Fish Oil Exerts Beneficial Effects on Heart Rate

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil enjoys a four-decade long history of scientific evidence attesting to its capacity to beneficially impact heart health.  Heart rate variability, the variation in the time interval between heartbeats, is considered to be a predictor of risk of death following heart attack.  Wei Xin, from the Chinese PLA General Hospital (China), and colleagues completed an analysis of pooled data from 15 randomized clinical trials of fish oil on heart rate variability.  The study authors report that: “Short-term fish-oil supplementation may favorably influence the frequency domain of heart rate variability, as indicated by an enhanced vagal tone, which may be an important mechanism underlying the antiarrhythmic and other clinical effects of fish oil.”