Fish oil use linked to lower risk of aortic valve narrowing
Among 501,083 UK Biobank participants, fish oil supplementation was associated with a 10% lower relative risk of aortic valve narrowing than non-use.
Limit: The study did not report supplement doses or harms
Edited by Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Researchers followed 501,083 UK Biobank participants without aortic valve stenosis, a narrowing of the valve between the heart and its main artery. This observational cohort study used statistical weighting to balance 21 baseline characteristics between fish oil or omega-3 supplement users and non-users.
Over a median of 13.8 years, researchers recorded 6,561 new cases. After weighting, rates were 0.92 cases per 1,000 person-years among users versus 1.01 among non-users. A person-year represents one person followed for one year. A statistical analysis estimated that blood omega-3 fatty acids accounted for 18.7% of the association. The link between supplement use and lower risk was stronger in participants with diabetes than in those without it.
Why it matters
Aortic valve stenosis is common in aging populations, and no drug strategy has been shown to slow its onset or progression. The findings support investigating omega-3 supplements in a randomized prevention trial.
Caveats
This observational study cannot establish that supplements caused the lower risk. It excluded people with existing aortic valve stenosis, and the congress abstract did not report supplement doses or harms.
- Fish oil
- Lipid and ceramide metabolism
- Aortic valve stenosis
- Type 2 diabetes
- Circulating fatty acids
- Humans
The paper
Amsterdam University Medical Centers
ESC Congress 2026 Abstract, Oct 26, 2026
Presented at ESC Congress 2026
