In High Doses, Cardiologists Say This Heart-Healthy Supplement May Be Doing More Harm Than Good ...Saudi Arabia

In an ideal world, everyone would get all the nutrients they need through diet alone, and the multi-billion-dollar supplement industry wouldn’t even exist. Meeting all your nutrient needs is not only important for feeling your best, but also for lowering the risk of certain chronic health conditions.

Unfortunately, most people don’t get all their nutrient needs through food alone, and that’s where supplements come in to help fill the gap. For example, if you’re among the 95% of the U.S. population who don’t get enough fiber, you may choose to add a fiber supplement to your diet, such as a powder you can add to a smoothie or glass of water. Or if you don’t get enough calcium through your diet, you may choose to do your bones a favor and take a calcium supplement each day.

Some supplements are linked to lowering the risk of specific chronic health conditions. For example, one scientific study showed that taking a vitamin D supplement could lower the risk of dementia by a whopping 40%—key intel since vitamin D is the most common deficiency in the U.S.

While supplements can be beneficial in filling any gaps between diet and nutritional needs, cardiologists say that there’s one common supplement many people take for heart health that could be doing more harm than good.

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If you’re taking a fish oil supplement to support your cardiovascular health, you may want to rethink it. Dr. Jeremy Pollock, MD, FACC, a cardiologist at the University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, says that taking a fish oil supplement is useless at best and could even be dangerous.

“There has never been a clinical trial to show the benefits of an over-the-counter fish oil supplement. In fact, some data show that these supplements can be harmful,” Dr. Pollock says.

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This news may come as a surprise. After all, there’s a direct link between eating fish regularly and supporting heart health. Scientific research shows that regularly eating fish lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, and researchers believe that this is due to the food’s high omega-3 fatty acid content.

Dr. Pollock explains that most over-the-counter fish oil supplements are made mainly with saturated fat, which is actually harmful for heart health because a diet high in saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol, increasing the risk for heart disease and stroke.

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In fact, high doses of fish oil can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, a condition that occurs when the upper chambers of the heart beat irregularly. “We still don’t know why yet, and the risk seems to be small, but it’s important that you consult your cardiologist before taking any medicines or supplements that could affect your heart health,” Dr. Pollock says.

Dr. Frank Y. Han, MD, a cardiologist at OSF Healthcare, also acknowledges the connection between high doses of fish oil and atrial fibrillation, but says that the reason for the connection is still unknown. “It’s thought to be through the fish oil changing the cell membrane structure and ion channel behavior," he says. Dr. Han says consuming too much fish oil can also cause gastrointestinal distress, changes in blood parameters and increase the risk of bleeding.

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A Safer Way To Get Enough Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Instead of taking a fish oil supplement, Dr. Pollock says to ask your cardiologist for a prescription omega-3 fatty acid purified EPA (icosapent ethyl) medication, after discussing if you need it in the first place. “Omega-3 fatty acid purified EPA (icosapent ethyl) is beneficial in prescription strength only and is most often used in combination with statins, or cholesterol-lowering medications, to help lower cardiovascular risk,” he says. In other words, if you don’t have high cholesterol, you likely don’t need to be taking it.

Another safe way to get enough omega-3s is to eat fish instead of taking a fish oil supplement. While it is generally considered safe to eat fish more than once a week, eating it every day does increase the risk of mercury exposure, which is something to be aware of. 

There are other ways to consume omega-3 fatty acids besides eating fish, too. Flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts and hemp seeds all contain omega-3 fatty acids. 

If you have any questions about how to best support your heart through diet or supplements, reach out to a registered dietitian or your healthcare provider. 

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