Fish Oil and Heart Disease

Heart diseases rates in the United States are staggering even in this day and age when scientific advancements and medical innovations have led to better treatment of most diseases. According to surveys done by cardiovascular health organizations, the number of people who suffer from heart disease in the United States has reached up to 80,000 victims in the country in the year 2006 alone.

Because of the persistence of factors such as unhealthy food options as well as high-stress environments, more and more people are becoming prone to diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, and other diseases. Studies have discovered, however, that there is a link between fish oil and heart disease prevention.

According to studies conducted by the American Journal of Health Pharmacy, one of the leading factors that cause heart disease is the presence of high levels of dangerous fats in the body, such as triglycerides which lead to an increase in the deterioration of coronary health. A study was henceforth conducted with test subjects given doses of one gram of fish oil each day, and the results showed a significant reduction in the triglyceride levels found in the body.

The end results of the tests showed that the people who took in fish oil along with their regular diet had up to 29 % decrease in the probability of acquiring health illnesses such as strokes, leading to greater evidence supporting the link between fish oil and heart disease prevention.

Other major researches were conducted on the health benefits of fish oil in the prevention of heart disease. The results on a study which lasted over five years and which utilized 18,000 patients who were diagnosed as having unhealthy cholesterol levels as well as high likelihood for heart disease showed that those who were given as little as less than two grams of fish oil each day had significantly less heart disease complications in the course of the five year study, and even afterwards for those patients who continued the fish oil treatment.

Today, heart disease is one of the most common causes of non-accidental deaths in the country, which means that billions of dollars are saved each year when more efficient and cheap treatments against the disease is put into action.

Fish oil and heart disease, however, is not the only instances where the substance has been found to have favorable results. In general, the primary health-giving ingredient in fish oil is omega-3 fatty acids. These acids have shown that improvement on the heart was also accompanied by increased mental alertness, focus, as well as proving to be a viable treatment against other mental diseases such as ADHD and aggression caused by bipolar disorder. Aside from this, the substance has been also identified as a possible solution to other health problems such as arthritis.

There are many food stuffs which are rich in fish oil. Among the list are sardines, tuna, and mackerel. Other sea foods also have their share of fish oil, however, these are in smaller quantities. For the best results, however, fish oil and heart disease prevention should include supplements that provide larger doses similar to those used in clinical studies. Most fish oil pills and supplements are available in capsule form.