From The May 2001 Issue of Nutrition Science News

Fish Oil Risks Minimal

Concern over whether the oxidation risks of fish oil outweigh its cardiovascular benefits were put to rest in a study by the Department of Nutrition and Food Management at Oregon State University, published in the March issue of the Journal of Lipids Research. In the study of postmenopausal women—whose leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease—15 subjects on hormone replacement therapy were randomly given 15 g of soft gels containing safflower oil (SA, 10.5 g linoleic acid), sunflower oil (SU, 12.3 g oleic acid), or fish oil (FO, 2.0 g EPA, 1.4 g DHA/day). Each subject supplemented for five weeks, followed by a seven-week washout period. Vitamin E contents were equal.

Various analyses related to ex vivo LDL oxidation showed little difference between FO and SA. Despite alpha-tocopherol being depleted more rapidly in the FO group, the total amount of hydroperoxides formed was not greater than SA. This suggests FO may offer a cardioprotective benefit for postmenopausal women without an increased risk of oxidative stress.