Study
Erythrocyte Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acid Levels are Inversely Associated with Mortality and with Incident Cardiovascular Disease: The Framingham Heart Study
Higher Omega-3 Index (EPA+DHA in red blood cells) was associated with 34% lower all-cause mortality and 39% lower cardiovascular risk, outperforming cholesterol as a mortality predictor.
Summary Are higher omega-3 levels in the blood linked to living longer? Show / hide ↓
Researchers followed 2,500 adults, averaging 66 years old, who did not have heart disease at the start. They measured the Omega-3 Index, the percentage of omega-3 fats in red blood cell membranes. After seven years, people with the highest levels had 34% fewer deaths overall and 39% fewer new heart and blood vessel problems than those with the lowest levels. These were associations, meaning the study cannot prove that omega-3 fats caused the better outcomes. The omega-3 measure was a better predictor than blood cholesterol in this analysis.
What this means for you: This does not show that buying omega-3 supplements will help you live longer. Eating fish and following an overall healthy diet may be reasonable, but this study alone is not a reason to start supplements or target a specific blood level.
moderate evidenceThe Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort (n=2,500, mean age 66, free of CVD at baseline) was followed for 7 years. The Omega-3 Index (EPA+DHA as percentage of red blood cell membrane fatty acids) was measured at baseline. Those in the highest quintile (above 6.8%) had 34% lower all-cause mortality (P for trend=0.02) and 39% lower incident CVD risk compared to the lowest quintile (under 4.2%). The strongest association was with non-CV, non-cancer deaths. When serum cholesterol was substituted for the Omega-3 Index in the same model, cholesterol was not significantly associated with any tracked outcome, while the Omega-3 Index was associated with 4 of 5 outcomes. The authors estimated that 1,300 mg/day of additional EPA+DHA would move an individual from the lowest to the highest quintile.
A higher Omega-3 Index was associated with reduced risk of both CVD and all-cause mortality.
Observational design cannot establish causation. The Omega-3 Index may be a marker of overall healthy behavior rather than a causal factor. The RCT evidence (REDUCE-IT, STRENGTH, VITAL) is more mixed.
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