Eating Fish Adds 2 Years to Your Life

0
1191

Sushi_1The link between Omega-3 and heart health is well-known, but now a new study looks at the direct link between fatty acids in the blood and death rates. Experts from the Harvard School of Public Health say regular eating of oily fish lowers the risk of early death and adds two years to life on average.

It’s a well-established fact that Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish and seafood, are good for the heart, reducing the risk of dying from a heart disease by up to 35 percent. But the direct effect on death from other causes has not been clear, according to leading study author, Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian. He and his colleagues at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston conducted a research on 2,7000 American older adults, aged 65 or over, and in good health. Analyzing health records data gathered for a period of 16 years, the researchers found a more complex connection between fatty acids and health. During the course of the study, the participants regularly gave blood samples and underwent diagnostic tests and physical examinations. They also answered surveys on their lifestyle, overall health and whole medical history.

Omega 3The results showed that adults with higher blood levels of all three types of Omega-3 fatty acids, individually or combined, were averagely 27 percent less likely to die early compared to those with the lowest levels. The experts point out that this wasn’t a study of fish oil supplements, it was a study of blood Omega-3 levels related to diet – none of the participants took supplements. This, Dr. Mozaffarian says, means that regular eating of oily fish such salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout and albacore tuna lowers the risk of death and extends life. To be more precise, eating oily fish adds an average of two years and ten weeks to your life.

According to study, the three types of Omega-3 fatty acids had different benefits to the health.

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) – it was linked to around a 40 percent lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease, especially arrhythmia.

DPA (docosapentaenoic acid) – this type was found to lower the risk of death from stroke and other deaths related to high blood pressure

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) – it appeared to lower the risk of non-fatal heart attacks

The study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine journal also found that Omega-3 fatty acids also lowered the risk of developing Alzheimer. Meanwhile, another study is searching for the link between Omega-3 and the growth of breast cancer. Don’t worry, if you are currently not a fish eater, the experts say. You will be able to help yourself and your health if you start eating fish two times a week. You can also get at least a part of these fatty acids from fish-extracted food supplements.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here