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Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 "In terms of primary prevention, we still don't have the answer, and the conclusion of the panel was that additional studies were needed before making recommendations to the general public," said Dr. Eliseo Guallar, associate professor of epidemiology and medicine at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a member of the panel.
Those studies, which would be expensive, haven't been started yet, Guallar said. "And even if they were done, we wouldn't know the results for five, six, seven years from today," he said.
There's no question about the value of the omega 3 in fish oil for people with existing heart problems, Guallar said. One study of people who suffered heart attacks showed that taking 850 milligrams of fish oil a day substantially reduced their risk of sudden death, he said.
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But while fish oils are "most promising for primary prevention" in people without heart disease, "we still don't know for sure," he said. Still, he endorses the American Heart Association's recommendation of eating at least two fish meals a week.
The heart association also recommends consumption of plants such as soybeans, canola and flaxseed, which contain a different version of omega 3 oils.
Alice R. Lichtenstein, professor of public health and family medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine and vice chair of the heart association's nutrition committee, isn't so sure about the plant part of the recommendation. It's not certain that the omega 3 in plants has the same benefits as the fishy kind, she said.
And even when it comes to fish consumption, "the jury is still out," Lichtenstein said. Nevertheless, eating fish is a good idea, in part because it keeps that much fatty meat out of the diet, she said, adding, that "the secondary benefit of what you don't eat supports moderate fish consumption."
But be careful about what kind of fish you eat, Lichtenstein added. Not all fish are rich in omega 3, and some commercial fish products are fried, which takes away a lot of the benefit, she said.
Mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are good sources of omega 3, according to the heart association.
More information
Here's what the American Heart Association (www.americanheart.org ) has to say about omega 3 fatty acids.
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