indication. At the population level, however, such HR reduction may have significant public health implications, as a reduction of 3.2 beats per minute would roughly correspond to a 7.5% lower risk of sudden cardiac death.”

Dietary Fatty Acid Intake Linked to Glaucoma 

It is important to know whether polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake influences the development of glaucoma, as it could offer a modifiable risk factor for the disease.  An analysis of data from 3,865 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey offers some insight into the relationship of PUFA consumption and glaucoma (4).

The study found that increased daily levels of EPA and DHA were linked to significantly lower risks of glaucoma (OR, 0.06 for EPA and for DHA). Higher levels of total PUFAs (omega 6 + omega 3), however, significantly raised glaucoma risk (OR, 2.84 and 2.97 for 2nd and 3rd quartiles respectively). The authors hypothesize that increasing the ratio of omega-3 to -6 while watching overall PUFA intake, could be glaucoma-protective.

References

  1. Kim CH, et al. Efficacy and safety of adding omega-3 fatty acid in statin-treated patients with residual hyper-triglyceridemia: ROMANTIC Trial. Clin Ther. 40:83-94, 2018.
  2. Chua J, et al. The relationship of dietary fish intake to diabetic retinopathy and retinal vascular caliber in patients with type 2 diabetes. Sci Rep. 8:730, 2018. 
  3. Hidayat K, et al. Effect of omega-3 long-chain poly-unsaturated fatty acid supplementation on heart rate: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Nutr. ePub Dec. 28, 2017. 
  4. Wang YE, et al. Association of dietary fatty acid intake with glaucoma in the U.S. JAMA Ophthalmol. ePub Dec. 21, 2017.
Home  >  General Webpages  >  Resources  >  Edufacts Content  >  EduFacts Scientific Write-ups  > 

Stay Informed

Sign up to get nutrition news, health tips, and product updates.

Please also send me:
EduFacts scientific write-ups (monthly)
Notice of new products and special offers

Your information is never shared with third parties. View our privacy policy

Like Us on Facebook

Follow SBH on Facebook for great health tips, product info and much more.

Our Quality Guarantee

  • Products meet or exceed new GMPs
  • Produced in NSF®-certified facilities
  • Highest quality raw materials utilized
  • Third party testing
  • 30-day money-back guarantee (60 days for HydroEye)
Learn more »

Innovative Nutraceuticals for Eye Health

ABOUT SSL
CERTIFICATES

This site chose VeriSign SSL
for secure e-commerce and
confidential communications.

Home | Feedback | Manufacturing | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Contact Us

Call us Toll Free 1.888.433.4726. From Outside the US and Canada 281.885.7700
©ScienceBased Health

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Top