Study Disputes Heart Benefit for Fish Oil

Taking fish oil pills doesn’t reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke or death, a new review of earlier research finds. The review combined results of 20 studies. They included nearly 69,000 people. Most had a prior heart attack, stroke or other form of heart and artery disease. In 18 studies, people were randomly divided into 2 groups. One group took pills containing omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil. The other group took placebo (fake) pills. Overall, rates of heart attack, heart-related death and sudden death were 9% to 13% lower than for people who got placebo pills. But those differences were small enough to be caused by chance. Rates of stroke and all deaths were similar in both groups. In 2 other studies, some people were urged to eat more fatty fish. One study found a benefit from this. The other did not.