Into the Heart

Cardio Protective Dietary Omega 3

Dietary omega 3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA) help prevent heart disease through a variety of actions. DHA/EPA help prevent arrhythmias, have anti-inflammatory properties, inhibit the synthesis of cytokines and mitogens, stimulate enothelial derived nitric oxide, are anti-thrombotic and help lower triglycerides.

A mitogen is a substance that induces cell division. A cytokine is a small protein that has a specific effect on the interactions between cells, on communications between cells, or on the behavior of cells. Mitogens and cytokines contribute to the formation, maintenance and progression of arterial plaque.

The endothelium is the inner most lining of the artery. It is a very thin protective layer of endothelial cells.

In addition to its vasodilatory effect, nitric oxide also protects the endothelium against vascular injury, inflammation and thrombosis. More specifically, nitric oxide helps inhibit leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium, maintains vascular smooth muscle in a nonproliferative state and limits platelet aggregation.

Omega 3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid that must be obtained through the diet because it cannot be made by the human body.

Four ounces of:
canned, drained salmon contains 2.2 grams of omega 3.
canned, drained mackerel contains 2.2 grams of omega 3.
canned, drained sardines in oil contains 1.8 grams
of omega 3.
cooked cold water salmon, fresh/frozen contains
1.7 grams of omega 3.

Nutritional Source:
Tufts University School of Medicine
www.tufts.edu

New Markers of Inflammation and Endothelial Cell Activation
Circulation 2003, 108: 1917-1923.

EPA omega 3 and Healthy Blood Vessels

Thromboxane A2 is a potent inflammatory compound produced by cells in response to injury. Thromboxane A2 causes blood vessels to constrict and the blood to clot (platelet aggregation). Down regulating thromboxane A2 helps block inflammatory responses and helps regulate blood pressure which reduces damage to the vascular endothelium: the inner protective lining of the artery.

EPA omega 3 inhibits the synthesis of thromboxane A2 from arachidonic acid in platelets (small blood cells). Arachidonic acid is a fatty acid from which series 2 and 4 inflammatory mediators such as leukotrienes, thromboxanes, and prostaglandins are generated.

Of additional benefit: fish oils enhance the synthesis of prostacyclin, a prostaglandin that produces vasodilation and makes platelets less sticky. Therefore, platelets will not cluster and narrow the coronary arteries and blood vessels will not squeeze/constrict allowing blood to flow more freely to the cells & tissues of the heart. Unobstructed blood flow and dilated coronary arteries reduce the work load of the heart.

Source:
Importance of n-3 fatty acids in health and disease
William E Connor
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol. 71, No. 1, 171S-175S, January 2000

Fish Oils Nurture Cardiac Cell Membranes

The plasma cell membrane controls traffic in and out of cells.
Most biological activities are mediated by proteins embedded in the cell membrane bilayer; these include enzymes, receptors, carriers, pumps and the voltage gated ion channels responsible for the cardiac action potential.

It is the movement of ions across cardiac cell membranes that generates the electrical potentials that activate the heart. Cardiac action potential are understood in terms of these structural changes in the proteins that control ion fluxes across the plasma membrane.

When free fatty acids, trans-fats and fish oils are incorporated into cardiac cell membranes they alter such functioning as opening, closing and inactivation of ion channels.

Trans fatty acids have a negative affect on cardiac cell membranes. The incorporation of fish oils has a favorable affects on cardiac cell membranes.

Keep in mind like dissolves like, fats dissolve in fats. As such, to help increase the bioavailability of fish oils to cardiac cell membranes, it is important consume fish or a fish oil supplement with other fatty foods.

Source:
Trans-Fatty Acids and Sudden Cardic Death,  Arnold M. Katz MD
Circulation 2002; 105;669-671

Fish Oils have Anti-arrhythmic Properties

The heart is a rhythmic electromechanical pump.
The normal electrical activity in the heart is controlled by the movement of ions through specialized channels in the membranes of cardiac cells.
Several epidemiological studies suggest a cellular mechanism through which Omega 3 fish oils (DHA/EPA) affect ion channels to reduce the risk of arrhythmia.

There are six principal ion currents that contribute to the nodal and pacemaking cell action potential and ten that underlie the myocardial action potential. Changes in channel functioning, affect action potential repolarization and can lead to life threatening arrhythmias. Fish oils appear to help regulate ion channel functioning, and as such keep the heart beating rhythmically.

The myocardium forms the bulk of the heart and is composed mainly of cardiac muscle.

One Fish, Two Fish

Compared with no (or very low) intake, modest dietary intake of fatty fish and omega 3 from seafood, the equivalent of one fatty fish meal a week, is associated with a marked 40% - 50% reduction in sudden cardiac death.  As such, some intake of omega 3 from seafood appears to be better than none.

Both clinical and animal experimental evidence suggests that the effect of omega 3 fish oils on the risk of sudden cardiac death relates primarily to reduced vulnerability to ventricular fibrillation, rather than to a reduction in atherosclerosis or non fatal myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Source: Circulation. 2003; 107:2632 The Fish Story: A diet hypothesis with clinical implications: n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, myocardial vulnerability and sudden death.

Resveratrol, Red Wine the Vascular Benefit

Resveratrol is an antioxidant compound present in red grapes, red wine and peanuts.

Oxidized (rancid) LDL cholesterol is considered to be a powerful initiating mechanism of atherogenesis: the formation of fatty deposits in the arteries. Red wine phenolics such as resveratrol protects low density lipoproteins (LDL-C) against oxidation.

In addition, the cardioprotective effects of resveratrol are correlated with superior anti-platelet aggregation activity, antioxidant activity, up-regulation of nitric oxide synthase, reduction of smooth muscle cell proliferation and protection against endothelial dysfunction.

Resveratrol helps inhibit the synthesis of thromboxane B2, which induces vasoconstriction (tightening of the arteries). Tight coronary arteries reduce blood flow to the heart and place strain on the heart.

Red Wine and HDL the good cholesterol

High density lipoproteins (HDL cholesterol) transports cholesterol away from the arteries and is refered to as good cholesterol.  One 3 to 4 oz small  glass of red wine per day helps to increase levels of high density lipoproteins. This HDL cholesterol helps to remove some of the low density lipoproteins (LDL cholesterol) from the circulation, which lessens the amount of material available for fatty plaque formation.

3 oz. a Day: Red Wine

The benefit of red wine is supported by analysis of 13 studies involving 209,408 participants. This analysis showed a 32 % risk reduction of atherosclerosis disease with red wine intake.

Atherosclerosis is the accumulation of fatty deposits in the blood vessels. The buildup of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries decreases blood flow to the heart which can result in angina chest pain or a heart attack.

Light to moderate alcohol consumption is also associated with a 20% reduction (approximate) in the risk for ischemic stroke and is thought to be beneficial in preventing subsequent strokes.

The compounds found in red wine appear to favorably maintain healthy blood vessels by promoting the formation of nitric oxide; the key chemical relaxing factor that has a significant role in the regulation of vascular tone.

Nitric oxide protects against vascular injury, inhibits the adhesion of inflammatory cells to the endothelial lining of arterial walls, and limits the activation of platelets; tiny cell particles responsible for blood clotting.

Source:
Red Wine and Your Heart
Paul E. Szmitko, BSc; Subodh Verma, MD, PhD
Circulation. 2005;111:e10-e11.
2005 American Heart Association, Inc.