Combining 21 trials evaluating lipid outcomes , fish oil consumption result ed in a summary net change in triglycerides of -27 ( 95 % CI -33 , -20)mg/dL , in HDL cholesterol of + 1.6 ( 95 % CI + 0.8 , + 2.3)mg/dL , and in LDL cholesterol of + 6 ( 95 % CI + 3 , + 8)mg/dL. There was no effect of fish oil on total cholesterol .
Across studies , higher fish oil dose and higher baseline levels were associated with greater reductions in serum triglycerides .
The evidence supports a dose-dependent beneficial effect of fish oil on serum triglycerides , particularly among people with more elevated levels .
Fish oil consumption also modestly improves HDL cholesterol , increases LDL cholesterol levels , but does not appear to adversely affect glucose homeostasis .
The evidence regarding the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on hs-CRP is inconclusive , as are data on ALA
Greater fish oil consumption has been associated with reduced CVD risk , although the mechanisms are unclear .
Plant- source oil omega-3 fatty acids ( ALA ) have also been studied regarding their cardiovascular effect .
Influence of supplementation with N-3 fatty acids on different coronary risk factors in men--a placebo controlled study.
Recent epidemiological studies have shown some beneficial health effects of the long chain ( n-3 ) polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fatty fish . Although the results of these studies are often ambiguous and inconclusive , they have prompted many intervention trials to study the effects of n-3 fatty acids ( FA ) on the cardiovascular risk profile . However screening of the literature revealed that many of the beneficial effects of fish ( oil ) were obtained in intervention studies which had several serious shortcomings in their design . Therefore we started a placebo controlled r and omised trial with increasing doses of n-3FA ( respectively 0 ; 1.12 ; 2.24 and 3.37 g n-3 FA/day ) and in order to have a maximum compliance this study was done in healthy monks . Fifty eight subjects took the fish oil capsules during 12 months and were thereafter followed for another 6 months . We could n't detect any effect of n-3 FA supplementation on total cholesterol , HDL cholesterol , LDL cholesterol , apo A1 , Lp(a ) , HbA1C , glucose , fibrinogen , factor VIII , antithrombin III , plasminogen activator inhibitor , tissue plasminogen activator and von Willebr and factor concentration , on bleeding time or on systolic or diastolic blood pressure . A pronounced significant dose dependent decrease of triglyceride levels was seen , while a slight but statistical significant decrease of apo B levels was observed in the highest fish oil dose . As the importance of triglycerides in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis is still under discussion , the clinical relevance of these finding is not clear at the moment . It seems therefore improbable that the anti-atherosclerotic action of n-3 FA is due to an effect on the lipid , apoprotein , coagulation or fibrinolysis parameters as measured in our study . Hence further research must be focused on other parameters ( prostagl and ins ) which can be influenced by n-3 FA and which probably play an equally important role in the atherosclerotic process
Combining 21 trials evaluating lipid outcomes , fish oil consumption result ed in a summary net change in triglycerides of -27 ( 95 % CI -33 , -20)mg/dL , in HDL cholesterol of + 1.6 ( 95 % CI + 0.8 , + 2.3)mg/dL , and in LDL cholesterol of + 6 ( 95 % CI + 3 , + 8)mg/dL. There was no effect of fish oil on total cholesterol .
Across studies , higher fish oil dose and higher baseline levels were associated with greater reductions in serum triglycerides .
The evidence supports a dose-dependent beneficial effect of fish oil on serum triglycerides , particularly among people with more elevated levels .
Fish oil consumption also modestly improves HDL cholesterol , increases LDL cholesterol levels , but does not appear to adversely affect glucose homeostasis .
The evidence regarding the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on hs-CRP is inconclusive , as are data on ALA
Greater fish oil consumption has been associated with reduced CVD risk , although the mechanisms are unclear .
Plant- source oil omega-3 fatty acids ( ALA ) have also been studied regarding their cardiovascular effect .