Dr Amir Khan, who regularly appears on ITV’s This Morning spoke out after research on 400,000 UK patients
A TV doctor has spoken out after research showed people taking fish oil supplements might be more at risk of developing a serious health problem. Dr Amir Khan, who regularly appears on ITV’s This Morning and Lorraine asked if people should stop taking the pills – with about 20 million in the UK thought to be taking them.
Fish oil is a rich source of omega 3 fatty acids, and as such, is recommended as a dietary preventive to ward off the development of cardiovascular disease. New research suggested that taking these supplements may increase your risk of a stroke or atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm) if you do not already have heart or circulatory disease.
The study of over 400,000 British people published in BMJ Medicin e, which was carried out by researchers from Sun Yat-Sen University in China. Nearly a third (130,365; 31.5%) of the participants said they regularly used fish oil supplements.
The researchers looked at data over an average of 12 years to see how fish oil supplements affected the progression of heart and circulatory diseases in healthy people compared to those who had diagnosed heart conditions. They found healthy people who said they ‘regularly’ used fish oil supplements were 13 per cent more likely to develop atrial fibrillation compared to those who did not. They were also 5 per cent more likely to have a stroke.
However, for people with diagnosed heart conditions, the results suggested the supplement reduced the chance of having other heart issues.
Taking to Instagram Dr Khan said: “You may well have seen the headline saying fish oil causes atrial fibrillation. So, should we all stop taking our omega-3 supplements? Well, the answer is a bit more complicated than that. Now, a large UK study followed over 400,000 people for around 12 years and found that people who regularly took fish oil supplements were slightly more likely to develop atrial fibrillation or AF, which is an irregular heart rhythm.
“The increase was about 13%. But here’s the important bit. The study only showed an association. It didn’t prove that fish oil caused AF. The researchers didn’t know what dose people were taking, what type of fish oil they were using, or even whether they continued taking it throughout the study. However, this wasn’t the first study to raise these concerns. “
Dr Khan said that in large randomised control trials, scientists found ‘a consistent signal’ that higher dose fish oil supplements may increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. He said: “Several analyses have shown around a 25% increase in relative risk overall and the risk seems to rise as the dose goes up. Now, in fact, the strongest signal is seen with prescription-strength omega-3 products, often around 2 to four grams a day. Some studies suggest that for every extra gram of omega-3 the AF risk rises further.
“Now European reg regulators now recognise a dose-dependent AF risk with the highest risk seen at about 4g a day.”
But there is no need to panic, he explained, because for most people there isn’t a problem and the overall risk increase is not big. He said: “Let’s just put that into perspective. The absolute increase in risk is quite small. And importantly, most of the concern relates to highdose marine omega-3 supplements, EPA and DHA, the types found in fish oil capsules and prescription products. The evidence for a standard over-the-counter capsule is much less clear.
“And here where it is where it gets really interesting. We don’t see the same signal with omega-3 rich foods. Eating oily fish is still recommended as part of a healthy balanced diet. In fact, some studies looked at blood omega-3 levels and have found lower rates of atrial fibrillation in people with higher natural omega-3 status.“
“My take-home message is this. If you’re taking a fish oil supplement because you think it’s a magic bullet for your heart health, the evidence really isn’t there. If you’re taking highdose omega-3 under medical supervision for a specific reason, that’s a different conversation because there may be benefits that outweigh any risks and you should discuss that with whoever’s prescribed it for you. But for most people, you’re probably better off getting your omega-3 from food. Oily fish if you eat fish, plants if you eat plants like I do, walnuts, flax seeds, and chia seeds. I love them. As always, the headline is much simpler than the science.”
When it comes to heart health, there is no magic pill, he added. “The strongest evidence still supports focusing on your overall lifestyle: eating a healthy balanced diet, staying active, getting enough sleep, not smoking, and managing conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
“And if you’re looking for omega-3s, a Mediterranean-style diet that includes oily fish remains one of the best-supported approaches for reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.”
