The answer is no, and maybe yes.
Before I explain that seemingly cryptic answer, let me explain what Afib is. Afib is an abbreviation for atrial fibrillation, which is an irregular heartbeat in which the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) beat chaotically and rapidly.
As a result, not enough blood is being pumped out of the heart’s upper chamber, so the blood can begin to pool in those chambers. The pooled blood can potentially clot, which can enter the bloodstream and potentially cause a stroke. Usually, once you develop Afib, you have it for life.
Now let’s get back to the omega-3 story. The epidemiological data are clear that the higher the levels of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) in the blood, the less likely one is to develop Afib, and the likelihood of having a stroke or dying from a heart attack is also significantly decreased (1).
This is good news, and it seems like a good reason to take omega-3 fatty acids as a supplement. On the other hand, in clinical trials using omega-3 fatty acid supplements, there is a statistically significant increased risk of atrial fibrillation (Afib) (2).
This has led many physicians to suggest that you shouldn’t take more than one gram of omega-3 fatty acids daily. Unfortunately, clinical trials using this low level of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation have been unable to show any significant cardiovascular benefits (3).
So, why the discrepancy? Maybe it is not the omega-3 fatty acids that are the problem, but how omega-3 fatty acid supplements used in the these study are manufactured. The manufacturing of all omega-3 acid supplements starts with raw material sources (usually sardines and anchovies) that are relatively enriched in omega-3 fatty acids. To create a viable commercial product, you must increase the concentration of these omega-3 fatty acids. This can only occur through a multi-step process of converting crude fish oil into ethyl esters and then concentrating these ethyl esters to achieve higher concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids.
Not surprisingly, a significant amount of residual material is generated during the process. So, how do you eliminate this waste material before you have a commercial product? For the past 40 years, the answer has been molecular distillation.
Molecular distillation utilizes high heat (typically around 190 ℃) under vacuum, allowing the separation of omega-3 fatty ethyl esters from the residual material generated during the concentration process. During this process, the omega-3 fatty acids may become isomerized into trans fatty acids, meaning their configuration in space can change because of the high temperatures used in molecular distillation.
This means they have a new configuration that turns them from potentially powerful anti-inflammatory nutrients into anti-nutrients that can inhibit the actions of the other omega-3 fatty acids. I believe this is the underlying cause of the potential development of atrial fibrillation (Afib) when using omega-3 fatty acid supplements isolated by molecular distillation.
Ok, then what is the solution? I believe it’s a new manufacturing technology called super-critical fluid (SCF) technology. Certain gases (like carbon dioxide) under very high pressure can be transformed into a liquid-like form that can dissolve the omega-3 fatty acids at much lower temperatures (40-50 ℃).
Now, the omega-3 fatty acid esters can be separated from the residue generated during the concentration process much more efficiently and at a far lower temperature, which eliminates the formation of isomers that likely contribute to the generation of Afib. It’s a more expensive purification technology, but one that provides a superior product that can be used at higher levels without the concern for causing Afib.
The benefits of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids are powerful if you take adequate levels to lower the AA/EPA ratio in the blood, which reduces chronic low-level inflammation in every organ in the body. That was the premise of my book, The OmegaRx Zone: The Miracle of the New High-Dose Fish Oil, which was published in 2001 (4). It was this book that started the exponential rise of omega-3 fatty acid supplement sales worldwide. The use of SCF-refined omega-3 fatty acid concentrates takes the potential of high-dose omega-3 fatty acids described in my book to an even greater likelihood by reducing the risk of developing Afib when using SCF-refined omega-3 fatty acids.
