Do Omega-3 Supplements Really Cut Heart Attack Risk?

A bottle of fish oil supplements — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

For people at high risk of heart disease, taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements does not appear to reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes, a new review study finds.

Previous research has found that people who regularly consume fish — which contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids — have a lower risk of death from heart disease. But other studies that looked at whether taking omega-3 fatty acid supplements could lower the risk of heart disease or stroke have had mixed results. Some found that taking these supplements, sometimes called fish oil supplements, lowers the risk of death from heart disease, while other studies have found no benefit.

The new review analyzed data from 10 studies involving a total of nearly 78,000 people. These participants were randomly assigned to take daily doses of omega-3 fatty acid supplements or a placebo for at least one year. All of the participants either had heart disease or had experienced a stroke, or were at high risk for these conditions. Specifically, about two-thirds of the participants had heart disease, 30 percent had experienced a stroke and 37 percent had diabetes, which increases the risk of heart disease. [9 New Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy]

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Rachael is a Live Science contributor, and was a former channel editor and senior writer for Live Science between 2010 and 2022. She has a master's degree in journalism from New York University's Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program. She also holds a B.S. in molecular biology and an M.S. in biology from the University of California, San Diego. Her work has appeared in Scienceline, The Washington Post and Scientific American.