CCH Health Review
Ideas & Strategies to Improve Your Health
May 2005
Fish Oil May Reduce Risk of Fatal Irregular Heartbeat
An Italian study has revealed that that the supplemental fish oil may reduce the risk of sudden death from heartbeat irregularities (cardiac arrhythmia).
The study included 11,323 patients who had suffered a heart attack within the previous 3 months. All of the patients received the same preventive care and ate Mediterranean-style diets rich in fruits, vegetables, olive oil and fish. But some patients also consumed 1 gram of the fish oil supplements per day.
"Reduction of sudden death appeared early after start of treatment….This seems to support the idea that (the benefits of fish oil) could be due to its anti-arryhythmia effect," the lead researcher said. Patients who took the fish oil supplements appeared to be at a 41% lower risk of death from any cause after only 3 months of treatment with fish oil.
After 4 months of treatment, these patients also appeared to be at a significantly reduced risk of sudden cardiac death. And by the end of the 3.5 year study period, patients treated with fish oil supplements were 45% less likely to die suddenly from any heart-related cause.
"One capsule of a fish oil concentrate daily for 3.5 years resulted in a very significant reduction in sudden cardiac death. Thus, a simple and safe change in diet can potentially produce a large public health benefit," said Dr. Alexander Leaf of Harvard Medical School, who commented on the study.
"Individuals who have known coronary heart disease or a family history of coronary heart disease among immediate relatives would be prudent to heed the recent advice of the American Heart Association to eat two or more meals of oily fish per week or take a daily supplement of fish oil capsules," Leaf said.
You can obtain the highest quality fish oil capsules from our online store.
Source: Marchioli R et al, Early protection against sudden death by n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids after myocardial infarction: time-course analysis of the results of the Gruppo Italiano per lo Studio della Sopravvivenza nell'Infarto Miocardico (GISSI)-Prevenzione, Circulation. 2002 Apr 23;105(16):1897-903
New Fibromyalgia Treatment Information
Fibromyalgia is a pain disorder that affects muscles and soft tissues such as tendons and ligaments. It is ten times more common in women than men. We have just put up a web page that tells you about and gives you treatment options for Fibromyalgia.
Hidden Risk of Bone Fracture
Postmenopausal women may unknowingly have bone loss great enough to put them at short-term risk of bone fracture. This was the startling conclusion of a study of over 200,000 women over age 50 who did not have a previous diagnosis of osteoporosis.
Bone scans revealed that 40% of the women had lost bone density while an additional 7% had advanced bone loss (osteoporosis). The women were followed up a year later to see how many broke bones. The fracture rate in women with low bone density was nearly double that of normal women, and four times higher in women with osteoporosis. In addition, at the start of the study, 11% of women reported they had already had at least one fracture since age 45.
If you’re a middle-aged woman or older, we urge you to come in for an assessment of your risk. You can also get more information from our Osteoporosis web page.
Source: Siris, ES et al, Identification and fracture outcomes of undiagnosed low bone mineral density in postmenopausal women: results from the National Osteoporosis Risk Assessment, JAMA. 2001 Dec 12;286(22):2815-22
Hair Dye Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis
Use of hair dyes for more than 20 years was identified as one of the co-factors leading to a doubling of risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis, according to a study conducted by Linkoping University in Sweden. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks your joints, causing swelling and tissue damage. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unclear, although some think viral infection, poor lifestyle and dietary habits, or genetic predisposition are possible contributors.
It now appears that environmental chemicals and other pollutants should also be considered. The application of a chemical to any part of your body represents a potential health risk. So why not enjoy the natural color of your hair? You’ll be healthier for it!
To learn more about rheumatoid arthritis, please visit our Rheumatoid Arthritis web page.
Source: Reckner Olsson A et al, Comorbidity and lifestyle, reproductive factors, and environmental exposures associated with rheumatoid arthritis, Ann Rheum Dis. 2001 Oct;60(10):934-9
