How do omega-3s affect the cardiovascular system?
Sue Brennan: Well, researchers have identified that EPA and DHA are important components of
the anti-inflammatory response. If we don’t have enough of those, then you have
more of a pro-inflammatory response, which can come from the omega 6s in our
diet. In terms of effect, how they came to realize that there may be some dietary
influences is the studies that were done in Eskimos in Greenland. The compared
those people’s diets, which were basically marine animals and fish—were high in
natural sources of omega 3s—to the Danish population, which had a higher
balance in their diet of omega 6s. The found that there was a much less incidence
of ischemic cardiovascular events—heart attacks and strokes. So that then brought
them to think, well, we need to do larger studies in men and women and those
have been done. And evidence has come forward that, in terms of our artery walls
and how the cell wall functions in response to arthoscloratic plaque being laid
down, that this can be decreased when there’s a good balance of the omega 3s in
the diet.
Transcription by:
Scribe4you Transcription Services