Calgenex Cites Recent Study Showing Triglyceride Lowering Benefits of Omega-3s

12/02/07 Calgenex Corporation cites a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition further substantiating the American Heart Association's recommended cardio-protective dose of omega-3 fatty acids in the lowering of triglycerides in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

The study, conducted through Kaiser Permanente Colorado, involved 116 patients with coronary artery disease who had triglycerides greater than 200 mg/dL. Approximately 90 percent of the patients were taking statin drugs. Statins are the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. While statins have been shown to be effective at lowering levels of LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, they have not shown significant impact on levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol or triglycerides. Therefore, patients with CAD generally require a combination of a lipid lowering therapy, such as a statin along with a triglyceride-lowering agent. The current study supports the efficacy of Omega 3s as an all natural triglyceride lowering agent.

The study results reflected well for omega-3 fish oil products that contain the natural ratios of EPA to DHA with reference to heart health and the well known triglyceride lowering effect of omega-3s. The aim of the prospective, randomized, double blind study was to compare DHA to DHA + EPA in patients with CAD and triglycerides greater than 200 mg/dL.

Subjects were randomized to either 1000 mg of DHA or 1252 mg of DHA + EPA for eight weeks. A total of 116 subjects were enrolled; 57 in the DHA group and 59 in the DHA + EPA group. Baseline characteristics were similar between the groups.

In the study, triglycerides were lowered an average of 21.8 percent in the DHA only group and 18.3 percent in the DHA + EPA, leading the researchers to conclude that no significant difference in efficacy exists between DHA and DHA + EPA.