It turns out that most of us get plenty of omega 6's & omega 9's in our Westernized & Americanized diet. It's the omega 3's that we're lacking. But just because omega 6 & 9 are polyunsaturated, shouldn't they be good for us? Well, the devil is in the details.In a randomized controlled trial published last week in the British Medical Journal , substitution of omega 6 linoleic acid for saturated fats did nothing to lower heart disease rates. If anything, this most abundant polyunsaturated fat increased all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease & cardiovascular disease.
In the study, 458 men 30-59yo who'd suffered a cardiac event were randomized in a single blind, parallel group controlled trial in which half were given omega 6 linoleic acid eg safflower oil & safflower derived margarine, to substitute for typical dietary saturated fats, eg animal fats, common margarines & shortening. Those randomized to control received no specific instruction or food. All were followed for up to 5yrs. Yet, those randomized to omega 6 linoleic acid had a 62% greater risk of all-cause mortality, 70% greater risk of cardiovascular disease & 74% greater risk of coronary heart disease.
Obviously this study needs to be replicated in a larger trial with participants w/o known heart disease to represent the greater population as a whole. But for now, it's pretty clear that not all omega fatty acids are created equal. Omega 3 fish oil is much safer than omega 6 linoleic acid, at least if you've recently had a coronary event. Follow @alvinblin |
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