Title |
Recent findings on the health effects of omega-3 fatty acids and statins, and their interactions: do statins inhibit omega-3?
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Published in |
BMC Medicine, January 2013
|
DOI | 10.1186/1741-7015-11-5 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Michel de Lorgeril, Patricia Salen, Pascal Defaye, Mikael Rabaeus |
Abstract |
Early randomized controlled trials (RCTs) demonstrated the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3), whereas recent RCTs were negative. We now address the issue, focusing on the temporal changes having occurred: most patients in recent RCTs are no longer n-3 deficient and the vast majority are now treated with statins. Recent RCTs testing n-3 against arrhythmias suggest that n-3 reduce the risk only in patients not taking a statin. Other recent RCTs in secondary prevention were negative although, in a post-hoc analysis separating statin users and non-users, non-significant protection of n-3 was observed among statin non-users whereas statin users had no effect. Recent RCTs testing statins - after the implementation of the New Clinical Trial Regulation in 2007 - are negative (or flawed) suggesting that the lack of effect of n-3 cannot be attributed to a parallel protection by statins. Finally, statins favor the metabolism of omega-6 fatty acids (n-6), which in turn inhibits n-3 and, contrary to n-3, they increase insulin resistance and the risk of diabetes. Thus, n-3 and statins are counteractive at several levels and statins appear to inhibit n-3. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
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United Kingdom | 9 | 21% |
United States | 6 | 14% |
Canada | 5 | 12% |
Australia | 3 | 7% |
Spain | 3 | 7% |
Côte d'Ivoire | 1 | 2% |
Finland | 1 | 2% |
Sweden | 1 | 2% |
France | 1 | 2% |
Other | 1 | 2% |
Unknown | 12 | 28% |
Demographic breakdown
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Members of the public | 28 | 65% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 13 | 30% |
Scientists | 2 | 5% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 1 | 1% |
Brazil | 1 | 1% |
Unknown | 88 | 98% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Bachelor | 17 | 19% |
Other | 12 | 13% |
Student > Master | 10 | 11% |
Researcher | 8 | 9% |
Student > Postgraduate | 7 | 8% |
Other | 21 | 23% |
Unknown | 15 | 17% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Medicine and Dentistry | 38 | 42% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 8 | 9% |
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 7 | 8% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 7 | 8% |
Social Sciences | 2 | 2% |
Other | 9 | 10% |
Unknown | 19 | 21% |