Weighing in on vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplements
A five-year study of dietary supplement use in nearly 26,000 participants found that omega-3 fatty acids reduced heart attack rates by 28 percent but did not affect risk of stroke or cancer. Within the omega-3 group, reduction of heart attack risk was especially pronounced among Blacks, who made up 20 percent of the total participant pool. Although vitamin D did not significantly affect heart attack, stroke, or cancer incidence, it was linked with a 25 percent decrease in cancer deaths. The decrease began one to two years after participants began taking the vitamin. The study was conducted by HMS researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.