Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD) is responsible for numerous deaths in the U.S. and other countries around the world. It is not the same as a heart attack. A heart attack normally occurs when advanced atherosclerosis (clogging of the arteries) slowly starves the heart causing irreversible damage. The heart finally cannot function properly and stops. Sudden cardiac death occurs when the electrical impulses that control heart function become erratic resulting in an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). When the arrhythmia is severe enough the heart suddenly stops, starving the brain of needed blood. Death often follows quickly unless emergency care is administered immediately. Often sudden cardiac death occurs when no other heart disease is detected.
It has long been understood that eating fish can reduce the likelihood of heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases. The reason? Fish, especially cold-water fatty fish, is high in two omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). These two fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-3 has been shown to reduce the build-up of artery clogging atherosclerosis and keep blood platelets from sticking together thus reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke.
But more recent studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids also have an effect on the dangerous arrhythmias that can cause sudden cardiac death by regulating the impulses that control heart rhythm.
One study involved the use of mycocytes (cells that beat independently). By adding the free fatty acids to these cells arrhythmias were aborted. When the fatty acids were extracted from the mycocytes the arrhythmias would reoccur thus indicating that omega-3 fatty acids have a stabilizing effect on heart rhythm. The apparent mechanism for controlling rhythm involved cell ion channels, proteins that control the movement of sodium, calcium and potassium ions across the membrane of the cell.
Another study, conducted by Danish researchers, examined the relationship between heart rate variability and omega-3 fatty acids in healthy subjects. It had already been determined that heart arrhythmias could be positively impacted in patients who were recent heart attack victims. These researchers wanted to determine if people otherwise free of heart disease could gain the same arrhythmia controlling benefits from omega-3 fatty acids.
Sixty healthy adults were randomly divided into three groups. The first group received daily supplements containing 6.6 g of omega-3 (containing 3.0g EPA and 2.9g DHA). Group two received 2.0g of omega-3 (containing 0.9g EPA and 0.8g DHA). The remaining group received only an olive oil placebo. The supplements were given for 12 weeks. Before and after the supplements were consumed heart rate variability and blood cell fatty acids were measured. It was found that heart rate variability was favorably influenced by the amount of omega-3 consumed. In other words, the more omega-3 one consumed the higher the heart rate variability, especially in men with low heart rate variability before supplementing.
The researchers concluded that omega-3 fatty acids positively affected heart rate variability thus having a protective effect on heart function. These finding were similar to those of earlier studies showing that omega-3 positively affects heart rhythm in patients who had suffered a previous heart attack. Since sudden cardiac death is the result of erratic heart rhythm, omega-3???s heart protective qualities show great promise in the fight against sudden cardiac arrest. The mechanical studies completed by these and other researchers seemed to confirm other studies that the oral ingestion of fish and fish oils provide prophylaxis for the prevention of fatal cardiac arrhythmias when taken regularly in small amounts. In simple terms, consuming fish and fish oil supplements can save lives.
Greg holds degrees in science, divinity and philosophy and is currently an I.T. developer.
http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/fishoils.html
http://www.optimal-heart-health.com/fishoils.html
Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareSince the release of a book called" beat chronic fatigue... Read More
A 2002 study reported, funded by the Swiss National Science... Read More
Minerals are essential nutrients that serve the body in many... Read More
Everyone has an occasional sleepless night, and this is not... Read More
With all of the exciting things people are seeing in... Read More
BCAA stands for branched chain amino acids and is increasingly... Read More
Before you read the rest of this article I want... Read More
Supplementing with relatively small amounts of riboflavin (vitamin B2) may... Read More
Did you know that there are free radical biochemical "terrorists"... Read More
PART TWOFor those of you that read my previous article... Read More
The Greek word "Glyco" means, "Sugar". Most people think of... Read More
"Anybody who tells you that disease has only one cause,... Read More
The Connection Between Brain Inflammation, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's DiseaseThe evidence... Read More
Herbal Supplement ? what is it?So what is an herbal... Read More
Antioxidants . . . The Nutrients Boost The Immune System... Read More
The Challenge of Free Radicals to Your BodyYour body is... Read More
Recently the news carried the story that a researcher had... Read More
Since its discovery in the late 1950???s Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)... Read More
Imagine this scenario by the end of next August...You contact... Read More
A ranch house, a zip lock bag and some ordinary... Read More
For women, calcium is one of the most important nutrients... Read More
Undoubtedly calcium has become a hot topic of controversy. We... Read More
Rarely has a fruit that has been so unknown to... Read More
In a perfect world, your children would eat a balanced... Read More
There is a paradox of sorts when dealing with injections... Read More
Antigo wedding limo ..If you're constantly digging your hand into a jar of... Read More
Use of herbs and herbal therapies has been an integral... Read More
Three Important Nutrients - Vitamin E, Selenium, and Sodium and... Read More
Iron supplement - why iron?Why people need to use iron... Read More
Recently a television health expert was discussing the topic, "How... Read More
Bodybuilding supplements generally fall under the classification of dietary supplements,... Read More
Fetuses and infants simply must get enough omega-3 oils for... Read More
In a perfect world, your children would eat a balanced... Read More
This article will reveal one easy change you can make... Read More
It is clearly evident that hyaluronic acid in its oral... Read More
After nearly 4 years of research and development, Flavonoid Sciences... Read More
According to Dr John Scurr leading Consultant Vascular Surgeon and... Read More
Although creatine offers an array of benefits, most people think... Read More
I finally bought the stuff. I couldn't resist anymore. After... Read More
Sports Supplement ? what is it?We are all aware of... Read More
The mankind has never stopped searching for the scerets of... Read More
Hyaluronic acid is available in a variety of products ranging... Read More
The initial success of penicillin generated an assumption which has... Read More
This complex mixture of nutrient-rich growth factors, immunoglobulins, glycoconjugates and... Read More
A lot of people actually pay a good deal of... Read More
Part 1:A "better nutritional program" means the introduction of foods... Read More
I came across an article written by Dr. Ray Strand,... Read More
In parts one, two and three of this series, titled... Read More
Minerals are essential nutrients that serve the body in many... Read More
Nitric oxide is a free form gas produced by the... Read More
Nutritional Supplements |