A meta-analysis on the clinical benefits of fish oil supplementation in patients with hyperlipidaemia
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It is widely established that fish oils are a useful supplement in order to decrease fasting blood triglycerides in subjects presenting with hyperlipidaemia. This meta-analysis was based on a systematic literature search using several electronic databases supplemented by manual searches of published reference lists, review articles and conference abstracts. The analysis aimed to evaluate quantitatively all randomized trials of fish oils performed in hyperlipidaemic patients. Pooled data from 47 placebo-controlled studies with parallel-group designs were used. The results show that fish oil supplementation in otherwise untreated patients was associated with a significant reduction in triglycerides, no change in total cholesterol, and very light increases in both HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, the reduction of triglycerides correlating with both EPA+DHA intake and initial triglyceride levels. Fish oil supplementation produces a clinically significant dose-dependent reduction of fasting blood triglycerides (on average reducing triglyceride levels by -0.34 mmol/L over an average period of 24 weeks) with no parallel reduction in total, HDL or LDL cholesterol in hyperlipidaemic patients.
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