A large and growing body of literature has suggested that fish oil supplements may be protective against cardiovascular disease. One of the ways fish oil supplements may exert their cardio-protective effect is through lowering triglycerides (blood fats) in individuals who have elevated levels in their blood.

http://nutrition.stanford.edu/projects/images/clip_image002.jpgFish Oil and Triglycerides Study" TITLE="The Fish Oil and Triglycerides Study" />Two types of fish oil supplements, differing in the way they are manufactured, are commercially available. However, no research study has evaluated whether these two types of supplements confer similar benefits. The aim of the Fish Oil and Triglycerides Study is to investigate the triglyceride-lowering effect of these two types of supplements in individuals with elevated levels in their blood (>150 mg/dL).

60 middle-aged, mostly Caucasian, generally healthy adults with elevated triglycerides were enrolled in this study. After 12 weeks, all fish oil groups experienced a significant drop (~25%) in blood triglycerides levels, whereas the placebo group did not show any change. However, there was no significant difference in the triglyceride-lowering effect of the different types of fish oil.