WEDNESDAY, October 13, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Long-term marine omega-3 supplementation is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), according to a study published online on October 6 in Circulation.

Baris Gencer, MD, MPH, University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland, and colleagues conducted a systematic review of the literature to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of marine omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes. The meta-analysis included seven trials (81,210 patients).

The researchers reported that nearly three-quarters of the participants (72.6%) were enrolled in trials testing ≤1 g / day and 27.4% in trials testing> 1 g / day of omega-3 fatty acids. The average age of participants was 65, with 39 percent female and an average follow-up of 4.9 years. The meta-analysis showed that the use of marine omega-3 fatty acid supplements was associated with an increased risk of AF (2,905; risk report [HR], 1.25), the risk being higher in trials testing> 1 g / day (HR, 1.49) compared to those testing ≤ 1 g / day (HR, 1.12).

“Since the benefit of omega-3 fatty acids also appears to be dose dependent, the associated risk of AF must be weighed against the benefit on atherosclerotic cardiovascular outcomes,” the authors write.

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