Dietary Supplementation with Anti-Inflammatory Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Cardiovascular Protection: Help or Hoax?

Authors

  • Y. Robert Li Department of Pharmacology, Campbell University Medical School, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA; Department of Biology, University of North Carolina College of Arts and Sciences, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA; Virginia Tech‒Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
  • Zhenquan Jia Department of Pharmacology, Campbell University Medical School, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Campbell University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA; Department of Biology, University of North Carolina College of Arts and Sciences, Greensboro, NC 27412, USA
  • Hong Zhu Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Campbell University Medical School, Buies Creek, NC 27506, USA

Keywords:

Antiinflammation; Antioxidant; Cardiotoxicity; Cardiovascular disease; Doxorubicin; n-3 Fatty acids; Omega-3 fatty acids

Abstract

Dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, also known as n-3 fatty acids, has been widely considered cardiovascular protective in the general human population. This widely acclaimed status of omega-3 fatty acids as cardiovascular protective molecules has, however, been questioned by findings from multiple rigorously designed randomized controlled trials, recently reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. Although the anti-inflammatory and other beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids are substantiated by research in experimental models as well as findings from observational epidemiological studies, dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids at the typical dosage of 1 g daily does not appear to be an effective strategy for either primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in humans.

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Published

2019-03-01

How to Cite

Li, Y. R., Jia, Z., & Zhu, H. (2019). Dietary Supplementation with Anti-Inflammatory Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Cardiovascular Protection: Help or Hoax?. Reactive Oxygen Species, 7(20), 78–85. Retrieved from https://rosj.org/index.php/ros/article/view/199

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 20 (2019)

Section

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

License

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