[PHNUTR-L] Fish oil prevents potentially deadly decline in heart rate variability in elderly

[Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD]

Colleagues, the following is FYI and does not necessarily reflect my own
opinion. I have no further knowledge of the topic. If you do not wish to
receive these posts, set your email filter to filter out any messages
coming from   @nutritionucanlivewith.com    and the program will remove
anything coming from me.
---------------------------------------------------------
Public release date: 15-Dec-2005
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-12/ats-fop121405.php

Contact: Suzy Martin
smartin at thoracic.org
212-315-8631
American Thoracic Society

Fish oil prevents potentially deadly decline in heart rate variability

A two-gram fish oil supplement given daily to elderly persons prevented 
a decline in heart rate variability caused by tiny, dangerous airborne 
pollutant particles. Heart rate variability, a measure of the autonomic 
nervous system's regulation of the heart, is an independent risk factor 
for cardiac arrhythmias, heart attack or sudden death.

These findings appeared in the second issue of the December 2005 
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by 
the American Thoracic Society.

Fernando Holguin, M.D., of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, and eight associates provided fish oil 
supplements to 26 residents of a nursing home in Mexico City. A control 
group of 24 residents was given soy oil supplements. The participants' 
average age ranged from 81 to 83 years old.

"In this randomized controlled trial, fish oil supplementation prevented 
the reduction in heart rate variability associated with the same-day 
exposure to indoor particulate matter," said Dr. Holguin. "In contrast, 
soy oil, our comparison supplementation of plant-derived polyunsaturated 
fatty acids, was associated with a marginal, nonsignificant protection 
from the effects of particulate matter on heart rate variability."

"Fish oil as a source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids could be 
considered as a potential form of preventive measure to reduce the risk 
of arrhythmia and sudden death in elderly subjects exposed to ambient 
air pollution," said Dr. Holguin.

In the study, the residents were exposed to tiny indoor air pollutant 
particles that had a dimension of 2.5 microns or less. All participants 
spent 92 percent of their time indoors.

The supplement study was conducted over six months. None of the patients 
suffered from cardiac arrhythmias, had a pacemaker or were being treated 
with oral anticoagulants.

Participants had their heart rate variability checked between 8 a.m. and 
1 p.m. on alternate weekdays. To ensure accurate measurement, the 
subjects lay flat on their back five minutes before starting the test. 
Each electronic analysis lasted 6 minutes as each participant rested.

Prior to the beginning of the study, all participants had a low intake 
of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The authors called for larger studies to confirm their results.
###
Contact: Fernando Holguin, M.D., 1600 Clifton Road N. E., MSE-17, 
Atlanta, GA 30333 Phone: (404) 498-1027 E-mail: fch5 at cdc.gov
-- 
Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD < fivestar at nutritionucanlivewith.com >
"Ask the Parkinson Dietitian"  http://www.parkinson.org/
"Eat well, stay well with Parkinson's disease"
"Parkinson's disease: Guidelines for Medical Nutrition Therapy"
http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/