Hi Kris,

Try going to http://www.theheart.org.

You have to register, but registration is free.... Their online articles in
"Heartwire" are free, once you register... I routinely read their materials,
as well as the publications, both online and print editions, for information
that pertains to my cases, as well as diabetes....

There is also a French language version of this particular website....

Will, T2

For all of you having trouble following links out there, I am going to
borrow an idea from Susan, and post the article, rather than just a link

Omega-3 fatty acids: Small but important antihypertensive effect

           
Shiga, Japan - Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PFAs) from foods such as
fish, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils appear to have a small
antihypertensive effect, according to the first comprehensive
population-based study to look at this issue .
Dr Hirotsugu Ueshima (Shiga University, Japan) and colleagues conducted
INTERMAP, an international cross-sectional epidemiologic study, in almost
5000 men and women in China, Japan, the UK, and the US. They report their
findings online June 4, 2007 in Hypertension.
"A large percentage of people between the ages of 20 and 60 have a rise in
blood pressure, and by middle age many have high blood pressure. We're
looking at dietary factors that may help prevent that rise, and omega-3
fatty acids are a small but important piece of the action," says coauthor Dr
Jeremiah Stamler (Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University,
Chicago, IL) in an American Heart Association media release.
Japanese have highest consumption of omega-3 PFAs
The researchers explain that short-term studies had already indicated that
taking dietary supplements of omega-3 PFAs could lower blood pressure in
people with hypertension, but the impact of omega-3 PFAs in food and in
people without hypertension was previously unknown.
INTERMAP is a large study of lifestyle factors, particularly diet habits and
nutrients, and their influence on blood pressure in 4680 men and women, ages
40 to 59, living in 17 different areas of Japan, China, the UK, and the US,
constituting an ethnically diverse population from a variety of
socioeconomic backgrounds. All participants completed four in-depth 24-hour
dietary recalls and two timed 24-hour urine collections, supplied
information on their use of alcohol, dietary supplements, and medications,
and had their blood pressure measured twice at each of four study visits.
The amount of omega-3 PFAs in the diet for all 4680 participants was
calculated and found to average around 2.0 g per day. The researchers then
compared blood pressure in people consuming higher vs lower amounts of
omega-3 PFAs (about 0.7 percentage points higher as a percentage of their
daily calorie intake; about 1.9 grams per day higher).
Of the four countries studied, the people in Japan had the greatest intake
of omega-3 PFAs, both from vegetable sources and fish.
In general, the effect size of consuming more omega-3 PFAs was small. After
multivariate adjustment for factors such as age, gender, height, weight,
exercise, alcohol consumption, salt intake, and other dietary factors, diets
rich in omega-3 PFAs were associated with <1 mm Hg lower systolic and
diastolic blood pressures.
The effect size was larger for nonhypertensive people and for those not
reporting lifestyle modification (eg, special diet, use of nutritional
supplements), cardiovascular disease, or diabetes, or prescribed medication
for major chronic diseases.
But despite the effect being small, it is nevertheless important, say the
authors, citing studies that show that a decrease of 2 mm Hg of blood
pressure reduces the populationwide average death rate from stroke by an
estimated 6% and from coronary heart disease by 4%.
"With blood pressure, every millimeter counts. The effect of each nutrient
is apparently small but independent, so together they can add up to a
substantial impact on blood pressure," says Ueshima. "If you can reduce
blood pressure a few millimeters from eating less salt; losing a few pounds;
avoiding heavy drinking; eating more vegetables, whole grains, and fruits
and getting more omega-3 fatty acids, then you've made a big difference."
Vegetables and nuts just as important as fish
Ueshima et al say their data from INTERMAP on food omega-3 PFAs and blood
pressure "are concordant with results from meta-analyses of randomized
trials assessing whether omega-3 PFA supplements (mostly fish oils)
influence BP." In particular, "our data are similar qualitatively and
quantitatively in indicating a low-order favorable BP effect, including in
nonhypertensive persons," they note.
They also found that omega-3 PFAs from nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils—such
as walnuts and flaxseed—had just as much impact on blood pressure as omega-3
PFAs from fish sources.
The authors say people should increase their intake of unsalted, cooked fish
such as trout, mackerel, herring, and sardines and consume vegetable
products high in linolenic acid (an omega-3 PFA), such as unsalted walnuts,
flax seed, canola oil, and soy bean oil.
"We want to emphasize that you can get plenty of the omega-3 fatty acids by
eating modest portions with a reasonable amount of calories and fat,"
Stamler says.
And the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids may extend beyond blood-pressure
lowering, they add, noting that they have also been shown to favorably
influence dyslipidemia and have anticoagulant and antiarrhythmic effects.