OBJECTIVE: To review systematically the evidence for an effect of long chain and shorter chain omega 3 fatty acids on total mortality, cardiovascular events, and cancer. DATA SOURCES: Electronic databases searched to February 2002; authors contacted and bibliographies of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) checked to locate studies. REVIEW METHODS: Review of RCTs of omega 3 intake for (3) 6 months in adults (with or without risk factors for cardiovascular disease) with data on a relevant outcome. Cohort studies that estimated omega 3 intake and related this to clinical outcome during at least 6 months were also included. Application of inclusion criteria, data extraction, and quality assessments were performed independently in duplicate. RESULTS: Of 15,159 titles and abstracts assessed, 48 RCTs (36,913 participants) and 41 cohort studies were analysed. The trial results were inconsistent. The pooled estimate showed no strong evidence of reduced risk of total mortality (relative risk 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.73 to 1.03) or combined cardiovascular events (0.95, 0.82 to 1.12) in participants taking additional omega 3 fats. The few studies at low risk of bias were more consistent, but they showed no effect of omega 3 on total mortality (0.98, 0.70 to 1.36) or cardiovascular events (1.09, 0.87 to 1.37). When data from the subgroup of studies of long chain omega 3 fats were analysed separately, total mortality (0.86, 0.70 to 1.04; 138 events) and cardiovascular events (0.93, 0.79 to 1.11) were not clearly reduced. Neither RCTs nor cohort studies suggested increased risk of cancer with a higher intake of omega 3 (trials: 1.07, 0.88 to 1.30; cohort studies: 1.02, 0.87 to 1.19), but clinically important harm could not be excluded. CONCLUSION: Long chain and shorter chain omega 3 fats do not have a clear effect on total mortality, combined cardiovascular events, or cancer.
OBJECTIVE: To review systematically the evidence for an effect of long chain and shorter chain omega 3 fatty acids on total mortality, cardiovascular events, and cancer. DATA SOURCES: Electronic databases searched to February 2002; authors contacted and bibliographies of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) checked to locate studies. REVIEW METHODS: Review of RCTs of omega 3 intake for (3) 6 months in adults (with or without risk factors for cardiovascular disease) with data on a relevant outcome. Cohort studies that estimated omega 3 intake and related this to clinical outcome during at least 6 months were also included. Application of inclusion criteria, data extraction, and quality assessments were performed independently in duplicate. RESULTS: Of 15,159 titles and abstracts assessed, 48 RCTs (36,913 participants) and 41 cohort studies were analysed. The trial results were inconsistent. The pooled estimate showed no strong evidence of reduced risk of total mortality (relative risk 0.87, 95% confidence interval 0.73 to 1.03) or combined cardiovascular events (0.95, 0.82 to 1.12) in participants taking additional omega 3 fats. The few studies at low risk of bias were more consistent, but they showed no effect of omega 3 on total mortality (0.98, 0.70 to 1.36) or cardiovascular events (1.09, 0.87 to 1.37). When data from the subgroup of studies of long chain omega 3 fats were analysed separately, total mortality (0.86, 0.70 to 1.04; 138 events) and cardiovascular events (0.93, 0.79 to 1.11) were not clearly reduced. Neither RCTs nor cohort studies suggested increased risk of cancer with a higher intake of omega 3 (trials: 1.07, 0.88 to 1.30; cohort studies: 1.02, 0.87 to 1.19), but clinically important harm could not be excluded. CONCLUSION: Long chain and shorter chain omega 3 fats do not have a clear effect on total mortality, combined cardiovascular events, or cancer.
Authors: Roberto Marchioli; Federica Barzi; Elena Bomba; Carmine Chieffo; Domenico Di Gregorio; Rocco Di Mascio; Maria Grazia Franzosi; Enrico Geraci; Giacomo Levantesi; Aldo Pietro Maggioni; Loredana Mantini; Rosa Maria Marfisi; G Mastrogiuseppe; Nicola Mininni; Gian Luigi Nicolosi; Massimo Santini; Carlo Schweiger; Luigi Tavazzi; Gianni Tognoni; Corrado Tucci; Franco Valagussa Journal: Circulation Date: 2002-04-23 Impact factor: 29.690
Authors: Eliseo Guallar; M Inmaculada Sanz-Gallardo; Pieter van't Veer; Peter Bode; Antti Aro; Jorge Gómez-Aracena; Jeremy D Kark; Rudolph A Riemersma; José M Martín-Moreno; Frans J Kok Journal: N Engl J Med Date: 2002-11-28 Impact factor: 91.245
Authors: Frank Thies; Jennifer M C Garry; Parveen Yaqoob; Kittipan Rerkasem; Jennifer Williams; Cliff P Shearman; Patrick J Gallagher; Philip C Calder; Robert F Grimble Journal: Lancet Date: 2003-02-08 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: M L Burr; P A L Ashfield-Watt; F D J Dunstan; A M Fehily; P Breay; T Ashton; P C Zotos; N A A Haboubi; P C Elwood Journal: Eur J Clin Nutr Date: 2003-02 Impact factor: 4.016
Authors: Martin D Rosenthal; Jayshil Patel; Kyle Staton; Robert G Martindale; Frederick A Moore; Gilbert R Upchurch Journal: Curr Gastroenterol Rep Date: 2018-08-04