(We should also point out that there is equally compelling research documenting the positive effect of omega-3s on the brain as well,35 but because this is a book on cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, we’ll focus on the heart.) More than thirty years ago, scientists began to notice very low rates of cardiovascular disease among Greenland Eskimos compared to age- and sex-matched Danish control subjects. Shortly afterward, they were able to link these low rates of heart disease to high consumption of omega-3s in the Greenland diet.36 This discovery triggered an enormous amount of research on the role of fish oil in preventing heart disease. (On the day of writing this—December 7, 2011—a National Library of Medicine search for the term “omega-3 fatty acids cardiovascular” produced 2,524 citations.) One recent review of omega-3s and cardiovascular disease by Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, concluded that omega-3 consumption “lowers plasma triglycerides, resting heart rate, and blood pressure and might also improve myocardial filling and efficiency, lower inflammation, and improve vascular function.”37 Mozaffarian also noted that the benefits of omega-3s seem most consistent for coronary heart disease mortality and sudden cardiac death.
What do You think about The Great Cholesterol Myth?
