Heart Beat: Slow down for fish

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Heart Beat: Slow down for fish

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Heart Beat

Slow down for fish

The omega-3 fats found in cold-water fish like salmon and the oils extracted from them protect the heart in several ways. They prevent the heart from lapsing into potentially deadly erratic rhythms, make platelets less sticky and so less likely to form dangerous clots in the bloodstream, and lower blood levels of triglycerides. An analysis of 30 controlled trials of fish oil supplements shows that they may also slow the heart rate a few beats per minute. The report, which appeared in the Sept. 27, 2005, Circulation, lends support to the idea that fish oils influence the heart's underlying electrical system. Higher heart rates are linked with higher risk of sudden death, so slowing the heart rate may be another way that fish oils protect the heart.

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Last updated:	September 05, 2008

Medical content reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School. Harvard Health Publications, Copyright © 2007 by President and Fellows of Harvard College. All rights reserved. Used with permission of StayWell.

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