By Ernie Mundell
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Nov. 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Millions of individuals take a fish oil or vitamin D complement in hopes of keeping off a number of ills. But a brand new examine finds the vitamins will not defend in opposition to the widespread and potential coronary heart rhythm dysfunction often called atrial fibrillation.
"A-fib" impacts about 2.7 million Americans and may result in problems comparable to blood clots, stroke and even coronary heart failure. The danger of a-fib will increase with age, hypertension and heavy ingesting, and could also be extra widespread in some households.
The examine outcomes "do not support using marine omega-3 fatty acids or vitamin D to prevent atrial fibrillation," stated lead creator Dr. Christine Albert. She's founding chair within the Department of Cardiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Smidt Heart Institute in Los Angeles.
On the opposite hand, "the results do provide reassurance that these supplements do not increase the overall risk of atrial fibrillation and appear to be generally safe for patients who are taking these supplements for other reasons," Albert stated in a information launch from the American Heart Association.
Her workforce introduced the findings as we speak at this 12 months's digital annual AHA assembly.
According to the investigators, prior analysis hasn't supplied clear solutions on both the advantages or harms of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids when it got here to a-fib.
This five-year examine included greater than 25,000 adults, 50 and older, with no prior historical past of a-fib. It sought to find out whether or not vitamin D3 dietary supplements of 2000 IU/day or 840 mg/day of omega-3 fatty acids diminished the danger of creating the guts arrhythmia.
During the examine, 3.6% of contributors total did go on to develop a-fib. But there was no statistically important distinction in danger for a-fib between individuals who took the omega-3 fatty acid dietary supplements and/or vitamin D3 dietary supplements versus those that took a placebo.
Dr. Mitchell Weinberg is chair of cardiology at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. He wasn't concerned within the new analysis, however stated the findings got here as "little surprise."
Continued
Weinberg believes many individuals place an excessive amount of hope within the energy of dietary supplements to enhance their well being.
"The idea that taking more of a given vitamin will extend your life or confer significant added health benefits is very attractive to the health-conscious patient," he stated.
But, "while a variety of benefits have been attributed to these two supplements, the scientific evidence is not strong enough to support routine high-dose supplementation," Weinberg added.
"While vitamin D is important for bone health, the claim that vitamin D supplementation decreases the risk for heart disease, cancer and diabetes is not very convincing," he stated. "Similarly, the beliefs that omega-3 fatty acids decrease triglycerides, reduce inflammation and decrease mood-related disorders, are without sufficient evidence."
Weinberg's recommendation: "For now, patients should focus on eating healthy, exercising regularly and consistently following up with a health care professional."
Because the brand new findings have been introduced at a medical assembly, they need to be thought-about preliminary till revealed in a peer-reviewed journal.
More data
For extra on a-fib, go to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
SOURCES: Mitchell D. Weinberg, MD, chair, Department of Cardiology, Staten Island University Hospital, New York City; American Heart Association, information launch, Nov. 13, 2020
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