Omega-3s linked to 50% increased risk of atrial fibrillation

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Omega-3 supplements are widely touted for their blood-thinning effects, making them useful for preventing heart disease. But the research is controversial, with some studies showing that supplements have little effect on heart disease risk.

A new study has raised questions about the safety of the pill at higher doses. According to the results, high doses of omega-3 can increase the risk of AF by 50 percent.

The results showed that patients who are prescribed higher doses may be exposed to a potential risk of AF.

The meta-analysis included seven large-scale randomized clinical trials of marine omega-3 fatty acids. Four trials tested relatively low doses of marine omega-3s, and another three tested high doses of omega-3s.

In total, the trials included more than 81,000 participants and found that the risk of AF increased 1.25 times with omega-3.

“Lower doses have been tested in trials and have not shown a significant increase in AF in individuals. In the high-dose trials, the risk was 49 to 50 percent. In a dose-response gradient analysis, for each one-gram increase in omega-3 intake, the risk of AF increased by 11 percent—a highly significant interaction.”

The study also found evidence that higher doses of omega-3 were more are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease by about nine percent.

More research is needed to clarify the risks of taking omega-3 supplements, how they may vary by form or dose, or how they fit into the benefit/risk balance.

AF increases the risk of stroke fivefold, according to the Stroke Association.