Results of a Cochrane Review meta-analysis on omega-3s fatty acids and cardiovascular disease (CVD) were released last week.* The release has generated many news articles proclaiming that omega-3s do not help reduce CVD events and mortality so you may want to skip them altogether. Nordic Naturals has released a response to the Cochrane Review which we’ve uploaded for you here. It’s noted in the response that there have been many research studies that have concluded the opposite. We encourage you to read it for more information.
Meta-analyses can be a great resource but the studies have not controlled for the question at hand. It’s hard to evaluate them without digging deep into every study they analyzed and what population and controls were the basis for their conclusion. That said, we believe that there is NO silver bullet for disease prevention. Often, much of the media coverage on research studies try to imply that there IS a silver bullet and they’re happy to proclaim or debunk the current bullet. Health is always a combination of nutrition, activity level, genetics, and environmental factors. For disease prevention and overall health, you should always concentrate on those basics and supplement where your diet is lacking. It’s a known fact that omega-3 fatty acids are needed by your body in order to function. The best food source is low-mercury fatty fish. However, if you don’t eat a few servings of fish per week, then you should probably take a supplement. It’s that simple.
*A meta-analysis is a summary and conclusion based on previously-conducted studies, aimed at generating an average result. This meta-analysis was conducted by Cochrane whose research is aimed at making informed evidence-based decisions for better health. They do not accept commercial or conflicted funding.
Read the Nordic Naturals Response
About the Author
Kim Crabb
