(13WHAM-TV) - Fish Oil pills are among the most popular dietary supplements in the country, but new research shows they may provide no benefit at all.
For years, the American Heart Association has said that eating oily fish is good for your heart because it is a good Omega-3 fatty acid. Millions of Americans listened, spending $740 million dollars each year on fish oil supplements.
But a new study says the supplements provide no benefit. Researchers looked at 20 studies on heart health that tracked almost 70,000 patients. Overall, they say patients who took fish oil pills died of heart disease and stroke at the same rate as those who did not take the supplements.
Researchers did say find that people who eat actual fish twice a week are less likely to develop heart disease, or die from it.
It is not clear why getting Omega-3 from fish is more effective than supplements.
