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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Reduce Blood Pressure
Copyright Reuters
June 5, 2007
Cnn.com
DALLAS, Texas (Reuters) -- A diet with liberal servings of
fish, nuts and seeds rich in nutrients called omega-3 fatty acids can
help lower a person's blood pressure, according to a study released
Monday.
"A large percentage of people between ages 20 and 60 have
a rise in blood pressure, and by middle age many have high blood
pressure," said Dr. Jeremiah Stamler, professor emeritus of preventive
medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, who worked on
the study.
"We're looking at dietary factors that may help
prevent that rise, and omega-3 fatty acids are a small, but important
piece of the action," Stamler said.
The study looked at diet and
its relation to blood pressure in 4,680 men and women, ages 40 to 59,
who lived in Japan, China, Britain and the United States.
They
all provided in-depth details about their diets and alcohol
consumption, gave urine samples and had their blood pressure measured
twice at each of four study visits.
Researchers then adjusted for
17 variables known to influence blood pressure such as age, gender,
weight, salt intake and exercise.
The people who ate diets rich
in omega-3 fatty acids had slightly lower blood pressure, on average,
than people who ate diets with less of the nutrient, the researchers
reported in the American Heart Association Journal Circulation.
"With
blood pressure, every millimeter counts. The effect of each nutrient is
apparently small but independent, so together they can add up to a
substantial impact on blood pressure," said Dr. Hirotsugu Ueshima of
Shiga University of Medical Science in Otsu, Japan.
"If you can
reduce blood pressure a few millimeters from eating less salt, losing a
few pounds, avoiding heavy drinking, eating more vegetables, whole
grains and fruits (for their fiber, minerals, vegetable protein and
other nutrients) and getting more omega-3 fatty acids, then you've made
a big difference," Ueshima said in a statement.
When it comes to
omega-3 fatty acids, not all fish or nuts are equal. Fatty fish such as
trout, salmon and mackerel are rich in this crucial group of nutrients.
Walnuts,
flaxseed and canola oil are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids
and people who got their omega-3s from these sources had just as much
benefit as those who get them by eating fish, the study found.
Omega-3 fatty acid intake has also been linked to better brain development and a lower overall risk of cancer and heart disease.
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