Does omega-3 reduce cardiovascular disease? Comparing major trials REDUCE IT, VITAL, and STRENGTH

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Clinical trials evaluating whether supplemental omega-3s can achieve the same cardiovascular benefits as fish intake have yielded mixed results. Large clinical trials completed over the last two decades have produced mixed findings, possibly due to inconsistencies in trial design.

In the REDUCE-IT trial, participants took 4 grams of EPA (a prescription EPA-only formulation called icosapent ethyl) per day or placebo. After nearly five years, those taking the omega-3 had a 25 percent reduced rate of ischemic events, including cardiovascular death, than people taking the placebo. In contrast, a similar large trial, STRENGTH - which evaluated a free fatty acid formulation of EPA and DHA at 4 grams per day, was stopped early due to the unlikelihood of producing a favorable outcome.

Scientists have speculated why these similar trials have had such different findings. Some researchers suggest that the addition of DHA may negate the effects of EPA or that the high dose and pure formulation of EPA is the determining factor in the success of REDUCE-IT and the failure of STRENGTH. In this clip, Dr. Bill Harris describes the recent large clinical trials evaluating whether omega-3 decrease heart disease risk.

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